The big-spending superpowers of world football splashed the cash to record levels this summer, but who has the most expensive squad?
Kylian Mbappe addressed the viral "dictator" memes comparing him to Mobutu, saying the joke sometimes reveals a lack of historical awareness. Kylian Mbappe has finally addressed the social media trend depicting him as an authoritarian figure, complete with military uniforms and the nickname “Mobutu,” a reference to the former Democratic Republic of Congo strongman who ruled for over two decades. “There is a part that is funny because we feel that, for some people, it’s good natured. There is also a part that is a little less funny because we know the damage that these kinds of people have caused in history. To be compared to people who murder people, or who have made millions and millions of people unhappy… I don’t think I’ve ever done that in my life,” Mbappe said in an interview with L’Equipe as part of the outlet’s Ballon d’Or coverage. The Real Madrid forward acknowledged the joke comes from a place of humor within the game, adding that the comparison sometimes reflects a broader lack of historical awareness rather than any real malice. The interview comes as Mbappe positions himself as one of the frontrunners for this year’s Ballon d’Or, having topped the scoring charts in LaLiga, the Champions League and the World Cup, putting him in direct competition with the likes of Rodri, Harry Kane and Lamine Yamal for football’s most prestigious individual honor. Kylian Mbappé reacts to the "Dictator" memes 😭Find everything about him: https://t.co/6vZvjTg559#ballondor #mbappe #realmadrid pic.twitter.com/ErkO2LWyC2— Ballon d'Or (@ballondor) September 11, 2026 How the meme started The joke traces back to Mbappe’s rise to become the undisputed leading man at PSG, with fans jokingly suggesting he had engineered the departures of both Lionel Messi and Neymar from the club in order to cement his own status as the central figure in Paris. From there, the comparison snowballed into military-themed edits and the “Mobutu” nickname that has since spread widely across social media. What started as a niche joke among supporters eventually found its way into the locker room, with teammates like Ousmane Dembele picking up on the bit rather than shutting it down, only fueling the trend further as it followed Mbappe from PSG to his new chapter at Real Madrid. Mbappe sees himself as a strong contender for the Ballon d’Or Beyond the meme talk, Mbappe used the same interview to make his case for the Ballon d’Or itself. “There isn’t a single player who had a better season than me,” he told L’Equipe, adding, “I believe I have chances“. The Real Madrid forward argued that his lack of collective silverware shouldn’t overshadow an individual campaign he considers unmatched. Mbappe went further, revealing he has considered himself the best player in the world for years and would not have traded places with anyone else who has won the award, including Messi or Ronaldo.
West Ham secured their fourth league win in a row as they returned to the top of the Championship with a thumping 6-0 win over Wrexham at the London Stadium. It was a marvellous display of attacking football from Nuno Espírito Santo’s side, who swept to victory with room to spare and with six different scorers.Jarrod Bowen got the ball rolling after 28 minutes, Joël Piroe made it two before the break, then Konstantinos Mavropanos, Taty Castellanos, Mohamadou Kanté and Manor Solomon all scored in the second half as the Welsh side were dealt a hiding. The performance was further evidence the Hammers are finding their feet in the second tier after failing to win any of their first three games following Premier League relegation. Continue reading...
The origin of the meme is unconfirmed, but there has been speculation the trend emerged amid reports that Mbappe enjoyed significant power at PSG during his time at the French club.
⚽️ News and updates before the weekend’s football action⚽️ Premier League: 10 things to watch out for | Mail JohnMatthias Jaissle revealed that summer signing Matias Fernandez-Pardo is edging closer to starting for Newcastle.The 21-year-old forward arrived on Tyneside from Lille on deadline day and has featured as a substitute in Newcastle’s last two matches. Speaking ahead of Monday’s clash with Leeds, Jaissle said: “Yeah, he’s getting closer. I said that we need to be smart with his load management. Now he’s getting more and more minutes. Continue reading...
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