Jean-Pierre Papin, winner of the Ballon d'Or in 1991, has criticised the way Kylian Mbappé dealt with the media during his campaign to win the award, arguing that his claims about deserving the crown hurt his chances. Even so, he backs the French star to lift the trophy in the future.
Mbappé finished second in the 2026 Ballon d'Or race, behind England's Harry Kane, his best-ever ranking at the age of 27. The result came after he told "France Football" magazine last month: "There is no one better than me last season."
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Speaking on Wednesday on the "Rothen s'enflamme" programme on "RMC" radio, Papin said: "Mbappé's communication was catastrophic for him, as it somewhat reflected the nature of his personality. And that is unfortunate when you have all this talent and play for a club like Real Madrid. He reminds me a little of Cristiano Ronaldo, as others were supposed to put themselves at his service."
The former Olympique de Marseille and Milan striker added: "In terms of effectiveness, he is not far from what Cristiano Ronaldo used to offer, but his media campaign turned against him to some extent."
His criticism of Mbappé's media approach did nothing to shake his faith in the forward. Papin remains convinced his compatriot will claim the award in the years ahead.
"I am convinced he will win the Ballon d'Or, as he has the talent required for it," he said. "This year was not his last chance, it was indeed a great opportunity, but he still has a road he needs to travel."
Mbappé has climbed steadily over the years. He finished seventh in 2017, fourth in 2018, sixth in 2019, ninth in 2021, sixth in 2022, third in 2023, sixth in 2024 and seventh in 2025, before landing his best result with second place in the 2026 edition.