Drogba urges Mbappe to remain himself after narrow Ballon d’Or loss

Didier Drogba believes Kylian Mbappe’s public reputation and the intensity of criticism directed at him in France may have contributed to his failure to win the 2026 Ballon d’Or.

The France captain finished second behind England forward Harry Kane, who claimed the award by a margin of 28 points.

Kane enjoyed an outstanding season, scoring 73 goals and providing eight assists as Bayern Munich won three trophies: the Bundesliga, the German Cup and the German Super Cup.

His victory made Kane the first Englishman to win the Ballon d’Or for 25 years, since Michael Owen received the prize in 2001.

Mbappe, one of Drogba’s favourite players, also produced an exceptional campaign. He led France to fourth place at the World Cup and finished as the tournament’s leading scorer with 10 goals. That total also moved him clear at the top of the World Cup’s all-time scoring list.

Kane scored six goals at the tournament and helped England secure the bronze medal.

The absence of silverware at club level also counted against Mbappe, with Real Madrid ending the season without a trophy. Kane, by contrast, dominated domestically in Germany with Bayern Munich.

Speaking to Le Parisien, former Ivory Coast striker Drogba said Mbappe could have won the prize twice in a row had France lifted the World Cup.

“I think that if Mbappe had won the World Cup, he would have won the Ballon d’Or two years in a row,” Drogba said.

“It was extremely close, especially as he has been performing brilliantly for Real Madrid. Harry Kane did not win the Champions League either. I do not know – I am trying to understand what happened.”

Drogba suggested the perception of Mbappe may have influenced voters.

“Perhaps it is also linked to the negative image that has been formed around him,” he said. “In France, we are particularly harsh on Mbappe, and generally on players who have strong opinions. Mbappe is one of those players.”

He added that some supporters favour footballers who appear quieter and less controversial, but said Mbappe should not change his character to satisfy them.

“Sometimes we prefer players who present themselves as more polite and measured,” Drogba said. “But there is no point trying to change Mbappe’s personality, because his true nature will appear sooner or later.”

“He must remain true to himself, even if that means it becomes a real battle for him.”

Mbappe is currently second in the La Liga scoring chart with 13 goals, behind leaders Raphinha, who has 15.

Overall, he has played 16 matches for Real Madrid in all competitions this season, scoring 17 goals and creating three more.