Dembélé hits back at Mbappé over Ballon d'Or: tension between two France stars erupts into open

Ousmane Dembélé responded Sunday evening to Kylian Mbappé, following statements from the Real Madrid player who had drawn a clear line between them in the Ballon d’Or race. The exchange, which came after PSG’s victory at Brest (0-1), marks a first public friction between the two stars of the France national team.

It all started with an interview Mbappé gave to France Football, in which the Madrid forward spoke about his Paris rival: “He has always been seen as a talented player. Me, I have always been seen as the chosen one.” A formulation that apparently did not go down well in the opposing camp.

Dembélé, questioned after the match at Brest, chose to respond without directly naming his interlocutor, but the message was crystal clear: “I have always been at the back of the class working hard. Throughout my entire career, I haven’t said a word, I’ve worked enormously. As I said, I was never the chosen one but I worked and last year I was rewarded with a fantastic year with Paris-SG, and then, this year, we’ll see, without pressure, relaxed.” An apparently measured response, but one that deliberately contrasts with Mbappé’s offensive tone.

Journalist Matt Spiro, who closely follows the France team, already sees this as a hot issue for Zinedine Zidane, recently appointed France manager: “Zidane’s first mission as France manager? Ease the tensions that are clearly building between Dembélé and Mbappé as the Ballon d’Or verdict approaches.” Spiro goes further, suggesting that “Ousmane is tired of being Kylian’s foil”.

The question now arises whether this media rivalry, fueled by the proximity of the Ballon d’Or verdict set for October 26, will weaken a relationship that the two players have always presented as solid, both on and off the pitch. Zidane, who will have to manage both men in the national team setup, inherits from the outset a delicate balance to maintain.