Mbappé takes initiative to ease tensions with Dembélé in France squad

Kylian Mbappé took the initiative to contact Ousmane Dembélé to dispel tensions that had emerged between the two French internationals over the 2026 Ballon d’Or race, according to Le Parisien. The two men met at Clairefontaine during the France squad gathering.

It all started with several statements from Mbappé about his Ballon d’Or ambitions, which did not fail to provoke a reaction from Dembélé. The Real Madrid forward had notably stated: “Dembélé? But he has always been seen as a talented player. Me, I have always been seen as the chosen one. I was immediately at the top, very early on. He had a different path, injuries, but he bounced back well.” A comment to which the Paris player responded bluntly: “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 for a fantastic year with Paris-SG.”

Aware that his remarks could have upset his France teammate, Mbappé chose not to let the situation escalate. On Monday, he had already tried to downplay the matter publicly: “I’ve already talked to him about it, there are no tensions. During Nations League and France periods, there’s always a debate to find.” But it was in private that the two men settled their differences, with a shared desire not to disrupt the France squad gathering.

Marcus Thuram is also said to have contributed to easing the situation. According to Le Parisien, the Inter Milan forward, present in a common WhatsApp group with Mbappé and Dembélé, played a mediator role to calm spirits.

Dembélé, for his part, publicly supports his PSG teammate Khvicha Kvaratskhelia’s candidacy for the Ballon d’Or, positioning himself at odds with Mbappé’s stated ambitions. While the fundamental disagreement remains, the two players have apparently chosen not to let this rivalry spill over onto the pitch.