Kylian Mbappé: parties in Paris, cycling in Spain and Ballon d'Or

Kylian Mbappé finds himself at the centre of a series of controversies: a night out at a nightclub in Paris after his injury, a viral story of a bike in Spain and multiple statements about the Ballon d’Or that have irritated many observers.

Recent controversies

After being injured, the young striker was spotted in a Paris nightclub, causing bewilderment among the media. This outing was seen as a lack of seriousness towards his recovery.

At the same time, a story broadcast in recent days shows Mbappé on a bike, a clip that quickly went viral in Spain. Spanish internet users are massively commenting on the sequence, fueling the controversy.

The player has also multiplied statements concerning the Ballon d’Or, which have irritated several observers. These repeated remarks are perceived as communication errors.

Analysis by Daniel Riolo

RMC consultant Daniel Riolo expressed his doubt about the Frenchman's motivation. “I’ve come to tell myself: does Mbappé still want it? What does he want?” he said on Tuesday night on the After.

He adds that the pace of controversies makes him wonder if the player “puts a ball in his own foot” every morning. “He cannot accumulate mistakes to this extent,” he affirmed.

According to Riolo, Mbappé’s change of attitude is obvious these past weeks. “I feel that in his head, he’s not doing well. When you left him at the World Cup, everything was fine. He has his mates, he enjoys himself, he gives a great image. Then, the Ballon d’Or obsession makes him communicate like this… You offend one of your mates (Ousmane Dembélé), it’s a shame to do it but you do it. (…) That there is no one to tell him that in his surroundings, that leads me to conclude that he’s not doing well,” he insisted.

Riolo also points out that Mbappé has been in a relationship with actress Ester Exposito for several months. “He has the right to be in love, does he want something else? Football tires him, everything that happens around him, the expectations tire him at the moment he changes sponsor with a bang. I don’t understand how he manages himself and who are the people thinking around him,” he concluded.