Zinedine Zidane has returned to France, this time as a coach. He even held his first training ahead of the upcoming games and the public interest was enormous. But it seems that not even Zizou’s arrival couldn’t match the Ballon d’Or euphoria, especially between Kylian Mbappe and Ousmane Dembele. Even if Real’s forward didn’t start this topic on purpose (which he probably did), now it’s out there and has a life of his own. And the story about the potential winner of this prestigious awards is back at the front pages. Yes, you guessed it, Mbappe is again advocating for himself, and this time he cleverly used his African origin to make his case even stronger.Mbappe's African truth: "I'd play for Cameroon"France’s forward gave an interview for RFI and was asked specifically about his African origins.“Yes, those are my roots. I've always been raised with an African culture, even though I was born and raised in France. I've never severed my connection to my roots and origins. I think it's important because it's part of who you are and the values you're taught. I went back to Cameroon not long ago . I used to go there when I was little, and it was a wonderful time. Every time I go to Africa, I'm always incredibly well received. I feel the love of the people, and it's truly rewarding to feel the support of an entire continent“ he said.“There was no one better than me last season”Mbappe was then asked to send a message to Ballon d’Or voters, who are representing 20% of all votes.“First, I want to thank them for the support they've given me all these years. It's never changed; I've always felt very loved every time I've set foot in Africa. Of course, having African roots, it's always a pleasure to see people associate me with this award; it's gratifying. I thank them for everything, and I hope to be able to leave with the Ballon d'Or so that I can, in one way or another, dedicate it to them“ said Mbappe.🚨 Kylian Mbappé on Africa and the Ballon d’Or:“I was always raised with African culture, even though I was born in France and did everything there.I’ve never cut the link with my roots and my origins. It’s important because it’s part of who you are.I’ve always felt very… pic.twitter.com/HQKNe1YVFP— Limitless Football (@lmts_football) September 22, 2026 Unlike Kylian, his brother Ethan is yet to be capped and he can theoretically choose to represent Cameroon or Algeria instead of France.“It's personal, something very intimate. I think it's a profound choice, one that must come from within, from your life story. Everyone has a different relationship with the country they want to represent. When we talk about representing a country, we have to talk about the love and history we have with that country, not just a sporting project. It's a question to ask those who are living it, because it's unique to each individual“ said the Real striker.The ReturnersMbappe was also asked about his AFCON memories, as the France captain went to Morocco to watch games, and his friend Hakimi.“I went to see Ivory Coast vs. Cameroon too!. It was a great match in Marrakech. I love watching matches. And the Africa Cup of Nations was a fantastic competition. I went to support a friend, of course, but I also wanted to see several matches. The level is top-notch these days. You can see that African teams are looking other national teams in the eye; we saw that at the World Cup. It's the kind of football I love to watch“ he said.21:00: (2.10) Notts County (3.35) Grimzby (3.25)
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