Mbappé: No One Was Better Than Me Last Season

Kylian Mbappé, one of the main favorites for this season's Ballon d'Or, to be awarded next month, gave an extensive interview to France Football magazine, the event's organizer. In it, he claimed that no player was better than him last season. One of his arguments was that he is the top scorer in World Cup history.

"I believe I can win it this year. They say I haven't won any collective trophies, but this is an individual award. I've never seen a Ballon d'Or awarded unanimously, but I have my arguments: being the number one goal scorer in World Cup history, to think that at 27, you're already the player with the most goals, surpassing a legend like Messi in the most important tournament in sports," he analyzed.

"I can understand those who think differently. There's no thought dictatorship. But when you analyze the competition, no one had a better season than me. Sometimes votes go to the best player from the best team, not necessarily the best player in the world," the French international asserted. "I would vote for myself," he added with a laugh during the 53-minute interview.

"I've always believed the Ballon d'Or should recognize a different kind of player, much like it did during the Messi and Ronaldo era. It's never awarded to ordinary players, but to truly exceptional ones. And I think I did some extraordinary things this year, which is why I believe I can win it," he stated, without looking as far ahead in his career as the 39-year-old Messi. "I'd play until I'm 100, but you have to be smart and know when you can no longer perform. He hasn't had to think about that because he still can. Besides, Messi is Messi. I consider myself a different player. But he is a different player among different players."

"Both he and Cristiano, in their category, are just the two of them. There's a before and after them. There's no problem thinking you're less good than Messi or Ronaldo," Mbappé emphasized.

Regarding last season, the jeers, and Mourinho's arrival in Madrid, Mbappé assured that "every season teaches you something, especially when you don't win. Being at Real Madrid is a privilege and a lesson in what we need to improve to do better this season."

"In every locker room, there's ego, even in those without stars. People always associate ego with stars. However, I've seen players who haven't asked for a photo or an autograph, but had huge egos. Many people have egos, not just players. And the jeers? These things happen. Many have been booed there; when you sign, you know where you're going. I understand them."

And about Mourinho? "He's very intelligent. He impressed me; it's clear he knows what he's doing and where he's going. For players, it's important to have a direction to follow. He told me 'score goals'... PSG has won two European Cups since he left, and Kylian sees it this way: "I reached the semi-finals with Luis Enrique; they built their victories, to win a second in a row is exceptional. They are the team to beat for us and everyone else."

"I'm still a different player. But before, I was in one register, and now I have many more tools. I can improve throughout my career because football changes, you have to adapt, it waits for no one."

Mbappé believes that "I inspire many players. And many have inspired me, even some I consider weaker than myself. Who do I like now? Among the youngsters – Lamine Yamal. He has everything. I like Estevão; he has a special creativity. Güler can go very far. Endrick has potential; he's a goalscorer. Zaïre-Emery and Doué will have great careers..."

"I get a lot of criticism, but that's the life of someone in the elite. The central striker is always under scrutiny. Everyone has known what I can do for years. So, it's no longer about what I do, but what I don't do. Football is about scoring goals and scoring one more than the opponent; scoring is the hardest and most valuable thing. A player who scores will never be a problem in a team."

What he needs to improve, he's aware of: "Defensively, I can do more to help my teams. In attack, I can be even more effective because I easily create chances. In Europe, there aren't many players who can generate as many opportunities as I do."

Finally, he spoke about the two consecutive eliminations from Spain in the European Championship and World Cup. "It's not a failure. It's a shame. Spain handled the game better; there are no complexes, we made a mistake in our approach at the beginning. We couldn't readjust against a team that loves to possess the ball."