Kylian Mbappé is not hiding his ambition ahead of the 2026 Ballon d’Or.
The Real Madrid forward admits he would be disappointed if he does not win the award, believes his individual season gives him a strong case, and says he would dedicate the prize to Africa if he gets his hands on it.
But his latest interviews have also revealed a more personal side of the 27 year old, including how his mother once pushed him towards Liverpool, his admiration for Cristiano Ronaldo and Michael Jordan, and why he has no interest in changing himself to satisfy everyone.
The Ballon d’Or ceremony is scheduled for October 26 in London.
Mbappé admits he would be disappointed to lose
Mbappé is not pretending that winning the Ballon d’Or would simply be a nice addition to his career because he wants it.
“I can really feel it’s a good year for me,” Mbappé told RFI.
“I would be disappointed to not win it. When a competitor doesn’t win, he is disappointed. I am competitive!”
His argument is largely built around his individual production.
“My individual year was great; I was top scorer in all the big competitions,” he said, adding that he considers that an important criterion for the award.
Mbappé also says he is comfortable with how he has handled the Ballon d’Or discussion.
“I’m at peace with that. I did everything I could, and I think I handled it well,” he told AS.
Now, he has to wait for the voters' decision.
He wants to dedicate the Ballon d’Or to Africa
For Mbappé, winning the award would carry a meaning beyond his individual career.
He has repeatedly spoken about his African heritage, with his father, Wilfried Mbappé, from Cameroon and his mother, Fayza Lamari, of Algerian Kabyle descent.
Mbappé says he has never lost his connection to his roots.
“I have never lost the connection with my roots and my origins,” he told RFI.
“Every time I go to Africa, I feel the love from the people.”
That is why he hopes a potential Ballon d’Or victory could be shared symbolically with the continent.
“I hope I can leave with the Ballon d’Or and, in one way or another, dedicate it to them too.”
Mbappé's comments came during a series of interviews in which the Ballon d’Or has been a major subject.
RFI described the Real Madrid forward as being in the middle of a public campaign for the award.
Mbappé does not want to please everyone
Away from the award itself, Mbappé was also asked about his personality and the pressure that comes with being one of football's biggest stars, and his answer was straightforward.
“I never ever wanted to please everyone.”
The Frenchman says he cannot become somebody else simply because people expect a different version of him.
“But I can’t be someone else; I will not learn to be someone else. I will always be myself.”
That approach has followed Mbappé throughout his career. He has faced criticism over his performances, leadership, transfers and public statements, but his latest comments suggest he would rather accept that not everyone will approve of him than change his personality to fit expectations.
Liverpool almost became Mbappé's next club
One of the most interesting revelations came from his interview with The Athletic.
Before joining Paris Saint-Germain in 2017, Mbappé was seriously courted by Liverpool because his mother was particularly keen on the move.
“She wanted me to go there!” Mbappé said.
Fayza Lamari travelled to Liverpool during the negotiations, visited Anfield and met people at the club.
According to Mbappé, she quickly became impressed by what she saw.
“She went to Anfield and fell in love with it,” he recalled.
She even watched matches on her own because she wanted to imagine her son playing in front of Liverpool's famous crowd.
Mbappé also met then Liverpool manager Jürgen Klopp and said he had a “wonderful relationship” with him and “big respect” for the German coach.
Still, Mbappé had another priority; he wanted to stay in France and play in Paris.
“I wanted to play in my city, Paris,” he explained. “I didn’t want to leave my country before I was someone.”
Liverpool therefore came close, but the teenager ultimately chose PSG.
The revelation adds an interesting twist to his career because Mbappé eventually left France for Real Madrid in 2024, seven years after deciding that his first major move should keep him close to home.
His mother’s visit to Anfield and Klopp's involvement in the 2017 pursuit have now been confirmed by Mbappé himself.
Cristiano Ronaldo is still one of his biggest influences
Mbappé's admiration for Cristiano Ronaldo is hardly new, but his latest comments show how that relationship has changed.
Ronaldo was once his idol; now, Mbappé considers him a friend.
Asked about his dream dinner, Mbappé named Ronaldo alongside basketball legend Michael Jordan, tennis great Serena Williams and singer Rihanna.
“Cristiano Ronaldo, my idol, who now I consider as a friend,” he said.
He added that Ronaldo gives him advice and supports him, while Mbappé also wants to be there for the Portuguese star.
Michael Jordan was another obvious choice because Mbappé sees him as an inspiration and wants to speak with him about his career.
The answer offered a glimpse into the athletes Mbappé studies beyond football... champions who built long careers while remaining at the centre of their respective sports.
Mbappé believes Real Madrid are hungry for trophies
The Ballon d’Or is only one of Mbappé's targets this season.
Real Madrid also have plenty to prove after a period in which the club has not collected the trophies expected of them.
“We are HUNGRY,” Mbappé told The Athletic. “We know people expect something from us this year.”
“We can't wait to fight for every title.”
Mbappé has also noticed that the club's Ballon d’Or display still has plenty of space for another photograph.
While pointing towards pictures of previous winners, he joked...
“Maybe my picture will be here soon, who knows?”
“It’s time! Maybe this year is a good year for that.”
The confidence is obvious, but so is the awareness of what winning the award would represent.
He does not want to advise Michael Olise to leave Bayern
Mbappé was also asked about reports linking Bayern Munich winger Michael Olise with Real Madrid.
Rather than encouraging the French international to make a move, Mbappé deliberately stayed away from that conversation.
“I think it would be disrespectful to advise a player to leave,” he told BILD. “That would be unfair to Bayern.”
He described Bayern as a great club where Olise can achieve a lot, while acknowledging that every major club would want a player of his quality.
It was a notably careful answer from a player who knows what it feels like to be at the centre of transfer speculation.
He also defended Rüdiger's personality
Mbappé offered a different perspective when discussing Real Madrid teammate Antonio Rüdiger.
The German defender is known for his intense behaviour during matches, but Mbappé says that can give people the wrong impression of what he is like away from the pitch.
“Rüdiger is the perfect example of why you shouldn’t judge people solely by how they behave on the pitch,” Mbappé said.
“Of course, he’s crazy on the pitch... But in the dressing room, he’s completely different.”
It is another example of Mbappé pointing out the difference between a footballer's public image and the person teammates actually know.
Mbappé is not planning to copy Ronaldo's longevity
There was also a lighter moment when Mbappé was asked about playing until 41 like Ronaldo, and his answer was accompanied by a smile.
“France would never let me play until I’m 41!”
Still, Mbappé acknowledged what Ronaldo's longevity says about elite footballers.
“Cristiano shows that if you’re in good physical and mental shape, you can play at this high level for a long time.”
As for himself, however, Mbappé does not currently see that happening.
“I don’t see it happening.”
The Ballon d’Or is now a waiting game
Mbappé has made his case because he believes his individual numbers, scoring record, and overall season put him in contention.
He has also made it clear that winning would matter deeply to him, both as a competitor and as someone who wants to represent his African roots; but the decision is no longer in his hands.
For now, Mbappé can only wait, and if his own words are anything to go by, finishing second will not simply be something he accepts quietly.
He wants the Ballon d’Or, believes he has earned a genuine chance to win it, and is prepared to admit that losing would disappoint him.
The final decision comes on October 26.