‘You Won’t Win the Ballon d’Or at PSG!’ – Kylian Mbappé Told He Needed Real Madrid to Achieve Ultimate Dream

Ex-Team-Mate Jese Rodriguez Reveals Advice on Ballon d’Or and Real Madrid

There are certain conversations in football that, with hindsight, feel almost prophetic. One such story has now surfaced involving Kylian Mbappé, his former Paris Saint-Germain team-mate Jese Rodriguez, and the golden dream that every top player chases: the Ballon d’Or.

In a recent interview, Jese—once a bright product of the Real Madrid academy and later a short-lived signing for PSG—revealed that he personally told Mbappé that staying in Paris would never get him football’s most prestigious individual award. According to Jese, he looked the French wonderkid in the eyes and said: “You have to join Real Madrid. You won’t win the Ballon d’Or here.”

For Mbappé, who has openly admitted that his biggest personal goal is to one day lift the Ballon d’Or, those words must have stuck. Fast forward to 2025, and Mbappé is finally wearing the all-white kit of Madrid, scoring goals at the Santiago Bernabéu, and—at least in the eyes of many—finally in the place where dreams like that are made real.

The Conversation: Why ‘You Won’t Win the Ballon d’Or at PSG!’ Stuck with Mbappé

Jese recalls the conversation vividly. It was back in 2017, just after he himself had departed PSG and while Madrid were circling around a teenage Mbappé, then dazzling the world with his explosive pace and ice-cold finishing at Monaco.

“When I left PSG, Madrid wanted Mbappé, and he asked me: ‘What’s Madrid like? What’s the club like?’” Jese told Spanish TV show El Chiringuito. “I said to him: ‘What is your dream?’ And he replied: ‘To win the Ballon d’Or.’ So I told him: ‘Then you have to join Real Madrid. You won’t win the Ballon d’Or here [at PSG].’ He replied: ‘Okay.’”

It wasn’t arrogance. It wasn’t bitterness. It was simply the voice of someone who had seen the difference up close. PSG, for all its star power, has always struggled to translate domestic dominance into Champions League glory. Real Madrid, on the other hand, lives and breathes European nights, and it is in those moments where the Ballon d’Or narratives are written.,

Kylian Mbappe Real Madrid 2025

The Bigger Picture: Mbappé and the Ballon d’Or Chase

Since his breakthrough season at Monaco in 2016–17, Mbappé has been a regular Ballon d’Or nominee. That year, at just 18, he was nominated after leading Monaco to a Ligue 1 title and a Champions League semi-final. Every year since, his name has been on the shortlist.

• In 2023, he came closest, finishing third behind Lionel Messi and Erling Haaland.

• In 2024, despite winning the European Golden Shoe with 31 league goals for PSG, he once again fell short, largely because PSG exited the Champions League early and Real Madrid took the headlines.

• Now, in 2025, Mbappé has been nominated for an eighth time.

Yet the golden ball remains elusive. Part of the problem, as Jese hinted, is that the award often goes to those who dominate on the biggest stages—and that usually means the Champions League.

Did Jese Have a Point? Why ‘You Won’t Win the Ballon d’Or at PSG!’ Rings True

If you look at the history of the Ballon d’Or, the pattern is striking. Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Luka Modric, Karim Benzema—almost all won it after Champions League triumphs or major international success. For PSG, winning Ligue 1 isn’t enough to sway voters.

Mbappé’s spell in Paris was full of personal milestones, incredible numbers, and highlight reels. But football, at the very top, isn’t only about stats—it’s about legacy moments. And until now, PSG never gave him that iconic Champions League moment that tips the scales in Ballon d’Or voting.

That’s where Madrid comes in. The Spanish giants are the ultimate stage. If Mbappé leads Madrid to another Champions League or dominates La Liga under new boss Xabi Alonso, suddenly his case for the Ballon d’Or goes from promising to irresistible.

Mbappé at Madrid: Dream Meets Reality

So far, life in Spain has started brightly. Under Xabi Alonso, Mbappé has already scored three goals in three league games. The Bernabéu faithful adore him, the Spanish press follows his every move, and for the first time in his career, he feels like the main character of European football’s biggest soap opera.

Madridistas have long believed he was destined for their club. Now that he’s here, the pressure is enormous. But if Jese’s words were true—that the Ballon d’Or can only be won in Madrid or a club like it—then Mbappé has put himself exactly where he needs to be.

Jese’s Own Journey: A Voice from Experience

Some may scoff at Jese being the one dishing out advice, given his career never quite lived up to early hype. Once seen as the next big star at Madrid, injuries and inconsistency led him to PSG in 2016, where he struggled to make an impact.

But that may actually make his perspective more valuable. Jese has lived through both clubs, seen the differences in mentality, culture, and pressure. If anyone understands why PSG is a difficult place to build a Ballon d’Or-winning legacy, it’s someone who has been inside both dressing rooms.

The Ballon d’Or Race of 2025: Where Mbappé Stands

Looking ahead, Mbappé’s chances for the 2025 Ballon d’Or are intriguing. On one hand, his individual numbers remain spectacular. On the other, he will be judged almost entirely on how Madrid perform in the Champions League and how France fare in international competitions.

This is where Jese’s advice makes sense. At Madrid, those opportunities will always come. At PSG, they felt like exceptions.

What Next for Kylian Mbappé?

Kylian Mbappe Real Madrid 2025-26

The immediate future looks busy:

• With France, Mbappé will face Iceland in World Cup qualifying this week.

• Back with Madrid, he’ll lead the line against Real Sociedad this Saturday.

Each game, each goal, each performance will now be viewed through the Ballon d’Or lens. Fair or not, that’s the level of scrutiny that comes with both the award and the club he represents.

Conclusion: ‘You Won’t Win the Ballon d’Or at PSG!’ Might Have Been the Push Mbappé Needed

Sometimes it takes an honest voice to push a player toward their destiny. In this case, that voice was Jese Rodriguez, and the message was simple: “If you want the Ballon d’Or, you have to go to Madrid.”

Now Mbappé is there. The dream is alive, the path is clearer, but the challenge is immense. Winning the Ballon d’Or has never been just about talent—it’s about timing, trophies, and the right stage. For Mbappé, 2025 could be the year that advice finally bears fruit.