Mbappé makes his case for the Ballon d'Or and addresses lack of chemistry with Vinicius

They asked him about the Ballon d'Or and Kylian Mbappé didn't hide. He didn't crown himself early, either. He simply said what he thinks: that this is a good moment to fight for the most coveted individual prize in soccer, and that his name comes up for more than just wearing the Real Madrid jersey.

"When you play for Real Madrid, which is the best club in the world, you get associated with these awards. When people see me on the street, they talk about this. It's an award that's very positive for every player. I made a lot of history this summer in the most important competition. But there's still a lot of time left. And people are free to think about who is the best player in the world," explained the French forward.

It's worth remembering why he speaks with such calm. Mbappé joined Real Madrid in the summer of 2024 after years of back and forth with the club, and since then he has become a key piece of the Madrid attack. The reference to "this summer" is no accident: he was decisive in winning the Club World Cup, the tournament FIFA promoted as the biggest club competition ever played, and that's where he built much of the case that now puts him in the Ballon d'Or conversation.

The criticism over the lack of connection with Vinicius

It wasn't all praise. He also had to respond to something that comes up season after season: the supposed lack of chemistry with Vinicius Junior on the field. Mbappé didn't deny it or play it down, but he did shift the focus elsewhere.

It's one opinion among the millions there are about Real Madrid, the biggest club in the world. I can't control everything that's said. Vini and I have the same goal, which is to win titles. And we can't control what people think. We listen, we try to improve and move forward.Kylian Mbappé

The other uncomfortable topic was the usual one: the lack of defensive contribution. There Mbappé was direct, even comparing himself to two leading French forwards who play for PSG.

Just me and Vinicius? Of course we have to improve. But it's completely natural. I could be foolish and say I score more goals than the PSG guys and that they should score more. But I have to be smart and say I need to improve, even though I do things others don't. It's an endless debate. We all need to improve in this area. With the ball too.Kylian Mbappé

The reference pointed to Ousmane Dembélé and Raphinha, named by the reporter in the comparison, though Mbappé preferred not to dwell on the controversy and instead steered the conversation toward constructive self-criticism.

Finally, the Frenchman reflected on his dual role: captain of the French national team and just one more piece, albeit a star one, in the Real Madrid locker room. "I have two different contexts: the national team and Real Madrid. Of course in each context I have to step up, but on the national team I'm the captain and here I'm not. But I want to improve as a player. I've had many different coaches and that has helped me a lot to see how we can adapt to each situation. Because I always say there are many games within a game," Mbappé concluded, showing that mix of personal ambition and cold reading of the game that has brought him to where he is.