Mbappé Puts Champions League Ahead of Ballon d'Or After Madrid's Win Over Inter

Two mistakes from Inter, two goals from Madrid and a quote that's going to make the rounds all week. Kylian Mbappé made it clear after the 2-1 win over the Italian side that there's one goal that matters more to him than any individual trophy: the Champions League.

The match, played this Tuesday at the Santiago Bernabéu, didn't go quite as expected. Inter, with more possession and more chances for long stretches, ran into a Madrid side that struck first and punished every defensive gift it received. Mbappé opened the scoring and Federico Valverde doubled the lead before halftime, both goals born from mistakes at the back by the visitors. In the second half, Carlos Augusto pulled one back for Inter, who pushed but couldn't find an equalizer.

The result carried an extra storyline: it was José Mourinho's first European match since returning to the Inter dugout, and he looked just as he always does, pleading with officials, living every play from the touchline. It wasn't enough to take anything from the Bernabéu, though his team showed signs it can compete in this group stage.

But what grabbed the microphones was what Mbappé said afterward. Asked by CBS about his chances of lifting the Champions League this season, he didn't hesitate:

That's the goal, that's the target. That's what I said yesterday about the Ballon d'Or, but the Champions League is even more important. I play for the club of my dreams.Kylian Mbappé

The Frenchman enters this season as one of the nominees for the men's Ballon d'Or, following a World Cup in which he scored 10 goals and helped France reach the semifinals. A standout year individually, sure, but there's still unfinished business on the collective side: since arriving at Real Madrid two seasons ago, he still hasn't been able to lift a major trophy with the club.

Does it sound strange for someone to prefer a team trophy over an award that crowns a player's career? For Mbappé, it isn't. Here's how he explained it:

For me it's really important to win the Champions League here in Madrid, that's what I want most. But of course, this year's Ballon d'Or, I think it's a great opportunity. It's a good year for me.Kylian Mbappé

The wound is still fresh: last season, Madrid fell in the quarterfinals to Bayern Munich, a stumble that knocked the team out earlier than expected in its favorite competition. That's why Mbappé urged caution despite last night's win.

"It's very early," he admitted about the team's prospects this campaign. "We've just started the Champions League and we did it with a win. But of course, we want to achieve special things. We want to function as a collective, to be a team capable of competing against the best in the world. We know last year was somewhat complicated for us in the Champions League. At Real Madrid you always have to be at the very top; I hope this year we compete as a team and manage to be where we want to be."

With this win, Madrid opens the group stage with three points in the bag. The road is long, but at least the first step is done at home, in front of their fans, with their star setting the tone.