Kylian Mbappé maintains that he feels no frustration over his wait for a first Ballon d’Or, an honor bestowed annually upon the world’s finest soccer player. While acknowledging that silverware often influences the voting, the 27-year-old remains optimistic about his prospects, insisting that the award should fundamentally recognize the best individual performer. “Football is a collective sport, but there are collective trophies to represent that collective supremacy,” Mbappé explained. “When you talk about the Ballon d’Or, you give it to one player, so you give it to the best player, and the guy who shows you that he is the best.” Mbappé did not win any silverware last season – often a huge factor in the decision-making process – finishing fourth at the World Cup with France and failing to win a trophy with Real Madrid. According to but speaking to Sports amid a new sponsorship deal with sportswear brand On, he, He still has a chance of winning, arguing that the award should be given to the best individual player. Mainly due to his performances for Argentina at the World Cup, there is also support for Lionel Messi to win it for a record-extending ninth time. It’s just one of the many records Mbappé has broken during his illustrious career that makes it even more surprising that his name has never been written into the Ballon d’Or history books. According to no,” he, Sports about never having won it. “Because, as a competitor, you always want to win everything. This will still be a big year for the striker – especially with the national team, but regardless of who wins the award at the ceremony in London on October 26. Mbappé has also ended a near 20-year relationship with Nike to sign with On – marking the sportswear brand’s first step into the world of soccer.
Competition for this year’s title is fierce, with Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal, Bayern Munich’s Harry Kane, and veteran Lionel Messi all cited as major contenders.
For his part, Mbappé reflects on a significant campaign that saw him establish himself as the World Cup’s all-time leading scorer.
His 22nd goal, secured during a third-place playoff against England, marked a milestone he described as surreal. “We saw all the greatest players of all time, all the greatest athletes, all the greatest icons that I idolized when I was younger, and to be able to be this guy at only 27, it sounds surreal,” he noted, viewing the achievement as a foundational piece of his professional legacy.
As he looks ahead, Mbappé is transitioning into a new era with the French national team. Following the departure of Didier Deschamps, legendary player Zinedine Zidane has taken the helm to lead Les Bleus into the next cycle. Zidane has already designated Mbappé as his captain ahead of the 2030 World Cup. Mbappé remains focused on the team’s evolution, noting that while their performance in North America was a positive experience for fans, the squad must refine technical details to bridge the gap between being a top-tier side and the definitive best in the world. Winning three consecutive Champions League titles, but who is taking charge of an international team for the first time – has already confirmed Mbappé will be his captain as the country looks to start a new cycle ahead of the next men’s World Cup in 2030, zidane – who oversaw a dynasty at Real Madrid. I think everybody expects a lot from us,” Mbappé says, adding that there are plenty of lessons to learn from the team’s performance in North America this summer. “I think it’s also part of a moment in my life that I wanted to change, an evolution as a person, as a player … but as a person also, I wanted something different.
Off the pitch, the striker has made a major career pivot by ending a two-decade partnership with Nike to become a global ambassador for Swiss sportswear company On. This collaboration marks the brand’s first major venture into soccer, with Mbappé working directly alongside product teams to develop footwear, including designs utilizing robotic Lightspray technology. The goal is to craft a boot that provides a “second skin” feel, optimizing the connection between the player’s foot and the ball. According to the Frenchman has been heavily involved in developing the “perfect boot” and, He wants it to feel like a “second skin.”. Reinforce it where it needs reinforcement, bring flexibility where it needs it, and pretty much build a second skin for your foot, bringing the shortest distance between your foot and the ball, so it’s about how you can spray a shoe in three minutes with a robotic arm that can influence every pixel on that boot.
“It’s a new chapter, a new challenge, a new opportunity, and I’m really happy about the situation right now,” Mbappé said regarding the partnership. While a full market entry for his specialized footwear is slated for 2027, co-CEO David Allemann suggested that fans might see prototypes sooner. For Mbappé, the move is deeply personal, representing an evolution in his identity as both an athlete and an individual who aims to build a lasting legacy beyond the confines of his current sport. “At the end of the day, it’s part of history, part of the legacy that I want to build.”. “We do our market entry in 2027, and before that, I don’t know. According to we continue with the last prototyping, so we might get a glimpse at some point,” On-Founder and Co-CEO David Allemann, Sports.
