Speaking in a preview of an upcoming France Football interview, released the same day he faced the media in Madrid, the Real Madrid forward staked a firm claim to the award that will be presented in London on October 26.
"I have the feeling that I can win it this year, so I haven't taken any distance from that," Mbappé said, making clear the Ballon d'Or remains one of his priorities "in the short term."
The Frenchman built his case around the individual nature of the trophy, pushing back on critics who point to his lack of collective silverware last season.
"It's an individual award. What's judged is what the player has done individually," he argued. "People say I haven't won trophies, but I've never seen a unanimous Ballon d'Or that satisfied everyone every time. I don't know if anyone has ever won with 100% of the vote. That means there's always someone who thinks you didn't deserve it."
His central argument rests on his World Cup exploits, where he finished as the tournament's top scorer and won the Golden Boot, becoming the competition's all-time leading scorer in the process.
"Being the top scorer in World Cup history, overtaking all the great legends of the sport in the most important tournament there is, is something that burns into your retina, a global event," he said. "Finishing as the top scorer in the most important competitions, where the best players in the world play, matters. History should always be rewarded."
Mbappé stopped short of arrogance, acknowledging others may see things differently.
"Who do I vote for? Myself," he admitted. "But I can understand people who vote differently — we're not living under a dictatorship of thought. When I look at the arguments, when I look at the competition, I tell myself it wouldn't be a robbery" if he were to win.
His comments arrive as France Football prepares to reveal Tuesday's 30-man shortlist for the award's 70th edition, in a year without a clear favourite. The voting period runs through July 19, the day Spain were crowned world champions after beating Argentina in the final, with Rodri named the tournament's best player — making the Manchester City midfielder one of Mbappé's most serious rivals for the prize.
Mbappé's case carries one obvious weakness: neither Real Madrid, who ended last season without a major trophy, nor France, who fell short at the World Cup, gave him the collective success that has often proven decisive in the award's recent history, a gap his scoring record will now have to outweigh.