Real’s Mbappe embraces Ballon d’Or talk after historic World Cup goals

Published On 8 Sep 20268 Sep 2026.

Key points

• Veteran Portuguese coach Mourinho led Inter to Champions League glory in 2010 at the Santiago Bernabeu before he departed to take over at Real Madrid.
• Inter coach Cristian Chivu began the 2010 final playing under his opposite number on Tuesday at the Bernabeu.
• Since joining Real Madrid in 2024, Mbappe has scored massive quantities of goals, but the club has failed to win a major trophy.
• On Tuesday, the record 15-time European champions host Inter Milan in the Champions League in the first match of the league phase.
• Mourinho wants his Madrid players to bounce back from their first defeat of the season, 1-0 at Real Betis on Friday in La Liga.

Real Madrid striker Kylian Mbappe notes it is natural for residents to consider him a potential Ballon d'Or winner this year after his World Cup exploits.

Meanwhile, the France captain scored 10 goals at the tournament this summer to win the Golden Boot, with his country finishing fourth. He has netted 22 in the competition, making him the World Cup's all-time top scorer.

Mbappe, 27, has not yet won the prestigious trophy given to the world's best player.

"I think that when you play for Real Madrid, which is the best club in the world, naturally people associate you with that kind of award, they associate you with collective awards, individual awards, " Mbappe remarked to journalists.

When they see me in the street, talk to me concerning the Ballon d'Or, a lot of individuals talk concerning me as a feasible Ballon d'Or winner, A lot of individuals. Of course, I created a lot of history this summer in the most notable competition in sport, but we'll see.

"I have the feeling that it's a good year for that, but there's still a long time to go, and people are free to vote for whoever they think is the best player in the world."

During Mbappe's first two years at Madrid, the team has appeared unbalanced, with plenty of star names, including the Frenchman and Brazilian winger Vinicius Junior, widely considered not to be contributing enough to the team effort – in contrast to Ousmane Dembele at Paris Saint-Germain and Raphinha at Barcelona.

We have to improve, admitted Mbappe. But I could play dumb and tell you that I score more goals than, and that they need to score more goals to be like me.

"Everyone is different, but I want to do things intelligently and say that of course I have to improve and all that, but I don't like comparisons because I think I do a lot of things that others don't do."

Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho lately stated he would prefer if Mbappe scored fewer goals but additionally worked hard to assist the team win titles.

Mbappe remarked he would accept lower numbers if it led to trophies, but observed they were not mutually exclusive.

"I'd take 30 goals with titles, yes, but. For me it's an absurd debate, " remarked Mbappe.

"I always want to score goals and win titles. You don't have to choose, you can do both things." Mourinho faces old friends.

Despite his history with the Italian side, whom he steered to the treble that year, the coach remarked that only mattered before and after, but not during the match.

"There aren't many left from my time, but it'll always be a pleasure to see people, even if I don't know them, but people who defend Inter, before and after, " remarked Mourinho.

"During the game I want to win, they want to win, and there won't be time to think about things from a wonderful past."

"Mourinho is a special person, and I was lucky to have encountered him, " remarked Chivu, who described the Portuguese as a "winner".

"There are few in the world like him, " continued the Romanian coach.

"He indicated it here but at other sizeable clubs too. I'm sure Real Madrid will have a great season."

"I want to win. I could tell you I want to play well, but I don't want to play well like we did against Betis and lose, " continued Mourinho.

Taken together, the developments around real's Mbappe embraces Ballon d'Or talk after historic World Cup goals point to a situation that is still moving, and the coming days should bring more clarity.