After scoring hat-trick for Real Madrid vs Man City, Kylian Mbappe reveals what’s ‘more important’ to him than winning Ballon d’Or

Real Madrid forward Kylian Mbappe has revealed that playing for the club is more important to him than winning the Ballon d’Or. The Frenchman said this after scoring a hat-trick against Manchester City in the second leg of the UEFA Champions League Round-of-32 on Wednesday (February 19).

Mbappe delivered a sublime performance as Madrid cruised to a 3-1 win over Pep Guardiola's side at the Santiago Bernabeu. The 26-year-old opened the scoring in the fourth minute with a beautiful lob over Ederson from outside the 18-yard box.

He doubled his side's lead in the 33rd minute with a calm finish inside the box after receiving the ball from Rodrygo. Mbappe assured Real Madrid of a place in the Round of 16 when he completed his hat-trick with a brilliant shot from the edge of the box in the 61st minute to make the score 3-0. Nico Gonzalez scored a consolation goal for City in the second minute of additional time.

Kylian Mbappe was named the Player of the Match after an exceptional performance in front of the Madrid fans. The former Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) star was also on target in Los Blancos' 3-2 win in the first leg at the Etihad a week ago (February 11), scoring once.

While speaking to El Chiringuito TV after the win, Mbappe was asked about his Ballon d’Or ambitions. He replied (via Madrid Xtra's X handle):

“Playing for Real Madrid is more important to me than winning the Ballon d’Or.”

Kylian Mbappe joined Real Madrid on a free transfer last summer from PSG. He endured a slow start to life at the club but has now settled in fully. In 37 games for the club this season, he has registered 27 goals and three assists.

How close has Kylian Mbappe come to winning the Ballon d’Or?

In the past couple of years, Kylian Mbappe has established himself as one of football's most talented and prolific forwards. He broke onto the scene in 2015 with Monaco before moving to Ligue 1 rivals Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) in 2018.

At PSG, the Frenchman developed into one of the best forwards in football, scoring 256 goals and 106 in 308 games. In 2018, he guided France to 2018 World Cup glory. Mbappe also led Le Bleu to a runner-up finish in the 2022 World Cup.

However, his heroics for club and country have yet to win him the prestigious Ballon d’Or. His only podium finish so far came in 2023 when he finished behind Erling Haaland and winner Lionel Messi.

Real Madrid have produced the most Ballon d’Or winners, with eight of their players claiming the award. Mbappe hopes to win the accolade during his stay with the Spanish giants.