Kylian Mbappe to SKIP Ballon d'Or ceremony as Real Madrid superstar confirms who he wants to win 2025 Golden Ball

After starring with a brace in Real Madrid's comeback win over Marseille in their Champions League opener at Santiago Bernabeu on Tuesday, Mbappe confirmed that he won't be in Paris to attend the 2025 Ballon d'Or ceremony and plans to watch the event on his home television.

Speaking to CBS Sports after the Marseille clash, Mbappe said: "To win it, you have to win things, so I have to help my club win trophies, and after that, we’ll see. I will be happy if [Ousmane] Dembélé wins because he is my friend and I have supported him from the start. I will watch it on TV and hope that he wins it."

While Barcelona stars Lamine Yamal and Raphinha had terrific campaigns last season, with the Blaugrana winning three domestic titles, Ousmane Dembele's success with Paris Saint-Germain has seen him emerge as the Ballon d'Or favourite. The Frenchman scored 35 goals across all competitions and contributed with 16 assists as PSG won the treble, finally getting over the line in the Champions League for the first time. PSG's only failure came in the Club World Cup final, where Chelsea decimated them 3-0 to lift the trophy. 

Mbappe is already making a strong claim for the 2026 Ballon d'Or, though, with six goals to his name from five appearances in all competitions at the start of the new season. His superb performances have helped Real make a perfect start to both their La Liga and Champions League campaigns, with a home game against Espanyol up next on Saturday.