Mbappé Warns of Possible Le Pen Victory – Bardella Responds

French football star Kylian Mbappé publicly clashed with the president of the National Rally (RN), Jordan Bardella, following his renewed criticism of the right-wing party in an interview with Vanity Fair magazine.

The 27-year-old footballer warned of the “consequences” France would face if the RN won the 2027 presidential election, emphasizing that his fame and wealth do not allow him to remain silent about politics.

“We are citizens; we can’t just sit back and say everything will be fine and go play,” Mbappé said in his interview, which was published on May 12, 2026, about a month before the start of the FIFA World Cup 2026. “We’re really trying to fight the idea that a footballer should keep quiet and just play.”

The Real Madrid forward, who comes from a working-class neighborhood in Paris, is well aware of the “consequences it can have” for France if “people like them come to power,” according to statements cited by The Guardian.

Bardella, 30, responded via the social media platform X with a sarcastic remark about Mbappé’s career. “And I know what happens when Kylian Mbappé leaves PSG: the team wins the Champions League!” he wrote, referring to Paris Saint-Germain’s historic title win in 2025 after Mbappé’s departure to Madrid.

In other comments reported by French media, Bardella attacked the footballer’s wealth, saying it is “shameful to see rich athletes giving lessons to people who can no longer make ends meet, who don’t feel safe.”

Marine Le Pen, the long-time leader of the RN, who has been barred from running for office for five years following her conviction in March 2025 for a false jobs scandal, also downplayed Mbappé’s influence in a separate interview on RTL radio. “Honestly, I believe fans are free enough to know who to vote for without being influenced by Mbappé,” she said.

RN spokesperson and member of parliament Julien Odoul stated that, as captain of the national team, Mbappé has a duty to represent the entire country—including the millions who vote for the RN—rather than act as a partisan activist.

This confrontation comes as Bardella and the RN continue to lead in national polls ahead of the 2027 elections against Raphaël Glucksmann.

A March 2026 poll by Toluna–Harris Interactive showed the RN president polling around 35-36% in first-round scenarios, while Glucksmann followed with about 14%.

Le Pen, who is appealing her conviction, has stated that Bardella will be the RN candidate if her ban remains in effect.