Jean-Pierre Papin, legendary French forward and winner of the Ballon d'Or in 1991, has expressed his dissatisfaction with the campaign that the current Real Madrid player, Kylian Mbappé, is carrying out to win the award. In an interview with France TV, the French veteran criticized the attitude of Mbappé, who has been one of the most discussed candidates for the award in the current season.
Papin began his comment by noting that he admires Mbappé as a record-breaking player, but that the way the Frenchman presents himself to voters seems to focus too much on himself. “It's all me, me, me and me,” he said, suggesting that Mbappé's self-perception of his deservingness of the Ballon d'Or is excessive. The former player added that the award is not decided by the candidate's own will, but by a voting process that involves journalists and experts from around the world.
The Frenchman also questioned the “fair play” criterion that some consider for the awarding of the Ballon d'Or. According to Papin, although fair play is an important aspect, it should not be the only factor that determines the choice, especially when it comes to Mbappé. “When you see how the Ballon d'Or is awarded, there are a whole series of criteria and that particular criterion, in relation to Kylian, is not applied,” he explained.
Amidst the criticism, Papin showed his admiration for other players. He highlighted Harry Kane, who has scored 73 goals this season and has won the Golden Boot, and described him as a player with great class and professionalism. "He has had an incredible season, he has scored 73 goals in one year. He has won the Golden Boot and I think he has also had a very, very good World Cup. Furthermore, it seems to me that he has a lot of class in the way he communicates, he never says a word out of place," he commented.
Papin's comment comes as the Ballon d'Or nears its ceremony and discussions about the candidates continue to intensify. As Mbappé continues to promote his candidacy, the former French star's opinion adds a new dimension to the debate, reminding voters of the complexity of evaluating both the performance and character of players. With the Ballon d'Or ceremony just around the corner, the football community will continue to watch how the criteria of performance, fair play and personality are balanced in the final decision.