Mbappe: Messi deserved the Ballon d'Or; France team doesn't belong to me

Speaking in his first France press conference since mid-June, Kylian Mbappé opened up about the Ballon d'Or, Warren Zaire-Emery, and his absence from media duties in recent months.

On the Ballon d’Or: 

“Messi had to win it, he won the World Cup, he’s one of the greatest in history, if not the greatest for me.

“Haaland had a great season, me too... but next to winning a World Cup it doesn't weigh much. On the night of 18th December I knew that I had lost World Cup… and Ballon d’Or too. Leo deserved it.”

On Warren Zaire-Emery:

“He’s fascinating. He is already very mature, he plays with a lot of personality. 17 years old, he's the age of my little brother... It's crazy. I'm not old but I’m getting a little old.

The guy arrives and does his homework... it's nonsense. Our mission is to protect him.”

On his absence from media duties in recent months:

"In my last press conference, you asked me 11 questions: nine about PSG, one about the Olympic Games and one about the match against Gibraltar.

The first time (I attended a press conference) was in June. In my first conference, I announced that I wouldn’t be at all the press conferences. I said that I wasn’t higher up in the hierarchy than Antoine (Griezmann). He has done the following conferences, but we left the door open for others."

He added, “I want to share around the leadership. I am not scared of coming here, but the France national team doesn’t belong to me.”