France: Zidane's view on Mbappé finishing second in the 2026 Ballon d'Or

France head coach Zinédine Zidane has commented on Kylian Mbappé finishing second in the 2026 Ballon d'Or standings.

Ranked second in the 2026 Ballon d’Or behind winner Harry Kane, Kylian Mbappé achieved the best result of his career so far in the prestigious award. However, the France captain had hoped for something else deep down.

Kylian Mbappé had embarked on a media campaign, aware of the strengths of his candidacy from an individual perspective.

Zidane on Mbappé

Speaking on Téléfoot on Sunday, Zinédine Zidane was asked about the subject, and the France coach said that Real Madrid forward Kylian Mbappé deserved it just as much as Harry Kane.

"Mbappé? He'll certainly be happy to be back with the France team. The first call-up went the way it went (he left the camp after the first match against Turkey because of an injury). He surely wanted to stay with us, but he is a player who plays a lot, so we have to be careful. The Ballon d'Or? Everyone has their preference; he's second, and we just have to accept it. He is obviously disappointed because he probably deserved it just as much," the coach said.

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Joshua SOSSOU

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As a sports fan, and particularly a football fan, I've been putting my writing talent to good use for a number of years now to promote African talent and the continent's football in general. On Foot Africa, enjoy reading each of my lines.

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