“He can go…”: Mbappé predicts a bright future for Güler.

Kylian Mbappé has made no attempt to hide his ambition of winning the Ballon d’Or. In an interview with L’Équipe, the Real Madrid forward confidently stated that, in his opinion, no player performed better than he did over the past season.

Asked who he would vote for, Mbappé did not hesitate.

“For myself. There was no better player than me last season,” the French international declared.

The 27-year-old is aware that some observers may point to Real Madrid’s lack of major collective trophies as an argument against his candidacy. However, Mbappé believes that should not prevent him from winning an award that is, above all, based on individual performances.

“People say that I didn’t win any trophies with Real Madrid, but this is an individual award,” he explained. “When you look at what I did, I think that if I win it, nobody can say it was undeserved.”

Mbappé also shared his personal vision of what the Ballon d’Or should represent, referring to the years when Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo dominated the prestigious award.

“I have always thought that the Ballon d’Or should reward a player who is different, like during the Messi and Ronaldo era,” he said. “You don’t give it to ordinary players. You give it to players who do something special. And I think that this year I did different things, which is why I believe I can win it.”

Beyond his own ambitions, Mbappé was also asked about the young talents who have impressed him and who could become major figures in world football over the coming years.

The Frenchman initially preferred not to give too many names, explaining that he did not want to forget anyone. But he eventually highlighted several young players, including some of his Real Madrid teammates.

“Here at Real Madrid, Arda Güler can go very far,” Mbappé said.

🚨🚨 Kylian Mbappé 🇫🇷 :

« Pour qui je vote pour le Ballon d'Or ? POUR MOI. 🌕

C'est UN TROPHÉE INDIVIDUEL. On regarde ce que le joueur a fait de manière INDIVIDUELLE.

Les gens disent que je n'ai pas gagné de trophée ? Je n'ai jamais vu de Ballon d'Or, à l'unanimité, qui…

— Actu Foot (@ActuFoot_) September 7, 2026

He also praised Brazilian striker Endrick, adding: “Endrick has a lot of potential. He is a goalscorer.”

Mbappé also mentioned Estêvão, Warren Zaïre-Emery and Désiré Doué among the young players capable of enjoying outstanding careers at the highest level.

Unsurprisingly, Barcelona star Lamine Yamal was another name discussed. Mbappé was particularly complimentary about the Spanish international.

“He has everything,” he said simply, underlining the enormous potential of one of football’s brightest young stars.

The Real Madrid forward also spoke about his relationship with José Mourinho, who has clearly made a strong impression on him since taking charge of the Spanish giants.

“He is very intelligent. He impressed me,” Mbappé explained. “You can see that he knows what he is doing and where he wants to go. For players, it is important to have a clear direction to follow.”

When asked about Mourinho’s instructions to him, Mbappé revealed that the Portuguese coach had delivered a very simple message.

“He told me: ‘Score goals.’”

It is a straightforward demand for a player whose ambitions are equally clear: continue scoring, continue making the difference, and convince voters that the 2026 Ballon d’Or belongs to him.