Mbappé on Ballon d'Or, player comparisons

Real Madrid forward Kylian Mbappé addressed comparisons to other players and discussed his prospects for individual awards ahead of the team's Champions League opener. Speaking on Monday, September 7, 2026, Mbappé defended his performances, particularly his goal-scoring record, when questioned about suggestions he should press more, similar to Barcelona's Raphinha and Paris Saint-Germain's Ousmane Dembélé. "If I wanted to answer stupidly, I would tell you that I score more goals than the players you mentioned, and therefore they need to score more to be like me," Mbappé stated. However, he quickly tempered his remarks, acknowledging that all players have areas for improvement. "I am intelligent, so I will tell you that I need to improve. However, I don't like comparisons, because I do many things that others don't do," he added, emphasizing that each player possesses different qualities and responsibilities. Mbappé also touched upon the ongoing discussion regarding his partnership with Real Madrid teammate Vinícius Júnior, asserting that they share the common goal of winning titles and are not swayed by external opinions.