Frank Leboeuf Questions Mbappé’s Ballon d’Or Focus While Praising Raphinha

Former France international Frank Leboeuf has questioned Kylian Mbappé’s priorities after comparing the Real Madrid forward with Barcelona star Raphinha.

Leboeuf acknowledged that it would be premature to claim Raphinha is a better No. 9 than Mbappé, pointing out that the Brazilian is only playing the position regularly for the first time, while Mbappé has operated centrally for years and has consistently delivered goals.

However, Leboeuf believes the biggest difference between the two lies in their approach to the game.

“Everything Mbappé does on the pitch feels like it’s for himself, while with Raphinha, you feel like everything he does is for the team,” Leboeuf said.

The former Chelsea defender was particularly critical of Mbappé’s public comments about wanting to win the Ballon d’Or. He argued that openly discussing the individual prize can reinforce the perception that the Frenchman is too focused on personal achievements.

“You should never talk about the Ballon d’Or like that,” Leboeuf said, adding that Mbappé should instead focus on helping Real Madrid win La Liga and the Champions League.

Leboeuf stressed that he likes Mbappé despite his criticism, but believes the forward’s comments to the media can sometimes work against him.

“I like Kylian Mbappé, but sometimes when he speaks to the media, it doesn’t do his image any favors,” he concluded.

The comments add another layer to the ongoing discussion surrounding Mbappé’s individual ambitions, Raphinha’s development as a central forward and the importance of balancing personal accolades with team success.