Jean-Pierre Papin says Kylian Mbappe’s public campaign to win the 2026 Ballon d’Or damaged his chances of claiming the award.
The France and Real Madrid forward finished second behind England striker Harry Kane, recording his highest position in the voting at the age of 27. But Mbappe’s comments about his entitlement to win the prize worked against him, according to Papin, the 1991 Ballon d’Or winner.
Mbappe told France Football magazine last month: “There is nobody better than me in the previous season.”
Speaking on RMC’s Rothen s’enflamme programme on Wednesday, Papin criticised the way Mbappe communicated with the media during the build-up to the award.
“Mbappe’s communication was catastrophic for him,” Papin said. “To some extent, it reflected his personality. That is unfortunate when you have so much talent and play for a club like Real Madrid.
“He reminds me a little of Cristiano Ronaldo. Others should have put themselves at his service.”
Papin, who previously played for Olympique de Marseille and Milan, said Mbappe’s performances had been comparable with those produced by Cristiano Ronaldo, but felt the player’s approach to the Ballon d’Or discussion had undermined him.
“In terms of effectiveness, he is not far from what Cristiano Ronaldo used to produce,” Papin added. “But his media campaign turned against him to some extent.”
Despite his criticism, Papin remains convinced Mbappe will eventually win the Ballon d’Or. He said the 2026 vote represented an important opportunity for the forward, rather than his final chance.
“I am convinced that he will win the Ballon d’Or because he has the talent required,” Papin said. “This was not his last opportunity. It was already a great opportunity, but he still has a road to travel.”
Mbappe had previously finished seventh in the Ballon d’Or rankings in 2017, fourth in 2018, sixth in 2019, ninth in 2021, sixth in 2022, third in 2023, sixth in 2024 and seventh in 2025.
His runner-up finish in 2026 therefore represents his best placing in the award’s history. However, Kane’s victory means Mbappe must wait for another opportunity to claim the individual honour, despite his reputation as one of the leading players of his generation.
Papin’s assessment focuses on the distinction between Mbappe’s ability on the pitch and the way his campaign was presented publicly. In his view, the France international possesses the quality to win the award, but his comments about being the outstanding player of the previous season weakened his position during the voting process.
