2026 Ballon d'Or: Kylian Mbappé explains himself regarding Ousmane Dembélé

End of the conflict between the two France internationals?

Ballon d'Or Today at 15:01

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2026 Ballon d'Or: Kylian Mbappé explains himself regarding Ousmane Dembélé

In comments made on Monday, Kylian Mbappé sought to ease tensions surrounding Ousmane Dembélé ahead of the France team’s upcoming gathering.

The France captain sought to put an end to speculation about a possible rift with Ousmane Dembélé, following the controversy sparked by his comments about the 2026 Ballon d’Or. In his interview with France Football, Kylian Mbappé explained that he had always been viewed as the chosen one, unlike his teammate.

The Real Madrid forward’s comments quickly sparked reactions. In an interview with L’Équipe linked to his role as an ambassador for On, Mbappé insisted that there was no tension and that their relationship remained intact. “I’ve already spoken to him about it; there are no tensions, and I don’t think there are really any problems regarding that. I’m very relaxed,” the Frenchman said.

🚨🚨 CETTE DÉCLA DE DEMBÉLÉ 🇫🇷 N’A PEUT-ÊTRE RIEN N’ANODIN… 🌕🤔

Selon @lequipe, elle peut de nouveau être perçue comme une pierre posée dans le jardin de Kylian Mbappé 🇫🇷.

Dans cet entretien réalisé il y a seulement quelques jours, Dembélé affirmait que Kvaratskhelia 🇬🇪… https://t.co/CiSKyCGUNI pic.twitter.com/zkjBZ3isDM
— BeFootball (@_BeFootball) September 21, 2026

The France captain also felt that this controversy had been amplified mainly by the context of the national team gathering: “During the Nations League and France team periods, you always have to find a debate, and I think this one fits the bill.”

Joshua SOSSOU

Editorfr, en, ar

As a sports fan, and particularly a football fan, I've been putting my writing talent to good use for a number of years now to promote African talent and the continent's football in general. On Foot Africa, enjoy reading each of my lines.