Kylian Mbappe opens up on his chances of defeating Lionel Messi and Haaland to Ballon d'Or

Why you’re reading this: In recent years Kylian Mbappe has established himself as one of the best footballers in the world after his performances in the past 5 seasons. The player is set to carry the throne of Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi for the next generation after the legends retire. Both Ronaldo and Messi have 5 and 7 Ballon d’Or each and Lionel Messi is very close to clutching another Ballon d'Or this year after his FIFA World Cup performance last year. However, the French star is optimistic about his chance of getting the award given to the best footballer of the year.

3 things you need to know 

• This year, Mbappe has scored 54 goals for both his club and his country
• Lionel Messi was the player of the tournament in the FIFA World Cup 2022
• Erling Haaland won a treble and has scored more than 50 goals for Manchester City this season

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What did Kylian Mbappe say about his chance of winning the Ballon d’Or?

After his performance for Paris Saint-Germain and France over the last season, Kylian Mbappe stated he believes he fits the requirements to win the Ballon d'Or. He is still hopeful about doing so as the player has huge competition with Lionel Messi and Erling Haaland who have also displayed great performances this season.

Mbappe was France's star player as they advanced to the 2022 Qatar World Cup final and now has been named as the captain of the team this year. He also played a significant part for PSG this year as they won their second straight Ligue 1 championship. The 24-year-old scored a hat-trick in the championship loss to Argentina and was awarded the golden boot for the tournament's most goals scored but Messi’s team won the final on penalties, stopping France to win back-to-back world cups.

During a post-match conference after their match against Greece talking to the media: “It’s difficult to talk about an individual trophy because you have to put yourself forward and that isn’t well perceived by the general public. What are the new criteria? Is it catching the eye and being impactful? I think I meet the criteria. We’ll see. It’s the people who vote, but I’m always optimistic,” said Mbappe.

Kylian said that he is optimistic about winning the title and he does not like to talk about an individual trophy as he believed people will not perceive it in a good way. But the French captain believes that he meets the criteria to win the best player in the world. 

Also Read: Belgium Keeper Thibaut Courtois ‘deeply Disappointed’ By His Coach’s Comments In Captaincy Row

Where will Kylian Mbappe play next season? 

In the Monday European qualifying match versus Greece, Kylian scored. He had initially failed to convert a penalty on his first try, but encroachment allowed him another shot.

The 24-year-old now has 54 goals for club and country, matching Erling Haaland's total from the previous season. Along with Mbappe, Haaland and World Cup champion Lionel Messi will be the top contenders for the prestigious Ballon d'Or title.

 The future of Mbappe at PSG is currently up in the air after the forward informed the club that he wouldn't be renewing his contract past 2024 but has asserted that he would play for PSG in the upcoming season.