Bixente Lizarazu has publicly criticized Real Madrid forward Kylian Mbappe, citing a lack of humility in his conduct leading up to the 2026 Ballon d’Or ceremony. The 1998 World Cup winner, speaking on TF1’s Téléfoot on Sunday, characterized the French star as being excessively individualistic during the pre-voting phase.
The controversy stems from a series of interviews Mbappe conducted before voting concluded in London on October 26. During these sessions, the forward openly told France Football that he would vote for himself and expressed firm confidence in his victory. When questioned about his status as the world’s best player, he reportedly replied, “me, always.” Ultimately, Harry Kane secured the trophy with 1,055 points, finishing 28 points ahead of Mbappe, while Lamine Yamal placed third with 881 points. The sequence Lizarazu meant was the run of interviews Mbappe gave before the voting closed in London on October 26.
Addressing whether this self-assured approach negatively influenced voters, Lizarazu clarified that he does not believe the campaign cost Mbappe the award, noting that the voting process relies on 100 journalists from 100 different countries. However, he expressed broader concerns regarding Mbappe’s tendency to prioritize personal accolades over team success, pointing to the player’s two trophyless seasons since joining Real Madrid.
Despite the Ballon d’Or outcome, Mbappe remains in prolific form for his club. He has netted 12 La Liga goals in 11 appearances this season, including a pivotal brace in a 2-1 El Clasico victory at the Camp Nou on October 25. That performance included a decisive 87th-minute goal following a collaborative effort involving Jude Bellingham, Arda Güler, and Eduardo Camavinga. This match marked his 100th goal for the club, followed by a recent penalty conversion against Racing Santander. But his concern is regarding how Mbappe scores a lot of goals but his teams don’t win big. He will be hoping to end that drought this season.
As he seeks to secure his first La Liga or Champions League title at the Santiago Bernabeu, Mbappe is set to rejoin the France national team. He is expected to feature in their upcoming Nations League matches against Italy on November 12 and Türkiye on November 15.
