Sport

Every player wants to win it’: Kylian Mbappé eyes first Ballon d’Or award

Soccer superstar Kylian Mbappé says there is no “frustration” over not yet winning a Ballon d’Or – an annual award given to the world’s best player – but tells CNN Sports that this “could be a good year for me.” Mbappé did not win any silverware last season – often a huge factor in the decision-making process – finishing fourth at the World Cup with France and failing to win a trophy with Real Madrid.“When you talk about the Ballon d’Or, you give it to one player, so you give it to the best player, and the guy who shows you that he is the best, and every big competition shows something.” Mbappé’s two biggest contenders for this year appear to be Barcelona wonderkid Lamine Yamal and Bayern Munich star Harry Kane. There is also support for Lionel Messi to win it for a record-extending ninth time, mainly due to his performances for Argentina at the World Cup.The 27-year-old became the World Cup’s all-time top scorer, netting a record-breaking 22nd goal during the third-place playoff against England. “It’s something that I couldn’t imagine,” he says about the achievement. “We saw all the greatest players of all time, all the greatest athletes, all the greatest icons that I idolized when I was younger, and to be able to be this guy at only 27, it sounds surreal. “At the end of the day, it’s part of history, part of the legacy that I want to build.” It’s just one of the many records Mbappé has broken during his illustrious career that makes it even more surprising that his name has never been written into the Ballon d’Or history books.