Mbappé Addresses Dembélé Tension Ahead of Ballon d'Or

Kylian Mbappé is heading into Ballon d’Or week with a smile on his face and a point to make. Not to Ousmane Dembélé – to everyone talking about him.

Reports of a rift between the two French stars have followed them into the build-up for the London ceremony on October 26, fuelled by Mbappé’s recent comments about their careers taking very different paths. The Real Madrid forward, though, has moved quickly to kill the story.

“I’ve already spoken to him about it, and there’s no tension,” Mbappé told L’Équipe. “He’s a friend. I don’t think there’s really any problem regarding that. I’m very relaxed about it.”

No hesitation. No backtracking. Just a clear message: whatever is being said on the outside, the relationship with the Paris Saint‑Germain winger remains intact.

Two careers, one stage

The irony is that the supposed flashpoint came from Mbappé doing what he often does: speaking bluntly about football reality.

Asked about the possibility of Dembélé winning a Ballon d’Or before him – something almost unthinkable ten years ago – Mbappé underlined how differently the pair have climbed the ladder.

“He has always been seen as a talented player. I, on the other hand, have always been seen as the chosen one,” he said.

It was a line that lit up headlines. Mbappé’s point, though, was about trajectory, not hierarchy. He pushed straight into the comparison.

“I was at the top right away, from a very young age. He had a different journey, with injuries, but he has caught up really well.”

To some ears, that sounded like a slight. To Mbappé, it was simply a description of two routes to the same summit. One rocket-fuelled from day one. The other constantly interrupted, then rebuilt, now finally flourishing in Paris.

What cannot be argued is how far they have travelled together. The pair were central to France’s run to the World Cup semi-finals, dovetailing on the biggest stage, carrying the national team’s attacking threat. Off the pitch they remain close; on it, they are now rivals for the game’s most prestigious individual prize.

A wide-open race

This year’s Ballon d’Or race does not have the familiar feel of inevitability that defined the Lionel Messi–Cristiano Ronaldo era. Mbappé knows it. He also believes he has the numbers that matter.

Speaking to RFI, the France captain laid out his case with the same conviction that drives his finishing.

“I had a great year on an individual level, I know that's the most important criterion for the Ballon d’Or, I was the top scorer in all the biggest competitions,” he said.

The field is strong. Dembélé’s resurgence at PSG has pushed him into the conversation. Barcelona’s teenage phenomenon Lamine Yamal has crashed into the elite debate at frightening speed. Harry Kane’s relentless goalscoring adds another heavyweight to the ballot.

The difference, in Mbappé’s eyes, is output. Goals. Big games. Big stages. That is where he believes he has separated himself.

“I think it could be a good year for me, I felt it deep down!” he continued. Then came the admission that strips away any hint of indifference. “A Ballon d’Or has never been this wide open? That’s what they’re saying, yeah, I don’t know the entire history of the Ballon d’Or. It’s pleasant to see, to take part in it, and I think it entertains people! I’d be disappointed of course if I don’t win it!”

He enjoys the spectacle. He also badly wants the trophy.

Zidane, from car ride to national team

Amid the noise around the Ballon d’Or, Mbappé and Dembélé have slipped back into a more familiar rhythm: France camp, same dressing room, same colours. Only one thing is dramatically different.

Zinedine Zidane is now in charge.

The World Cup winner has replaced Didier Deschamps after a long and trophy‑laden reign, handing Les Bleus a new figurehead and Mbappé a manager he has known, and admired, since he was a teenager with a dream.

Mbappé shared a vivid memory with AS of how early their paths crossed.

“He was the first person who picked me up to take me to Real Madrid, to the training complex. I was 13 or 14, so it was a long time ago. Now he's my national team coach. It's like a film, but it's amazing. It's real.”

From a car ride to Valdebebas to the France dugout, Zidane’s presence now frames the next chapter of Mbappé’s career. The forward arrives at this Ballon d’Or ceremony not just as a contender for the crown, but as the attacking spearhead of a national side entering a new era under a legend he once watched on television.

The question now is simple: does this year finally deliver the golden ball to the player long labelled “the chosen one” – or does the script twist again, and hand the stage to a friend who had to fight his way back from the edge?