{
  "id": 6835617,
  "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",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-12T00:32:10.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Free Malaysia Today",
    "slug": "free-malaysia-today",
    "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": "Real Madrid's Kylian Mbappe expressed his belief in winning the Ballon d'Or award despite the club's barren season, in an interview with France Football. The 27-year-old French forward, who scored 22 goals this year in total, including 15 in the Champions League and 25 in La Liga, argued that he deserved recognition as the world's best player amid his team's semi-final loss to Spain in the World Cup.\n\nMbappe praised new France coach Zinedine Zidane, describing him as a nation icon and someone who embodied French football's elegance and greatness. The forward emphasized that winning the Ballon d'Or is an individual award, and that it's always a possibility that someone believes the winner didn't deserve it, as no player has ever been elected unanimously.\n\nMbappe credited the \"Messi and Ronaldo era\" for his concept of the Ballon d'Or, stating that winners are those who stand out in a different way. He cited his all-time leading goal tally in major competitions and his performance at the World Cup, where he became the competition's all-time leading scorer, as standout achievements that set him apart.",
  "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",
        "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."
}