Kylian Mbappé has never won a Ballon d'Or, but he insists that doesn't eat at him. Speaking to CNN Sports, the France captain said there's no "frustration" over the missing prize, adding that this year "could be a good year for me."
It's a bold claim given his trophy cabinet took a hit last season. Mbappé finished fourth at the World Cup with France and didn't lift any silverware with Real Madrid, two factors that typically weigh heavily on Ballon d'Or voters. But he argues the award should come down to individual quality rather than team success.
"Football is a collective sport, but there are collective trophies to represent that collective supremacy," he told CNN Sports. "When you talk about the Ballon d'Or, you give it to one player, so you give it to the best player, and the guy who shows you that he is the best, and every big competition shows something."
Mbappé's main rivals for the award appear to be Barcelona's Lamine Yamal and Bayern Munich's Harry Kane, with Lionel Messi also drawing support for a record-extending ninth Ballon d'Or largely on the back of his World Cup performances for Argentina. The ceremony is set for October 26 in London.
Whatever the shortfalls with France and Real Madrid last season, Mbappé had a World Cup to remember individually. He became the tournament's all-time top scorer, netting his 22nd World Cup goal in the third-place playoff against England.
"It's something that I couldn't imagine," he said of the record. "We saw all the greatest players of all time, all the greatest athletes, all the greatest icons that I idolized when I was younger, and to be able to be this guy at only 27, it sounds surreal. At the end of the day, it's part of history, part of the legacy that I want to build."
Asked directly about never winning the Ballon d'Or, Mbappé kept things measured. "A frustration? No," he said. "Because, as a competitor, you always want to win everything. So at the end of the day, of course you want to win it, every player wants to win it, but we have to wait."
New era for France
Off the back of the World Cup, Didier Deschamps stepped down as France manager, ending his long reign in charge of Les Bleus. Taking over is Zinedine Zidane, stepping into international management for the first time after leading Real Madrid to three straight Champions League titles. Zidane has already confirmed Mbappé will continue as captain as France begins a new cycle heading toward the 2030 World Cup.
"Another era starting in the national team, we are really happy to have him (Zidane). Let's see what we're gonna do. I think everybody expects a lot from us," Mbappé said.
He was candid about what needs to improve after France's World Cup campaign fell short. "We are one of the best teams in the world, everybody saw. But we have to work on the details to be the best in the world, and I think also everybody saw that," he said. "At the end of the day, it was an amazing experience for us because I think we gave pleasure to fans all around the world, but we didn't achieve what we wanted to achieve. But I cannot say it's a failure."
Signing for On
Mbappé is also starting a new chapter off the pitch. He's ended a near 20-year relationship with Nike to sign with Swiss sportswear brand On, marking the company's first move into soccer. On says Mbappé will serve as a global ambassador and work directly with its product teams, including on its Lightspray technology, which uses robots to construct footwear.
"It's a new chapter, a new challenge, a new opportunity, and I'm really happy about the situation right now," Mbappé said. "I think it's also part of a moment in my life that I wanted to change, an evolution as a person, as a player ... but as a person also, I wanted something different. I wanted it to be at the start of a journey to build a legacy, completely build the legacy and it was the perfect opportunity for me."
Mbappé has reportedly been closely involved in developing what he calls the "perfect boot," one he wants to feel like a "second skin." On co-founder and co-CEO David Allemann told CNN Sports that fans shouldn't expect the finished product too soon.
"We do our market entry in 2027, and before that, I don't know. We continue with the last prototyping, so we might get a glimpse at some point," Allemann said. "For us, this is an opportunity to bring in innovation. Kylian spoke about it: It's about the details. So it's about how you can spray a shoe in three minutes with a robotic arm that can influence every pixel on that boot, reinforce it where it needs reinforcement, bring flexibility where it needs it, and pretty much build a second skin for your foot, bringing the shortest distance between your foot and the ball. We see it as an opportunity."
