Kylian Mbappe eyes Ballon d'Or ahead of Real Madrid Champions League match

Real Madrid forward Kylian Mbappe discussed his potential candidacy for the Ballon d'Or following a historic 10-goal performance during this summer's World Cup. The 27-year-old, who became the tournament's all-time leading scorer, emphasized that playing for Real Madrid naturally aligns him with high-level individual and collective awards. Despite his goal-scoring record, Mbappe acknowledged the need for team improvement following the club's 1-0 loss to Real Betis last Friday. Real Madrid manager Jose Mourinho is preparing the squad to host Inter Milan at the Santiago Bernabeu on Tuesday for their opening match of the Champions League league phase. Mourinho stated he intends to treat the encounter as a distinct event regardless of his history with the Italian club. Both the manager and the player expressed an urgent desire to return to winning form after recent domestic struggles.

• 11:56 AMYahoo Sports — Mbappe embraces Ballon d'Or talk after historic World Cup exploits