Jean-Pierre Papin has criticised Kylian Mbappé’s public pursuit of the 2026 Ballon d’Or, arguing that the Real Madrid striker undermined his own candidacy by placing too much emphasis on his individual record.
Papin, the 1991 Ballon d’Or winner and former France forward, made the remarks after Mbappé placed second to England captain Harry Kane in this year’s voting, announced in London on Monday, October 26. The 27-year-old Frenchman achieved his best-ever result in the award, but Kane was the only player ranked above him.
Speaking on RMC’s Rothen s’enflamme programme on Wednesday, Papin said Mbappé’s approach to public communication had damaged his prospects. He compared the France captain’s image to that of Cristiano Ronaldo, suggesting that both players can create an expectation that the rest of the team should operate in support of them.
“Mbappé’s communication was very damaging for him because it partly reflected his personality,” Papin said. “That is regrettable when you have so much talent and play for a club such as Real Madrid. He reminds me somewhat of Cristiano Ronaldo, in the sense that others were expected to serve him.”
The former Marseille striker nevertheless recognised Mbappé’s elite scoring record, saying his efficiency is approaching the standard set by Ronaldo during his prime. But Papin maintained that the media campaign surrounding Mbappé’s candidacy ultimately counted against him. “In terms of effectiveness, he is not far from what Cristiano Ronaldo delivered, but his media campaign backfired on him to a degree,” he said.
Mbappé had strongly promoted his case in the weeks before the ceremony, arguing that his performances over the previous season made him the leading contender. In an interview with France Football, he said: “There is no one better than me last season.”
Real Madrid’s failure to secure a major trophy in the 2025-26 season left Mbappé’s individual output as the central argument for his candidacy. Team honours often carry substantial weight in Ballon d’Or voting, particularly when several leading players have posted strong personal numbers.
Even so, Papin said he expects Mbappé to eventually claim football’s most prestigious individual prize. “I am convinced that he will win the Ballon d’Or because he has the talent for it,” Papin said. “This year was not his final opportunity. It was certainly a major chance, but he still has a path to follow.”
Mbappé has maintained his scoring momentum despite the disappointment of missing the award. He scored 42 times in 44 matches last season and has opened the new campaign with 14 goals in 13 appearances. His recent run included two goals against Barcelona in El Clasico, lifting his total for Real Madrid to 100 goals.
