This Monday, September 22, the Ballon d’Or awards ceremony — one of the most prestigious honors in world soccer — will take place in Paris. Kylian Mbappe is among the finalists for the trophy, based on his performances for Real Madrid and France last season. Still, that hasn’t stopped him from making a significant decision.
“I’ll watch it on television,” Mbappe confirmed this week in a press conference, making it clear he has no plans to travel to Paris for the event. This decision, of course, is not solely his — it’s part of a unified stance by all Real Madrid players.
The Spanish side will be absent from the Ballon d’Or ceremony for the second consecutive year. They also chose not to travel to France in 2024, after learning that Vinicius Junior would not win the main award, which instead went to Manchester City’s Rodri.
Mbappe didn’t just announce he won’t be in Paris next Monday — he was also honest in admitting that he doesn’t believe he has a shot at winning this year’s award. “To win it, you have to win things,” he explained. “So I have to help my club win trophies, and after that, we’ll see.”
Kylian Mbappe celebrates after scoring a goal during the LaLiga match between Real Madrid and Mallorca.
Indeed, Kylian’s 2024–25 season was outstanding from an individual perspective: he scored 44 goals in 59 appearances across all competitions for Real Madrid. However, collectively the team underachieved, winning only the UEFA Super Cup and Intercontinental Cup. In the more significant tournaments — UEFA Champions League, La Liga, Copa del Rey, and FIFA Club World Cup — Los Blancos came up short.
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Mbappe names his Ballon d’Or favorite
Having made it clear he doesn’t expect to win, Kylian Mbappe had no hesitation in naming the player he believes deserves the 2025 Ballon d’Or. Interestingly, it’s not one of his Real Madrid teammates.
“I’ll be happy if Dembele wins it because he’s my friend and I’ve supported him from the start… I hope he wins it,” Mbappe said, referring to the Paris Saint-Germain star, who had a standout season leading his team to the Champions League title.
Of course, the bond between Ousmane and Kylian dates back to their early days with the France national team: they were World Cup champions in Russia 2018 as teenagers and have remained close ever since. They also played together for one season at PSG.
Which Real Madrid players are nominated for the Ballon d’Or?
Kylian Mbappe isn’t the only Real Madrid player who will be absent despite being among the 30 finalists. Jude Bellingham and Vinicius Junior also made the final shortlist but, like the French forward, are seen as unlikely contenders for the top prize.
This year’s main Ballon d’Or favorites seem to come from two clubs: Paris Saint-Germain and Barcelona. The French side, having dominated European competition, holds the strongest hand with 9 of the 30 nominees. Dembele is the leading candidate among them. However, Lamine Yamal has also earned the right to be in the conversation — despite being just 18 years old.
