Mbappe defended by Regragui after Ballon d’Or comments spark debate

Walid Regragui has strongly defended Kylian Mbappe after the Real Madrid forward said he deserved to win this year’s Ballon d’Or.

Mbappe made the claim several days ago, saying his performances during what he described as a historic season merited the prestigious individual award. His remarks prompted considerable debate, particularly because the France international has made no attempt to hide his ambition to be recognised as the world’s best player.

Regragui, the former Morocco head coach who now works as a football analyst for Canal+, was asked to assess Mbappe’s comments during the CFC programme. Rather than criticise the forward for speaking openly about his hopes, Regragui offered an emphatic defence of his position.

“Does he have to be a hypocrite like some players and say: ‘No, I don’t think I deserve it, but I want it’? At least he is honest. He has confidence in himself. After that, whether he deserves it or not…,” Regragui said.

The Moroccan coach’s comments came as the Ballon d’Or race appeared increasingly difficult to predict. He suggested the number of players publicly or implicitly making a case for the award would make the outcome especially uncertain this year.

“This year, it will be extremely difficult to predict the winner,” Regragui said. “Since everyone is saying: this is the year I will be able to win it, everyone will fight hard to take the award. But it is between Mbappe, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, Harry Kane, Lamine Yamal, Ousmane Dembele, Michael Olise, Fabian Ruiz and any other player.”

Mbappe’s willingness to state his case has fuelled wider discussion about how footballers should speak about individual honours. While some players adopt a more cautious approach and avoid saying they deserve recognition, Regragui argued that Mbappe’s directness should be viewed as honesty rather than arrogance.

The former Morocco manager also indicated that the final decision could be particularly hard to forecast, with a broad group of leading players regarded as potential contenders. His list included forwards, midfielders and attacking players from several of Europe’s biggest clubs, underlining the wide competition for the prize.

Mbappe remains at the centre of the discussion after expressing his belief that his performances have put him in contention. Regragui did not definitively say that the forward should win, but his message was clear: Mbappe should not be criticised merely for acknowledging his ambition.

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