Kylian Mbappe criticised in Spain after defending his Ballon d’Or chances

Kylian Mbappe has faced strong criticism from Spanish football journalists after publicly discussing his prospects of winning the Ballon d’Or, just days before voting for the award closes.

The Real Madrid forward said he had enjoyed “an excellent year individually” and argued that personal performance should be the most important factor in deciding the winner.

His comments drew a sharp response from several pundits on Spanish radio station Cadena SER. According to French outlet Foot Mercato, journalist Julio Pulido questioned how Real Madrid supporters would respond to Mbappe’s remarks, given the club have not won a major trophy in recent times.

Pulido’s colleague Javier Iraiz said the France captain would have been better advised not to speak in such terms, particularly after his performance in the derby against Atletico Madrid.

The criticism also extended to Mbappe’s status among the leading candidates for the Ballon d’Or. Anton Meana said he would not include the Real Madrid striker in his own top five players in the world.

Meana instead selected Lamine Yamal, Rodri, Harry Kane, Ousmane Dembele and Vitinha, while also considering Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, leaving Mbappe out of his personal ranking for the award.

Dani Garrido also challenged Mbappe’s emphasis on individual statistics. He pointed to Kane’s success in winning the Golden Boot and argued that the Ballon d’Or should not be judged solely on players’ personal numbers.

Garrido went on to question Mbappe’s influence in major matches. Referring to the forward’s international record, he said: “Scoring goals in the World Cup against Iraq, Sweden and Paraguay is great.”

However, he then highlighted what he considered a lack of expected impact when France were beaten 2-0 by Spain.

The debate comes as Mbappe continues to make a public case for his Ballon d’Or credentials in a fiercely contested race involving several of the world’s leading players.

His comments have placed additional focus on the balance between individual achievement and team success, with Spanish pundits questioning whether Mbappe’s performances and statistics are enough to put him ahead of the other leading contenders.