Kylian Mbappé has rejected the suggestion that he is merely a scorer whose individual output comes at the expense of team success, arguing that goals are fundamental to winning football matches.

“Those who say I only score goals? That’s their opinion,” the Real Madrid and France forward said. “Over the years, thanks to experience, I’ve learned that in football, everyone has an opinion and you have to accept it. Sometimes they share your point of view, sometimes not.”

Mbappé’s response follows a season of remarkable personal numbers but no major trophies for either Real Madrid or France. The 27-year-old scored 25 La Liga goals and 15 in the Champions League, finishing as the leading scorer in both competitions. His 15-goal Champions League haul was the second time he had topped the competition’s scoring chart.

He also enjoyed a historic World Cup, becoming the tournament’s all-time leading goalscorer with 22. France’s campaign ended in the semi-finals with a 2–0 defeat to Spain, leaving Mbappé without the collective triumph that often shapes the Ballon d’Or debate.

The criticism has focused on whether Mbappé’s playing style—particularly his defensive work and status as the side’s dominant attacking reference point—provides enough balance for a team competing for major trophies. He dismissed the premise that scoring consistently could make a player a liability.

“If I don’t score goals, they’re going to ask me why I don’t score,” Mbappé said. “In football the objective is to score more goals than the opponent. A player who scores goals will never be a team’s problem, because you haven’t seen a team lift titles without scoring goals.”

Mbappé remains a leading contender for the 2026 Ballon d’Or despite Real Madrid’s trophyless campaign. He has argued that the prize is an individual award, noting that no winner is chosen unanimously, while maintaining that his performances across La Liga, the Champions League and the World Cup give him a credible case.