Et si Kylian Mbappé ne remportait jamais le Ballon d’Or ?
The Frenchman, who will turn 28 next December, was predicted to have a different destiny. Will he ever manage to win the trophy he so desperately desires?
What if Kylian Mbappé never wins the Ballon d'Or? The question is of interest to all countries, and it was raised, for example, by an Italian journalist from Sky Italia, who voted for the individual trophy and placed Mbappé first in his ranking. Runner-up for the 2026 Ballon d'Or, Kylian Mbappé has never been closer to the individual trophy he so desperately desires, yet paradoxically seems further away than ever. How will he ever win it if he is overtaken by Harry Kane, who hasn't won the Champions League or the World Cup? How will he ever win it if being the top scorer in major competitions (World Cup, Champions League, La Liga) isn't enough?
Since his first appearance in the rankings in 2017 (ranked 7th), he has never fallen out of the top 10. But he has only reached the podium twice (3rd in 2023, 2nd this year). Each time, he lacks something to take that final step. A major team trophy, like in 2023 when his fabulous 2022 World Cup, with his legendary hat-trick in the final, was thwarted by Lionel Messi's ultimate victory, or a memorable Champions League run, like in 2020 when he reached the final during the Covid pandemic, without being decisive (and with the Ballon d'Or ultimately cancelled).
He should have already succeeded.
So here we have a boy who was promised several accolades at the age of 17, still searching for his first Ballon d'Or, even resorting to large-scale media campaigns to establish his legitimacy. This has even become a source of jokes for the man himself, like the roast he endured on Netflix's Djadel Show, where a comedian mocks Mbappé, repeating his famous line, "Don't talk to me about age." "And since then, you haven't won the Ballon d'Or or the Champions League. We'll soon start talking about age, Kiki!" Sparrow quipped.
In England, too, questions are being raised about Mbappé's ultimately surprising career path. "Mbappé was supposed to succeed Messi and Ronaldo. Instead, Modric and Rodri beat him to it. At the very least, he was expected to be the next Frenchman to reach that level after Zinedine Zidane in 1998. But Karim Benzema, and then Ousmane Dembélé, took that title from him," notes The Athletic. "Joining Real Madrid, the most successful club in Champions League history, was supposed to work in his favor. Yet, PSG, his former club, won the title for the first time since his departure, have won it twice in a row, and seem well on their way to a three-peat."
An approach that needs changing
Even the pro-Madrid daily Marca seems to be waking up, a little late, to the fact that being an exceptional goalscorer isn't enough; titles and team involvement are essential. "The Ballon d'Or, although an individual award, increasingly reflects the collective spirit of football. If we go back further in time, and excluding Cristiano Ronaldo and especially Lionel Messi, to a time when the trophy was more open, it was also awarded to two players who won the hearts of the fans with their ease of integration into the team: Luka Modric and Karim Benzema," writes the Spanish newspaper, which had nevertheless strongly supported Mbappé's candidacy.
Still not a winner even when no other candidate presented the perfect record to secure the victory, he can wonder what he needs to do to achieve it. Scoring goals is a certainty, but combining that with a great season at Real Madrid and with the French national team, with a more intense commitment to the collective effort, is another matter. And then, perhaps…
Commentaires (5)
C’est le cas flagrant des 2 dernières éditions : en 2025 où on a donné le ballon d’or à Rodri à la place de Vinicius Jr et en 2026 où Harry Kane est primé à la place de Mbappé.
Désormais des critères non footballisques, inconnus du grand public sont finalement décisifs : en tout cas en plus d’être performant, marquer des buts, il faut fermer sa gueule, n’avoir d’opinion sur rien, être humble genre Kane, Dembélé ou Rodri
Une forte personnalité, quelqu’un qui peut avoir un avis , une opinion qui ne plait pas à certains journaux bien connus n’aura plus jamais le ballon.
A bon entendeur, salut.
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