Mbappé Clarifies Stance on Ballon d'Or, Dembélé, Raphinha, Shows Indifference to PSG Success

Real Madrid star Kylian Mbappé made bold statements to the media ahead of the Champions League match against Inter Milan. He touched upon his ambitions to win the Ballon d'Or, his opinion on comparisons with other players, and his stance on his former team Paris Saint-Germain's achievements after his departure. Real Madrid and Mbappé are set to kick off their Champions League campaign on Tuesday against Inter Milan, hoping to clinch the title from two-time consecutive holders Paris Saint-Germain by the end of the season. If Mbappé scores in this match, he will equal Raúl's record of 71 goals, becoming the fifth-highest scorer in Champions League history. The French player has so far netted 70 goals in 98 Champions League appearances, with 22 of those coming in 25 matches for Real Madrid. Over the past five seasons, Real Madrid's current duo, Mbappé and Vinicius Jr., have emerged as the top goal-scorers in the Champions League. Mbappé scored 43 goals and provided 9 assists, while Vinicius Jr. netted 30 goals along with 22 assists. It is worth noting that Paris Saint-Germain clinched the Champions League title after Mbappé's departure, a feat many attributed to the willingness of the team's current forwards to engage in defensive duties. I Don't Care About Paris Mbappé refused to answer a press conference question regarding whether it was fair to say Paris Saint-Germain won the Champions League twice because he left. The player clarified, stating: "To be honest, I don't care. These headlines attract attention, and talking about me attracts a huge number of followers." Comparison with Dembélé and Raphinha When Mbappé faced criticism about his defensive performance and was asked if he and Vinicius Jr. needed to press more than players like Ousmane Dembélé and Raphinha, Mbappé responded sarcastically before becoming serious. He declared: "If I wanted to answer foolishly, I would say I score more goals than the players you mentioned, so they need to score more to be like me." He added: "Every player has unique characteristics." His frank response followed: "But I am intelligent, so I will tell you that I need to improve." He continued: "But I don't like comparisons, because I do many things that others don't." Mbappé further elaborated on the defensive aspect, emphasizing: "We all need to develop, and this is natural for any player. Every player is different from the others, and we must act intelligently. I don't like comparisons, as they are an endless debate. We all need to develop in this aspect, as well as in ball possession. This is the nature of life within a top-level team." Ballon d'Or When asked if he deserved to win the Ballon d'Or, Mbappé replied: "When you play for Real Madrid, people associate your name with this award. Many talk to me about the Ballon d'Or, which is positive. I made history this summer, but we will see what happens." He added: "It's a good year to achieve that, and ultimately it's up to the public to vote." When the French star was asked if he felt he was the best player in the world, he confidently answered: "I always feel that way, but this is very personal. Everyone has their opinion; some will say yes and others will say no. It's a debate, and not everyone has to think like me. This year could be a good year to win the Ballon d'Or, but journalists are the ones who vote, and they will choose."