Kylian Mbappé, already compared to 19-year-old legend Pelé, received the new Kopa trophy, nominating the best player under 21 in 2018. He failed to make the double by also winning the Ballon d'Or 2018 finishing an honorable 4th place. The Paris striker admitted after the fact that he did not deserve to have it this year but it was only part of the discount.
Kylian Mbappé (winner of the Raymond Kopa trophy, 4th of the Ballon d'Or): "I did everything I could [to win the Golden Ball], after there were times when I did not was determining. What is good is that it shows what I still have to go to win a prize like this. Otherwise it would be too easy to arrive and win everything at once (laughs). That's good, it proves that you have to work and keep a cool head. What I miss? Be decisive from January to December. I had some excuses but a Ballon d'Or has no excuses. I missed things to get this trophy. Neither are goats in front! We talk about Luka Modric, Cristiano Ronaldo, Messi, Salah. Of course what we did [the players of the France team], it's extraordinary, we surprised more than one person, more than one country. But there are monsters everywhere. And not only in France, even if we have some. We must continue to work to show that we can be better than these players in the future. "
"For me to work and why not pick up places ..."
Kylian Mbappé #ballondor #kopatrophy pic.twitter.com/frjnDWFf0x
++ Luka Modric wins against Cristiano Ronaldo and Antoine Griezmann