RMC's 'After Foot' Criticizes Mbappé's Ballon d'Or Ambition Communication

Kylian Mbappé's outspoken comments on his Ballon d'Or ambitions on Monday did not sit well with RMC's 'After Foot' program. The journalists and commentators on the show believe the French forward would have been better off adopting a more humble approach, arguing that his recent statements may actually harm his pursuit of the prestigious individual award.

The hosts of 'After Foot' seem to question Kylian Mbappé's lucidity regarding his Ballon d'Or chances, reacting strongly to the French striker's candid remarks. While on a media tour for the coveted prize, much like Harry Kane or Fabian Ruiz before him, Mbappé did not mince words at his press conference on Monday, positioning himself as the clear favorite.

"I did not like this interview at all," declared Daniel Riolo right from the start. "We understood he was campaigning, that's the objective. The Ballon d'Or is an obsession for all players. Even more so than ten or twenty years ago..."

Jean-Louis Tourre observed that "no one is dominating" the race for the Ballon d'Or and that the 27-year-old star feels he must "play his chances" to the fullest. However, the core issue lies with his communication strategy. "What's shocking is that he lacks the criteria to declare himself a candidate. He's announcing his candidacy, but he also doesn't want to appear too arrogant by saying: 'People judge as they wish, there are many opinions in football'... You can feel that it's all a bit too calculated, and that's what bothers me."

'In his communication, he missed something by not playing a bit more low-key'

Riolo echoed this sentiment, emphasizing that the French national team captain missed an opportunity with his public statement. "That he aspires to it, why not. If it has happened five times that a player won the Ballon d'Or without winning anything significant (in a given year), well, it could happen a sixth time. I wouldn't be shocked by the result," the commentator weighed in. "But what I don't like is that he took a step, during the World Cup, towards 'playing for the team,' the collective... And now he's getting carried away returning to Real Madrid. He dismisses the idea that, in a team, everyone has to run. He's still stuck in the mentality: 'I have ten guys serving me.' That's beyond me."

So, should Kylian Mbappé have adopted a facade of modesty instead of fully embracing his ambition? "Now, he appears as a big show-off, and like a guy with the famous 'big ego' that everyone talks about," lamented Florent Gautreau. "He's a super intelligent guy, who understands football well. But in his communication, he missed something by not playing a bit more low-key."

A few hours earlier, Jérôme Rothen had already delivered a sharp message to the Real Madrid player: "When you've won nothing all year, shut up. Shut up and keep working," the famous left-footed player had stated. After becoming the all-time leading scorer for the French national team in the World Cup this summer and accumulating goals without winning a trophy last season with Real Madrid, Mbappé hopes to clinch the prestigious individual award, which will be presented on October 26th in London.