Radio France Internationale (RFI) published the full content of an exclusive interview with Mbappe. In the first half of the interview, he discussed his thoughts on the Ballon d'Or.

On October 16, the Ballon d'Or will be awarded to the best player of the season. Is winning this trophy an obsession for you?

No, no, it's not. I think it's a goal for any player, any competitor, but it's not an obsession. I don't see it that way.

You're campaigning for the Ballon d'Or. Why do you think this year will be your year?

Because I had an excellent year, my individual performance was outstanding. I know that's the most important criterion for the Ballon d'Or. I was the top scorer in all major competitions, so I feel my chances are good this year, and I feel very good about myself.

However, the competition this year seems more open than ever before.

Yes, everyone says that. I don't fully know all the past Ballon d'Or stories, but many people do say the competition is very tight this year. It's interesting to watch such a contest, and to be a part of it as well. I think it also makes it very enjoyable for the public.

If you don't win this year, will you be disappointed?

Of course, without a doubt. As I said, a competitor is bound to be disappointed when they don't win. If that happens, my competitive spirit will definitely take a hit, but after that, we'll see how things develop.

We've seen you make strong public statements to lobby for votes, such as "I've always been the chosen one," or "No one was better than me last season." Do you understand that such statements might offend some people in France?

Yes, of course I understand. Then again, many things in France can offend some people, and I don't mind that. I've never expected everyone to agree with me, because that's just not possible.

But I can't be another person, and I won't deliberately try to play someone else. I just want to be myself, with my strengths and weaknesses, my successes and failures. I just move forward step by step like this.

Let's continue discussing the Ballon d'Or race. Your individual performance at the World Cup was perfect, but the team's overall result was somewhat regrettable. How do you process that experience?

I wouldn't summarize it as "regrettable." When you don't win the championship, you're naturally sad. But I think we showed the world a good image of France; our team's play was enjoyable to watch.

French fans enjoyed it, and audiences worldwide had a good time. But there's only ever one champion. We gave our all, it just didn't go our way this time. We will go after our goal again in the future.

On a personal level, you've surpassed Messi to become the all-time leading World Cup scorer, and you still have one or two more World Cups to play in...

It's hard to say (laughs), but there's no doubt that this achievement feels incredible. When you're in the middle of an intense match, you don't think much about these things; you only focus on the next goal, the next game, the next score.

But when I'm on vacation, everyone talks to me about it — becoming the World Cup's all-time leading scorer. That's when you truly realize the weight of the World Cup; it's the biggest sporting event in the world and leaves a deep impression on people's hearts.

This record is a strong bargaining chip for a personal award like the Ballon d'Or.

Exactly, the envelope for the Ballon d'Or won't contain a team's name, but a player's name. It's an individual award, and I think individual performance should come first. Of course, other aspects can't be completely ignored, but delivering explosive, unforgettable individual performances is what truly impresses the judges for these kinds of individual awards.

We also can't overlook Deschamps; he managed the French team for 14 years, writing a brilliant history and achieving extraordinary success...

No doubt about that!

...And now, you have a new coach, Zidane. Your first opponent is Turkey. Are you eager to return to the French team with this new coaching staff?

Of course. First, credit where credit is due: everything Deschamps did for the French team was magnificent. He made history and brought the French national team back to where it should be. For that, we will always be grateful.

Now, a new chapter begins with a new coach. We'll wait and see how things develop, as is always the case with every new beginning. Everything is new; we need to re-adjust and adapt. We will immediately get to work and start winning again, which is what everyone expects from us.

Have you communicated with Zidane since he took office?

Not yet. I plan to meet him at the Clairefontaine training center. There's nothing better than a face-to-face conversation at the national team's headquarters. Incidentally, we both live in Madrid and have bumped into each other several times before. We already know each other, but I'm really looking forward to going to Clairefontaine to understand his expectations for the entire team and for me personally, and then see how things progress.

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