Former France Football president: Mbappé's campaign could set a dangerous precedent

Pascal Phiri, the former editor of "France Football" and one of the former officials of the Ballon d'Or, spoke about the media campaign that was associated with Kylian Mbappé before the announcement of the award winner, noting that it did not receive, in his opinion, an exceptional reception from the voting committee members.

Pascal Phiri stated: "We have seen a candidate declare themselves the winner and the most likely to succeed, in all languages and across all continents. We will see if that is the right choice."

He added: "But why carry out a campaign? The fans are the ones who vote? No, the members of the jury are the ones who vote."

Phiri explained that, due to his ongoing relationship with several members of the voting committee, he does not believe that Mbappé's media campaign received significant engagement among them, stating: "I do not feel that this campaign received an exceptional reception."

He continued: "I am convinced that it did not have an impact on their votes. It may succeed, but if it does, it could create a dangerous precedent for the coming years, where competition could turn into chaos from mutual campaigns."

Pascal Phiri's comments come amid widespread anticipation for the results of the Ballon d'Or voting, with strong competition among the world's top football stars, including Kylian Mbappé, who is aiming to win the award for the first time in his career.