Jean-Pierre Papin says Kylian Mbappe must change his approach after Ballon d’Or setback

Jean-Pierre Papin believes Kylian Mbappe’s public campaign for the 2026 Ballon d’Or damaged his chances of winning the award, although the France forward remains confident the Real Madrid player will eventually claim the prize.

Mbappe finished second behind England captain Harry Kane in the 2026 Ballon d’Or voting, recording the best result of his career in the award at the age of 27.

Last month, in an interview with France Football magazine, Mbappe said: “There is no one better than me in the last season.”

Papin, who won the Ballon d’Or in 1991, criticised the way Mbappe communicated with the media during the build-up to the award. Speaking on RMC programme Rothen s’enflamme on Wednesday, he said the forward’s comments had revealed aspects of his personality and worked against him.

“Mbappe’s communication was catastrophic for him,” Papin said. “To some extent, it reflected his character. 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. Other people should have put themselves at his service.”

Papin, a former striker for Olympique de Marseille and Milan, said Mbappe’s performances were already comparable with those produced by Cristiano Ronaldo, but felt the player’s media campaign had undermined his claim.

“In terms of effectiveness, he is not far from what Cristiano Ronaldo used to offer,” Papin added. “But his media campaign turned against him to some extent.”

Despite his criticism, Papin said Mbappe’s second-place finish should be viewed as part of a longer-term journey rather than a final missed opportunity.

“I am convinced that he will win the Ballon d’Or because he has the necessary talent,” Papin said. “This was not his last chance. It was already a great opportunity, but he still has a road to travel.”

Mbappe’s previous Ballon d’Or rankings were 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.

His runner-up finish in 2026 therefore represents his highest position in the award’s standings. However, he was unable to become the first French winner since Papin’s success in 1991, with Kane taking the prize ahead of him.