[Real Madrid](https://www.managingmadrid.com) superstar Kylian Mbappé spoke to Le Parisien on Monday ahead of the international break, his first in a very long time. He was asked about whether he thinks PSG are doing better without him, and what his focus is on. He said: “I wish them the best but I’m focused on Real Madrid and the chance to win a treble. That’s something Real Madrid has never done yet, so it would be extraordinary in my first season.”
### Mbappe on the Ballon d’Or
“What’s a Ballon d’Or player? Rodri, is he a Ballon d’Or player for you? I thought the Ballon d’Or would go to Vini Jr., but in the end, it went to Rodri. If I told you that 3 months ago, you would have said, ‘What the hell are you talking about?’ Today, we don’t know who the Ballon d’Or is leaning towards, except that no one should be excluded, that all players should be rewarded, maybe even a goalkeeper.”
### Mbappe on Nasser Al-Khelaifi
“Of course I’d shake hands with Nasser if we meet PSG in the UCL. I’m not the kind of person who only looks at the negative, I know how to be grateful for what people give me in life, both professionally and personally.”
### Mbappe on his relationship with Deschamps
“No! If there had been a breakup, I would never have taken his calls. Everyone knows me. If there’s a breakup with someone, I don’t keep in touch, I can’t pretend. That doesn’t mean there are never disagreements in a relationship. Even if I don’t want them to, there may be. Now, I’ve had my education, I’ve always had respect and appreciation for the coach. He was my only coach with the French national team, and he gave me my first cap. We’ve had successes together, and our relationship can’t end up in the trash because of two or three disagreements that, on the other hand, aren’t serious at all.
“They’re not secrets, they’re disagreements that people don’t need to know about. In any job, there are disagreements with colleagues, but that doesn’t mean you don’t like them or respect them.”
### Mbappe on coming back to play with France
“It always gives you the same sense of pride to represent the blue jersey. Plus, it’s a new year, which starts with a big game, qualifying for the Final Four (of the Nations League) and a goal: preparing, of course, for the 2026 World Cup, which is the great challenge for this group.
“Yes, and it’s a pleasure to be back. Everyone knows how much this team means to me. I’m happy to be back; I still have the same energy and desire to help the French team succeed.”
### Mbappe’s poor form to start the season
“A European Championship that you don’t win, in which you don’t play well, an end of season at PSG in which you play much less... It’s an accumulation of things, injuries, poor performances, things that I haven’t experienced much in my career and that force you to have to work again to become the player you can be.”
### Mbappe on a PSG vs Real Madrid match in UCL
“The worst mistake you could make would be to think about that. It reminds me of last year, when everyone assumed there would be a PSG-Real Madrid final. And in the end, we didn’t make it. So I only think about Arsenal, who will be our opponents in the quarterfinals, and my team, Real Madrid. We participate in all competitions. We have the opportunity to achieve something big in this final part of the season, and all our energy should be dedicated to that, to ourselves and the matches ahead. These kinds of projections should be left to the general public, to people who have the right to get carried away or speculate. We don’t have time for that.”