🚨 Kylian Mbappé on Harry Kane winning the 2026 Ballon d’Or despite his own incredible season:
🎙️ Interviewer: “Kylian, cameras caught you not applauding when Harry Kane was announced as the Ballon d’Or winner. Some fans have called it disrespectful. What was going through your mind?
Kylian Mbappé: “I will be honest. I was disappointed. I respect Harry, and nobody can take away what he has achieved. But when you work your entire life for a moment like this, when you sacrifice so much and believe you have done enough, losing hurts. I am human. I cannot pretend that disappointment doesn’t exist just because the cameras are watching.”
“I was the Champions League top scorer. I was the top scorer at the World Cup. I was the top scorer in La Liga. I scored goals, carried expectations, and gave everything I had for my team. So, naturally, I asked myself: what more was I supposed to do?”
“People will say I should have clapped, smiled, and accepted everything. Maybe they are right. But nobody knows what it feels like to sit there, watch another player lift the award you dreamed of winning, and wonder whether all your sacrifices were enough. That silence wasn’t about hating Harry Kane. It was about the pain of coming so close to something you desperately wanted.”
“Congratulations to Harry. Seriously. Winning the Ballon d’Or is a beautiful achievement. But I won’t lie to the world and say I wasn’t hurt. I wanted that trophy. I believed I had earned the right to fight for it. And next year, I want everyone to remember this feeling.”
Interviewer: “So, do you believe you deserved the Ballon d’Or more than Harry Kane?
Mbappé: “I believe in my season, my numbers, and what I brought to football. The voters made their decision, and I respect it. But respecting the result doesn’t mean I have to hide my disappointment. Let people debate it. That’s football.”