Leboeuf further noted that Mbappé’s repeated Ballon d’Or claims to the media are becoming annoying.
By Kehinde Okeowo
French commentator, actor, and former Chelsea star Frank Leboeuf has taken a swipe at Real Madrid’s Kylian Mbappé for repeatedly claiming that he deserves to win the 2026 Ballon d’Or ahead of every other contender.
The ex-France international slammed the former Paris Saint-Germain star recently while speaking to GOAL.
Mbappé was recently named among the final 30 nominees for the 2026 Ballon d’Or award and is regarded as one of the favourites to win it.
The France captain 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.
While speaking to Radio France Internationale (RFI), Mbappé openly admitted he would be “disappointed” if he does not clinch this year’s Ballon d’Or award.
ALSO READ: Mbappé admits he’ll be ‘disappointed’ if he fails to win 2026 Ballon d’Or
He said: “I can really feel it’s a good year for me.
“I would be disappointed to not win it. When a competitor doesn’t win, he is disappointed. I am competitive!”
Reacting, Leboeuf insisted that Mbappé’s repeated Ballon d’Or claims to the media are annoying.
According to him, the France striker has proved to his critics that they are right about him—that he prefers individual glory rather than team success.
“Everything Mbappé does on the pitch feels like it’s for himself,” Leboeuf said.
He added: “That is the problem. When Mbappé says he wants to win the Ballon d’Or, that says it all. Going into the media to express his wish to win the Ballon d’Or is annoying because it proves his critics right.”
