Benatia ignites Ballon d'Or debate with Mbappé criticism

Benatia calls out Mbappé's public campaign for the Ballon d'Or

Ballon d'Or Today at 12:56

Add Foot Africa on Google

Benatia ignites Ballon d'Or debate with Mbappé criticism

Former Morocco national team international Medhi Benatia has publicly criticised Real Madrid forward Kylian Mbappé for his recent remarks regarding the 2026 Ballon d'Or, expressing a strong preference for the maturity shown by Barcelona youngster Lamine Yamal.

Surprising comments from a strong contender

Benatia acknowledged that Mbappé remains one of the overwhelming favourites to claim football's most prestigious individual award this year.

He emphasised that he would not be surprised if the French captain takes home the prize, given his extraordinary individual achievements during the campaign.

Mbappé concluded the recent season as the top scorer in the UEFA Champions League. Furthermore, he cemented his place in football history during the summer by becoming the all-time leading goalscorer in the FIFA World Cup taking his tally to 22 goals to surpass Miroslav Klose's longstanding record.

These unprecedented milestones strongly support his candidacy for the global accolade.

🗣️ "Si Mbappé prend le Ballon d'Or, je ne tombe pas de ma chaise"

Medhi Benatia revient sur les déclarations de Kylian Mbappé et Lamine Yamal sur le Ballon d'Or 🟡

L'OM, le PSG, le BO : on en parle maintenant dans le CFC sur CANAL+ 🖥️ pic.twitter.com/a9koFbKkzO
— CANAL+ Foot (@CanalplusFoot) September 13, 2026

Contrasting maturity in the press

Despite recognising Mbappé's on-pitch brilliance, Benatia was unimpressed by the forward's public positioning for the award.

The former Juventus and Bayern Munich defender described the comments as unnecessary, especially given the Real Madrid star's excellent relationships with his fellow competitors.

"I didn't like Mbappé's statements while I liked Lamine's statements.. I like Kylian a lot and he knows that" Benatia explained to the press.

The Moroccan highlighted that despite his young age, Lamine Yamal presented himself with far greater class and humility when discussing the Ballon d'Or.

Benatia found Mbappé's approach "a bit strange" asserting that a player of his calibre does not need to publicly campaign for recognition when his statistics speak for themselves.

Khaled Hegazy |

Editorar, en

Journaliste sportif spécialisé dans la couverture du football et la création de contenu numérique, alliant expérience éditoriale et expertise des médias sociaux.