Kylian Mbappe indirectly holds ‘old rules’ responsible for not winning Ballon d’Or, says he can win if ‘new rules’ are taken into account
Kylian Mbappe opens up on his Ballon d'or expectations
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Mbappe believes he has a shot at Ballon d'Or (credits- Imago)
Kylian Mbappe feels he is a legitimate candidate for the Ballon d’Or owing to the new rules. The PSG and France striker is unlikely to compete for the most coveted individual honors, with Lionel Messi and Erling Haaland heading the race after winning the World Cup with Argentina and a Treble with Manchester City respectively this season. In 2022, Ballon d’Or rules were changed and The Ballon d’Or emphasized individual performance over collective achievements.
Now according to this new rule of Individual performance above team honors, Kylian Mbappe thinks he is in the running for the award. While speaking to French TV outlet TF1, Mbappe opened up on his Ballon d’Or expectations. He said, “The Ballon d’Or? It’s always difficult to talk about an individual trophy because you have to put yourself forward It’s something that doesn’t necessarily go down well with the general public”
“Do I deserve the Ballon d’Or? With the new criteria, what counts? Catching the eye, scoring goals, and making an impact? I think I fit those criteria. I’d say yes, but it’s the people who vote and I’m always optimistic,” said Mbappe. The 24-year-old World Cup champion thus believes that he indeed should be in the race for Ballon d’Or as he believes he performed better than most on an individual level.
Mbappe scored 41 goals and provided 10 assists in 40 appearances for PSG as they won the Ligue 1 title. He also led his country to a second successive World Cup final. Despite scoring a hattrick in the finale, Mbappe lost out to a Lionel Messi–led Argentina. Mbappe still won the Golden Boot for most goals at the World Cup with eight.
In case you missed it: Six PSG players want Kylian Mbappe removed from PSG immediately after recent criticism, convey message to Nasser Al-Khelaifi: Reports
PSG signs Kang In Lee as they continue their busy summer
Paris Saint Germain have completed the acquisition of 22-year-old midfielder Lee Kang-in from Mallorca. The Parisians have been quite busy this summer, announcing the additions of Milan Skriniar, Marco Asensio, and Manuel Ugarte. Although on the other hand, the club lost huge stars as Lionel Messi departed the club and now Kylian Mbappe might be on the move.
PSG paid €22m to Mallorca for the signature of Kang In Lee. “It’s a pleasure to be able to join Paris Saint-Germain, it’s one of the biggest clubs in the world, with some of the greatest players in the world,” said Lee. He is poised to wear the number 19 for the club.
However, the Paris-based club’s hectic summer is set to continue as they aim to finalize the Kylian Mbappe situation. The PSG Board has given the player a deadline of July 19, 2023, to renew his contract. If Kylian does not renew, PSG are clearly looking for suitors for the Frenchman. Meanwhile, the Parisians are also set to announce the arrival of defender Lucas Hernandez from Bayern Munich in a few days.
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Arpan Ghosh
(1403 Articles Published)