Ousmane Dembélé and Kylian Mbappé, the two leading French names in this year's Ballon d'Or race, have found themselves on opposite sides of a public disagreement after comments Mbappé made about his compatriot's career.
Mbappé, speaking to France Football, the French magazine that organizes the Ballon d'Or, discussed how their careers had been perceived. He said Dembélé had always been seen as a very talented player, while he himself had always been seen as "the chosen one." He said he reached the highest level very early in his career, whereas Dembélé's path was different because he faced injuries, though he managed to fight his way back strongly.
Dembélé's response after Brest win
The remarks reached Dembélé, who was asked to react after Paris Saint-Germain's win over Stade Brestois 29. He said he had never been "the chosen one," but had worked extremely hard, and that last year he had been rewarded for that effort. He said this year they would see what happened, without stress, adding that he had always been on the margins, working hard, and that throughout his career he had not talked much, just worked.
Ballon d'Or context
The Ballon d'Or, awarded each year by France Football, is football's most prestigious individual prize. Dembélé won the award last year while at Paris Saint-Germain, the season the Paris club won the Champions League for the first time. Mbappé, one of France's most capped internationals and a 2018 World Cup winner, left Paris Saint-Germain for Real Madrid in 2024 after establishing himself as one of the sport's leading forwards.
Both players remain central to the France national team, Dembélé at Paris Saint-Germain and Mbappé at Real Madrid, and this year's Ballon d'Or vote has again put their careers side by side.
What happens next
According to reports in the French press, Dembélé's comments came as a surprise to Mbappé, who has no intention of taking the disagreement public. The same reports suggest the two players are most likely to address the matter privately the next time they meet up with the France national team.
