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French football icon and 1991 Ballon d'Or recipient Jean-Pierre Papin argued that Kylian Mbappé's aggressive self-promotion campaign ultimately worked against him in the race for football's most prestigious individual honor.
Mbappé was edged out by Bayern Munich and England forward Harry Kane for the Men's Ballon d'Or at Monday's ceremony held in London.
Following the announcement, Vincent Garcia, editor of France Football—the award's organizing body—disclosed that this year's voting had been "incredibly close," with a final margin "even narrower than the one between Rodri and Vinícius Jr in 2024, which stood at 41 points."
Mbappé actively lobbied for the Ballon d'Or, sitting down for interviews with several prominent media outlets including France Football's sister publication L'Equipe, where he spoke confidently about his own accomplishments under the headline "no player was better than me last season."
According to Papin, it was precisely this approach that proved costly for the Real Madrid and France attacker.
Bad Communication
HARRY KANE IS THE 2026 BALLON D'OR! #ballondor pic.twitter.com/k3CUlwLF1E
Speaking to RMC Sport, Papin said: "Mbappé's communication strategy has hurt him a lot.
"It reflects, in a way, what he's like. It's a shame, considering his qualities and the club he plays for."
Papin went on to draw a comparison between Mbappé and former Real Madrid legend—and five-time Ballon d'Or winner—Cristiano Ronaldo, offering a backhanded compliment, while also noting that the 27-year-old still has ample time to claim the trophy.
"Mbappé reminds me a bit of Cristiano Ronaldo: everyone else had to be at his service," Papin added.
"In terms of effectiveness, he's not far from what Cristiano Ronaldo achieved. But his communication strategy has backfired. I'm convinced he'll win the Ballon d'Or; he has the necessary qualities to do so. It wasn't a 'now or never' situation. It was a good opportunity, yes, but he still has a long way to go."
Where Did Mbappé Go Wrong?
Without access to all 100 international journalists who participated in the Ballon d'Or vote, it's difficult to say definitively whether Papin's theory about a miscalculated media strategy holds true. While Kane adopted a considerably more understated approach in the lead-up to the award, Lamine Yamal—who came in third—also pursued an active media presence.
Another potential reason Mbappé's name wasn't called by Ronaldo on stage at the London Palladium may have been his absence of silverware during the 2025–26 season.
Mbappé's case rested heavily on his goal-scoring record, having finished as the top scorer in La Liga, the Champions League, and the World Cup—while also becoming the all-time leading scorer in the latter competition.
Madrid boss José Mourinho offered tacit support for Mbappé's bid, telling reporters "For me, there is one who, individually, made history this summer," when questioned about the award back in September.
Yet despite those individual milestones, Mbappé finished 2025–26 without a single team trophy, as Real Madrid ended up well behind Barcelona in the league, and were also knocked out of the Champions League by Bayern Munich at the quarter-final stage. At the World Cup, Mbappé's France campaign ended at the semifinals, with the forward subdued by eventual champions Spain.
Kane, in contrast, lifted the Bundesliga title with Bayern and netted 73 goals for club and country throughout 2025–26—the highest single-season tally by any player since Lionel Messi's 82 in 2011–12.