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Kylian Mbappé has confessed that he doesn't envision himself still playing into his forties, unlike his idol Cristiano Ronaldo.
The 27-year-old is a strong candidate for this year's Ballon d'Or, and further etched his name into soccer's record books this summer by becoming the all-time top scorer at the World Cup.
Mbappé's case for soccer's most prestigious individual award is bolstered by golden boot honors in both La Liga and the Champions League in 2025–26. His tally of 15 in the latter has only ever been surpassed by Ronaldo.
Mbappé is a well-known admirer of Ronaldo, and comparisons between the pair have grown increasingly common since the Frenchman's transfer to Real Madrid in 2024. Earlier this season, Mbappé reached 100 goal contributions for Los Blancos, becoming the second-fastest player to accomplish the milestone for the club after—who else—Ronaldo.
Mbappé Doesn't Believe He'll Play Until 41
Nevertheless, there is one area where Mbappé is unlikely to mirror the five-time Ballon d'Or winner: career longevity.
Speaking to BILD, Real Madrid's current No. 10 was asked whether he sees himself following in Ronaldo's footsteps by continuing to play until the age of 41.
"Let's be honest, considering which country I play for: France will never allow me to play until I'm 41," Mbappé responded with a laugh, acknowledging the physical demands of representing his nation.
"But Cristiano shows that if you're physically and mentally in shape, you can compete at this elite level for a very long time. In my case, however, I don't think that's realistic."
Should Mbappé Win the Ballon d'Or?
An eight-time nominee, Mbappé has never finished higher than third place (in 2023) in the Ballon d'Or standings. With no obvious frontrunner for the award this time around, the striker finds himself among a tight cluster of highly credible contenders.
He told France Football that "I believe I can win it," and described his personal achievements as "breathtaking."
While Mbappé's goalscoring record in 2025–26 was undeniably impressive, what may work against him in voters' minds is his absence of team silverware. Real Madrid came up empty in every competition, and France were eliminated by Spain in the World Cup semifinal.
Meanwhile, his most prominent rivals for the award—Harry Kane, Lamine Yamal, and Ousmane Dembélé—all lifted major trophies. Kane even outscored Mbappé across the entire season with a remarkable combined tally of 73 goals for club and country.
Real Madrid manager José Mourinho has offered his quiet endorsement of Mbappé, telling reporters earlier this month: "You cannot award the Ballon d'Or to a player simply because he won the Champions League or the World Cup. The Ballon d'Or should go to one of those players who, when they retire, will be missed forever.
"The best player in the world is something else entirely, and he is neither at PSG nor in the Spain squad."