Kylian Mbappe faced a harsh Ballon d’Or surprise from the former award boss just weeks before the ceremony.
Pascal Ferre, the former head of the Ballon d’Or, recently shared his thoughts on this year’s winner, saying one top contender might not be “strong enough” to take home the prize at the ceremony in London on October 26.
Right now, Barcelona’s young star Lamine Yamal is the favorite to win, with Bayern Munich’s Harry Kane close behind. Kane hopes to be the first Englishman since Michael Owen in 2001 to win the award. Zlatan Ibrahimovic has already said Yamal should get it because he has that special “magic” that inspires people to dream. Both players have had amazing seasons, making it tough to pick between them. Meanwhile, another big name is out of the running.
Kylian Mbappe is the third favorite after another fantastic season at Real Madrid, scoring 42 goals in 44 games, although he didn’t win any major trophies. He also shined at the World Cup, finishing as the top scorer with 10 goals, but France was knocked out in the semi-finals by Spain, who went on to win the tournament.
At 27, Mbappe has done everything he can to earn a first Ballon d’Or, but the award often goes to players who lead their teams to big titles. That’s why Yamal, who won both La Liga and the World Cup this year, is the front-runner. Pascal Ferre explained why he thinks the 19-year-old deserves it more than Mbappe.
Ferre, who led the Ballon d’Or until 2023, said, “Honestly, Kylian had a big season, but to me, you don’t just ask for the Ballon d’Or, you have to earn it. I’ve talked to some jury members, and nothing can influence their decision. I don’t think Kylian won enough. We’ll see on October 26. Mbappe is great, but this year, I wouldn’t vote for him. Out of the 30 nominees, he’s one of the few who didn’t win a trophy with his club. It feels strange to be called the best player without winning anything. Football is a team sport, and if you don’t win, maybe you weren’t strong enough—that’s how I see it.”
Even though Mbappe probably won’t beat Yamal or Kane for the award, he’s started the new season strong with eight goals in as many games in La Liga and the Champions League. But reports from Spain say he’s “angry and disappointed” with Real Madrid and might leave next year.
Because of this, Liverpool are reportedly planning a record-breaking bid to sign Mbappe next summer, as a move to Merseyside seems to be his top choice. However, this would mean smashing their record transfer fee of £125 million, which they spent on Alexander Isak last year. Real Madrid could ask for between €200-250 million (£174m–£218m), a huge amount for Liverpool to spend. Still, many clubs will be watching closely to see how happy Mbappe is before next summer’s transfer window.