{
  "id": 6834930,
  "title": "I can still win Ballon d’Or despite barren season, says Mbappe",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/12/i-can-still-win-ballon-dor-despite-barren-season-says-mbappe",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-12T00:32:10.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Free Malaysia Today",
    "slug": "free-malaysia-today-freemalays",
    "url": "https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/sports/2026/09/12/i-can-still-win-ballon-d-or-despite-barren-season-says-mbappe"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Paris is the city where Kylian Mbappe, a player for Real Madrid, expressed his belief that he can still secure the Ballon d'Or award despite his team's lack of success this season. In an interview with France Football, the 27-year-old French forward emphasized that winning the individual accolade remains one of his goals for the year. Despite Real Madrid failing to win any titles and France's World Cup campaign concluding with a semi-final loss to Spain, Mbappe maintained that his performances were worthy of recognition as the world's best player. He praised new France coach Zinedine Zidane, describing him as a national legend and the embodiment of French football. Mbappe scored 15 goals in the Champions League, 25 in La Liga, and added 22 in the World Cup, becoming the competition's all-time leading scorer. He believed his exceptional achievements, along with his individual style of play, made him deserving of the prestigious Ballon d'Or award.",
  "summary": "Kylian Mbappe said his performances merit recognition as the world's best player and hailed new France coach Zinedine Zidane.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 6,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Daily Post Nigeria",
        "title": "2026 Ballon d’Or: There’s no one better – Mbappe picks player to win award",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/11/2026-ballon-dor-theres-no-one-better-mbappe-picks-player-to-win-award",
        "published": "2026-09-11T21:17:20.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Channel News Asia",
        "title": "I can still win Ballon d'Or despite barren season, says Mbappe",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/11/i-can-still-win-ballon-dor-despite-barren-season-says-mbappe",
        "published": "2026-09-11T22:33:31.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Free Malaysia Today",
        "title": "I can still win Ballon d’Or despite barren season, says Mbappe",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/12/i-can-still-win-ballon-dor-despite-barren-season-says-mbappe-6835617",
        "published": "2026-09-12T00:32:10.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "New Straits Times",
        "title": "Mbappe: 'I can still win Ballon d'Or despite barren season'",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/12/mbappe-i-can-still-win-ballon-dor-despite-barren-season",
        "published": "2026-09-12T02:31:32.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Al Jazeera",
        "title": "Real Madrid’s Mbappe confident of Ballon d’Or despite trophyless season",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/12/real-madrids-mbappe-confident-of-ballon-dor-despite-trophyless-season",
        "published": "2026-09-12T09:53:59.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}