Rothen described Mbappé’s public statements as a calculated component of his strategy to accumulate votes for the award.
By Kehinde Okeowo
Former Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Jérôme Rothen has accused Real Madrid forward Kylian Mbappé of trying to buy votes in a desperate bid to win the 2026 Ballon d’Or award.
He levelled the allegation against the French forward recently while discussing the race for the highly coveted award on RMC Sport.
Mbappé was recently named among the final 30 nominees for the 2026 Ballon d’Or and is regarded as one of the favourites to win it.
He has since demonstrated considerable confidence in his prospects, expressing his conviction that he deserves recognition as the world’s best player following exceptional performances for both club and country.
He is, however, facing strong competition from other front-runners such as Barcelona star Lamine Yamal, Manchester City midfielder Rodri, Bayern Munich forward Harry Kane, and Paris Saint-Germain’s Khvicha Kvaratskhelia.
Speaking to Radio France Internationale (RFI) recently, Mbappé openly admitted: “I can really feel it’s a good year for me. I would be disappointed not to win it. When a competitor doesn’t win, he is disappointed. I am competitive!”
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Reacting, Rothen contended that the 27-year-old has initiated a deliberate effort to position himself as a contender for the prestigious accolade.
He went on to voice disapproval of this approach, viewing the player’s public statements as a calculated component of his strategy to accumulate votes.
“I’m going to be careful with what I say because it always provokes reactions, but they’re not going to shut my mouth in any way. But I don’t know if you really realise that right now he’s trying to buy votes for the Ballon d’Or… to get that f****** Ballon d’Or?” Rothen said during the broadcast.
He added: “Should he win the Ballon d’Or, it would initially appear to be a travesty, but the reality will become evident to all.
“While we discuss football here, it extends beyond former players offering commentary; occasionally, we engage in private conversations.
“Our collective assessment of him remains consistent, and this perspective is held not exclusively by lesser-known figures, but equally by prominent personalities.
“We now possess substantiation that a genuine promotional initiative exists on his behalf and that of his representatives: it is imperative that Kylian Mbappé obtains the Ballon d’Or. Nevertheless, should he achieve this recognition, I suspect he will find himself considerably isolated.”
