Luís Figo on who deserves to win the 70th Ballon d’Or:
🗣️ Luís Figo: “Sometimes, in football, you need to be in the right place at the right time. One player wins the World Cup, another scores 70 goals, and another wins several trophies. Suddenly, everybody has an argument for the Ballon d’Or.
“But I believe this award should recognise the player who defines football, the one who makes you say, ‘This is what greatness looks like.’ You don’t necessarily need to win every trophy to prove you are that player.
“Someone asked me recently, ‘Figo, if Mbappé doesn’t win the Champions League, can you still give him the Ballon d’Or?’
“I replied, ‘Are we rewarding the best individual player, or simply the player who happened to win the most trophies?’
“Of course, trophies matter. But sometimes, an individual can deliver an extraordinary season without winning everything.
“When I look at Kylian Mbappé, I see a player born to do this. His speed, finishing, movement and hunger for goals are qualities you cannot manufacture.
“And honestly, he reminds me of Cristiano Ronaldo.
“I remember watching Cristiano at Real Madrid. He wasn’t simply scoring goals; he made scoring look inevitable. Even when Madrid struggled, you always believed he could change the game.
“Now, when I watch Mbappé at the Bernabéu, I recognise that same feeling.
“I remember Mbappé saying Cristiano was his idol. Then I watched him score at the Bernabéu and thought, ‘My goodness, Cristiano has left a reminder of himself in this stadium!’ [laughs]
“I’m not saying Mbappé is Cristiano. Cristiano built his own legacy, and Kylian must build his. But his mentality, movement and determination explain why people make that comparison.
“Lamine Yamal, Harry Kane, Michael Olise and others deserve respect. But I ask myself one question: Who has made the strongest individual case through consistency, quality and the ability to change games at the highest level?
“For me, Mbappé belongs at the centre of that conversation. He has delivered internationally, competed in the Champions League and taken on the enormous responsibility of leading Real Madrid’s attack.
“Playing for Madrid means every performance is analysed, every missed chance becomes a headline, and every quiet game brings criticism. Yet Mbappé continues to play with the belief that the next opportunity belongs to him.
“If I had a vote for the 70th Ballon d’Or, I would vote for Kylian Mbappé. Not because he plays for Real Madrid or reminds me of Cristiano Ronaldo, but because his individual quality deserves recognition. The Ballon d’Or should reward what a player does on the pitch, not simply the trophies in his cabinet.”
“And perhaps the biggest compliment I can give him is this: when Mbappé walks onto the pitch, people don’t just ask whether Real Madrid will win. They ask what he is going to do.
“That is the difference between a good player and someone capable of defining an era.”