Sports
French star Kylian Mbappé, Real Madrid's forward, issued bold statements to the media ahead of his team's anticipated clash against Inter Milan in the Champions League. Mbappé discussed his chances of winning the Ballon d'Or, his relationship with teammate Vinicius Junior, the potential for working under coach José Mourinho, and his stance on Paris Saint-Germain's Champions League triumph after his departure. Real Madrid and Mbappé begin their Champions League journey on Tuesday with a match against Inter Milan, hoping to snatch the title from Paris Saint-Germain, who have won it twice consecutively, by the end of the season. Should Mbappé score in this crucial match, he will equal Raúl's record of 71 goals, becoming the fifth all-time leading scorer in Champions League history. The French player has so far scored 70 goals in 98 Champions League appearances, including 22 goals in 25 matches for Real Madrid. In the past five seasons, the two highest goal scorers in the Champions League have been Real Madrid's current duo: Mbappé (43 goals, 9 assists) and Vinicius Junior (30 goals, 22 assists). Regarding Paris Saint-Germain's Champions League triumph after Mbappé's departure, an achievement many have attributed to the defensive readiness of the Parisian team's current attackers, Mbappé refused to respond directly. He stated: "Honestly, I don't care. These headlines attract attention, and talking about me attracts a huge number of followers." In the context of evaluating his defensive performance, Mbappé faced criticism concerning his commitment to defensive duties and whether he and Vinicius Junior needed to press more, similar to players like Ousmane Dembélé and Raphinha, who are known for their high pressing. Mbappé responded to the question with a sarcastic smile before becoming serious, saying: "If I wanted to answer foolishly, I would say that I score more goals than the players you mentioned, and therefore they need to score more to be like me." He added: "Every player has their unique characteristics." He then continued with a frank answer: "But I am intelligent, so I will tell you that I need to improve. But I don't like comparisons, because I do many things others don't." Mbappé further clarified about the defensive aspect: "All of us need to develop, and this is natural for any player. Every player is different from another, and we must act intelligently. I don't like comparisons, because they are an endless debate. All of us need to develop in this aspect, as well as in ball possession. This is the nature of life within a top-level team." Concerning his individual aspirations, when asked if he deserved to win the Ballon d'Or, Mbappé replied: "When you play for Real Madrid, people associate your name with this award. Many talk to me about the Ballon d'Or, and that is positive. I made history this summer, but we will see what happens." He indicated that "this is a good year to achieve it, and in the end, it is up to the public to vote." When the French star was asked if he felt he was the best player in the world, he confidently answered: "I always feel that way, but this is very personal. Everyone has their opinion, some will say yes and others will say no. It's a debate, and it's not necessary for everyone to think like me. This year might be a good year to win the Ballon d'Or, but journalists are the ones who vote, and they will choose."
