Ballon d'Or 2026: Ousmane Dembélé denies issue with Mbappé

At a press conference on Thursday, Ousmane Dembélé addressed rumours of a conflict between him and Kylian Mbappé regarding the 2026 Ballon d'Or.

Kylian Mbappé's media appearances in recent days to make the case for his candidacy for the 2026 Ballon d'Or have drawn the attention of the reigning holder, Ousmane Dembélé. The latter did not hesitate to take a swipe back at him. While tensions between the two forwards had been reported, the Parisian denied them on Thursday.

“All these stories, I don't comment on them; I don't want to comment. They're little wars on social media. At 29, I don't comment on that. I focus on the pitch. Kylian and I have spoken. We sit next to each other at the table. There are no problems,” said the France vice-captain at a press conference.

Read also: Ballon d'Or 2026: Ousmane Dembélé's categorical refusal

Dembélé also recalled that “Mbappé is an important player for the national team; he has helped the team and scored a lot of goals.”

Joshua SOSSOU

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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.

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