Ballon d'Or 2026: 'They turned against him' - France legend Papin on why Mbappé didn't win award

France shot legend, Jean-Pierre Papin has criticised Kylian Mbappé’s attack to his 2026 Ballon d’Or campaign, arguing that the Real Madrid forward’s nationalist efforts to beforehand his idiosyncratic achievements worked against him.

Papin, who won the Ballon d’Or successful 1991, made the comments aft Mbappé finished 2nd down England skipper Harry Kane successful the 2026 grant voting successful London connected Monday, October 26.

The 27-year-old recorded the highest decorativeness of his vocation successful the competition, with Kane emerging arsenic the lone subordinate up of him.

Speaking connected RMC’s Rothen s’enflamme programme connected Wednesday, Papin questioned Mbappé’s nationalist connection strategy, drafting comparisons betwixt the Frenchman and Portuguese superstar Cristiano Ronaldo.

According to comments translated by Goal, Papin said: “Mbappé’s connection was unspeakable for him, arsenic it somewhat reflected the quality of his personality. And that is unfortunate erstwhile you person each this endowment and play for a nine similar Real Madrid. He reminds maine a small of Cristiano Ronaldo, arsenic others were expected to enactment themselves astatine his service.”

The erstwhile Marseille striker besides acknowledged Mbappé’s awesome goal-scoring quality but ins...