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"You earn it, not beg!" Former chief slams Mbappé's Ballon d'Or push

Published : Thursday, 8 October, 2026 at 2:41 PM

Observer Online Report

Collected Photo

Former France Football director Pascal Ferré has publicly criticized Real Madrid superstar Kylian Mbappé over his aggressive promotional campaign to secure the 2026 Ballon d'Or.

The coveted individual award will be handed out at a gala in London on October 26, decided by votes from 100 top international journalists.

Despite finishing the season as top scorer across La Liga, the UEFA Champions League, and the 2026 FIFA World Cup—where he broke the record as the tournament's all-time highest goalscorer—Mbappé's media blitz has met fierce resistance from key figures in football royalty.

In a recent interview with France Football, Mbappé argued that his statistical feats deserved recognition: "Being the highest goalscorer of all time in the world's biggest tournament and top scorer in every major competition is significant. History should be valued."

However, Ferré, who oversaw the Ballon d'Or from 1996 to 2023, dismissed Mbappé's public posturing in an interview with Spanish outlet Marca.

"In my view, you don't ask for a Ballon d'Or—you earn it. The judges are highly experienced and independent; media campaigns like this do not sway them. Honestly, I don't think Kylian's campaign has achieved very much."

Ferré went a step further, asserting that if he still held a vote, he would not cast it for the French forward due to his lack of major silverware:

"It feels strange to consider someone the best player in the world without club or World Cup trophies. Football is ultimately a team sport. Winning no trophies means your team simply wasn't strong enough."

If Mbappé manages to claim the Golden Ball on October 26, he will become the first player since Cristiano Ronaldo in 2013 to win the trophy without lifting a major club title. However, he faces steep competition from Barcelona's young sensation Lamine Yamal and Bayern Munich's Harry Kane, both of whom lead current polling following silver-laden campaigns.

-SA

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Editor : Iqbal Sobhan Chowdhury

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