Former PSG midfielder Jerome Rothen has launched a fierce attack on Kylian Mbappe, claiming the Real Madrid superstar is trying to “buy votes” as he pushes for his first Ballon d’Or.

Former PSG Star Accuses Mbappe of Trying to ‘Buy Votes’ for Ballon d’Or

Kylian Mbappe has come under fierce criticism in France after former PSG star Jerome Rothen accused him of trying to “buy votes” in his campaign to win the Ballon d’Or.

The Real Madrid superstar has spoken openly about the award in several recent interviews.

But Rothen believes Mbappe and the people around him are going too far in promoting his chances.

The former France international delivered a brutal message while discussing Mbappe’s Ballon d’Or campaign on RMC.

Rothen claimed Mbappe is currently trying to “buy votes” to finally get his hands on the famous individual prize.

Rothen launches fierce attack on Mbappe

Rothen, who previously played for Paris Saint-Germain and France, did not hide his frustration.

Speaking about Mbappe’s recent media appearances, he questioned why the Real Madrid forward has been talking so much about the Ballon d’Or.

He said:

“Do you realise that, at the moment, he is trying to buy votes for the Ballon d’Or?”

Rothen then went even further.

According to the former PSG midfielder, a Mbappe victory after such a public campaign would leave him deeply frustrated.

His criticism is mainly focused on what he sees as an aggressive attempt to influence the Ballon d’Or debate through the media.

What does ‘buy votes’ actually mean?

There is an important clarification behind Rothen’s explosive words.

There is currently no evidence that Mbappe has paid, bribed or financially influenced Ballon d’Or voters.

Rothen was using the phrase “buy votes” while criticising Mbappe’s media strategy.

His argument is that the France captain is appearing in interviews and publicly discussing his Ballon d’Or chances in an effort to influence opinion before journalists vote.

So the accusation is about publicity and campaigning, not proven financial wrongdoing.

Mbappe has openly discussed winning the Ballon d’Or

Mbappe has made no secret of his desire to finally win the award.

Earlier this month, he was directly asked about the Ballon d’Or during a Real Madrid press conference.

The Frenchman said playing for Real Madrid naturally puts players into conversations about the biggest individual awards.

He also admitted:

“I feel like this is a good year for that.”

When asked whether he considers himself the best player in the world, Mbappe answered:

“Always.”

However, he also made clear that the final decision belongs to the journalists who vote.

“People are free to vote for who they think is the best player in the world.”

His media campaign is now under scrutiny

Mbappe has appeared in several interviews while the Ballon d’Or debate has grown.

That has attracted increasing attention in France.

Rothen is not the only person questioning the strategy.

French journalist Daniel Riolo has also criticised the scale and timing of Mbappe’s media appearances.

Riolo believes there is a carefully organised strategy behind the Real Madrid star’s public push for the award.

He has suggested the Ballon d’Or has become a major obsession for Mbappe.

RFI interview attracts particular attention

One interview in particular has become part of the debate.

Mbappe recently spoke to international broadcaster RFI.

Riolo highlighted the importance of that appearance because the broadcaster reaches audiences far beyond France.

He argued that choosing such an international platform could help Mbappe’s message reach a wider group of people during the Ballon d’Or campaign.

For critics like Rothen and Riolo, these appearances look more like an organised campaign than normal media duties.

Mbappe has a major individual case

Whatever people think about his public campaign, Mbappe’s performances have given him plenty to talk about.

The Real Madrid forward enjoyed another huge individual season.

He finished the 2025/26 Champions League campaign with:

15 GOALS IN 11 MATCHES

That made him the competition’s top scorer.

Only Cristiano Ronaldo has scored more goals in a single Champions League season.

Mbappe’s numbers have therefore kept him firmly involved in the Ballon d’Or conversation.

But the debate goes beyond goals

The Ballon d’Or discussion is not simply about how many goals a player scores.

Team success, individual performances, major matches and overall influence can all become important parts of the debate.

That is why Mbappe’s public comments have created such strong reactions.

The Frenchman believes his individual performances give him a serious case.

His critics believe he should allow those performances to speak for themselves.

That difference has now turned his Ballon d’Or campaign into a major talking point in France.

Rothen has criticised Mbappe before

This is not the first time Rothen has challenged the France captain over the award.

Earlier in September, he strongly disagreed with Mbappe’s confidence about his chances of winning.

Now his criticism has become even stronger.

The former PSG midfielder believes Mbappe’s public campaign risks damaging how people view his Ballon d’Or bid.

Instead of helping the Real Madrid star, Rothen appears to believe the constant discussion could have the opposite effect.

Mbappe has not answered the accusation directly

So far, Mbappe has not publicly responded directly to Rothen’s latest “buy votes” accusation.

Real Madrid have also not announced any official response to the comments.

Mbappe has continued to make his own position clear.

He believes he has had a season strong enough to compete for the Ballon d’Or, but he has also said journalists are free to make their own decision.

The Ballon d’Or pressure is growing

As the ceremony gets closer, the debate around the biggest individual prize in football is becoming increasingly intense.

For Mbappe, the discussion is now about more than his performances on the pitch.

His interviews, comments and media strategy are also being examined.

Rothen has now taken that debate to another level with one of the strongest accusations yet.

He believes Mbappe is trying to “buy votes” through his public campaign to finally win the Ballon d’Or.

But for now, that remains Rothen’s interpretation of Mbappe’s media strategy.

There is no evidence that Mbappe has literally paid or bribed Ballon d’Or voters.

What is clear is that the pressure around his pursuit of the award is becoming almost as big a story as the football itself.