Ousmane Dembele Breaks Silence on Kylian Mbappe’s Ballon d’Or Remarks—Is a France Rivalry Igniting?
“You know, I have always been at the back of the class, working hard. Throughout my career, I haven’t said a word; I have worked incredibly hard. As I said, I have never been the chosen one. But I have worked incredibly hard. Last year, I was rewarded after a fantastic year with PSG. And this year, we will see. We will see, without any pressure,” Dembele told Ligue 1+.
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The exchange marks a sharp pivot in tone after Dembele previously named Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, Harry Kane, and Mbappe as his top three candidates for the award. Now defending his 2025 Ballon d’Or title, the France winger signaled confidence in his overall resume while emphasizing his unconventional path to the top.
A rift to be resolved behind closed doors
The public back-and-forth between the two French stars has generated significant noise with the Ballon d’Or ceremony approaching. According to L’Equipe, Mbappe expressed surprise regarding Dembele’s post-match comments, but the Real Madrid forward opted against issuing a secondary public response.
That decision leaves the matter to be addressed privately when the squad gathers for the upcoming international window. French outlets report that Mbappe and Dembele plan to discuss the comments directly during camp as Les Bleus prepare for their opening four fixtures of the 2026-27 UEFA Nations League campaign, kicking off on September 25th against Turkiye.
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