Kylian Mbappe said he still believed he was worthy of the Ballon d’Or award despite failing to win any silverware with Real Madrid during the season, while France’s World Cup campaign ended with a semifinal defeat by Spain. In an interview with France Football, the 27-year-old hailed new France coach Zinedine Zidane and said he believed his performances merited recognition as the world’s best player. It’s one of my goals, and a short-term one at that,” Mbappe said.
I’ve never seen a Ballon d’Or winner elected unanimously. That means there’s always someone who thought the winner didn’t deserve it.” Mbappe scored 15 goals in the Champions League and 25 in La Liga before taking his World Cup tally to 22, becoming the competition’s all-time leading scorer, although France’s campaign ended in a 2-0 semifinal defeat by Spain. I think I did things that were different this year, so I believe I can win it.” Asked if he thought he would be a deserving winner, Mbappe was adamant.
We were talking about achievements. To score that many goals in the major competitions, where all the great players are, and of course at the World Cup, the biggest event, to become the competition’s all-time leading scorer – throughout my holidays, that was all people talked to me about,” he said. It’s the competition of the great players, the stars, the greatest players in the history of the game. And to tell yourself that, at 27, I’m already the one who has scored the most goals… “And it’s even more special because you take the record from Leo Messi, who for many people is the greatest player in history alongside Cristiano (Ronaldo).
That kind of achievement is different.” The forward praised the appointment of 1998 World Cup winner Zidane, who succeeded Didier Deschamps as France’s head coach. He made his mark on the history of the national team as a player and he had some truly iconic moments,” Mbappe enthused. He’s one of those players who transcended generations.
He left an indelible mark on the history of French football.”
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