Mbappe would choose Champions League success with Real Madrid over Ballon dOr, says journalist

Journalist Larranaga believes Kylian Mbappe would prioritise winning the Champions League with Real Madrid over claiming the Ballon d’Or.

Speaking on the programme El Partidazo de COPE, Larranaga based his view on Mbappe’s stated ambition to become part of Real Madrid’s history. He said Champions League success with the Spanish club would give the France forward a collective achievement that could secure his place in the club’s story.

Larranaga said it would be unreasonable to assume Mbappe says one thing publicly while privately believing the opposite. On that basis, he concluded that the player’s preference was clear.

“He would choose the Champions League,” Larranaga said, pointing to Mbappe’s declared desire to leave a lasting mark at Real Madrid. He added that players’ names are “immortalised in history in this way”.

The journalist also acknowledged the appeal of the Ballon d’Or. The individual award offers footballers clear personal recognition and is closely associated with the winner’s name and image.

That distinction, Larranaga suggested, may lead some players to feel that the Ballon d’Or gives them a more personal form of lasting recognition than winning the Champions League as part of a team.