Makelele Names Mbappe ‘The Phenomenon’, Predicts 2026 Ballon d’Or Win Over Messi
Former France and Chelsea midfielder Claude Makelele has backed Kylian Mbappe as his pick for the 2026 Ballon d’Or over Lionel Messi. He praised Mbappe’s World Cup form and called him the “phenomenon” of his generation. Makelele compared Mbappe to Brazilian icon Ronaldo, saying the young forward reminds him of R9 and still has more to prove. He believes this makes Mbappe the leading candidate for football’s top individual award. With eight World Cup goals so far, Mbappe remains eager to guide France to a third straight final. Despite strong competition from Messi, Harry Kane and Ousmane Dembele, Makelele is convinced Mbappe will claim the 2026 Ballon d’Or.
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