Kylian Mbappe's Ballon d'Or Remarks Trigger Divide, Ousmane Dembele Furious: Report

Not everything seems to be going well in the France national team, with the reigning Ballon d'Or winner Ousmane Dembele reportedly unhappy with the comments made by Kylian Mbappe. As the deadline for the Ballon d'Or voting nears, every club is doing its bit to push forward its candidates in the race for the Golden Ball. Mbappe, who plays for Real Madrid, has emerged as a strong contender, but his France teammate, Dembele, isn't happy with the comments he made to push his case for the Golden Ball.

The relationship strain reportedly emerged when Mbappe called himself the 'chosen one' in the race to superstardom, suggesting he wasted little time in climbing to the absolute top while his compatriot Dembele had to adopt a different path for multiple reasons.

"Dembele has always been seen as a gifted player. As for me, I have always been considered the chosen one. I reached the top straight away and at an early age. He has had a different career because of injuries, but he has managed to make up for that very well," Mbappe had said, while pushing his case for the Ballon d'Or 2026 honour.

According to French publication L'Equipe, these specific comments were the breaking point for Dembele, who has often remained quiet despite not being on board with several of Mbappe's remarks over the years.

"I have always been like this. I have always sat at the back of the class and worked hard. Throughout my career, I did not say a single word, I just worked."

"I was never the chosen one, I worked hard and was rewarded with a wonderful year with Paris," he added. "This year we will see (the situation in the Ballon d'Or), I am following it without any pressure. We will see."

It has further been reported that Dembele's comments caught Mbappe off-guard, but he chose against making a public comment on the matter.

Dembele vs Mbappe: The Inside Details

Former Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Jerome Rothen explained the inside details of the Mbappe-Dembele relationship, suggesting the resentment seems to be stemming from Mbappe seemingly looking down on his international colleagues.

Rothen explained the depth of the situation in a chat with RMC Sport. He said: "Dembele took it very badly, that's a certainty. He is very angry with Kylian Mbappe. It is a form of betrayal for him. The words are strong but that is exactly how he takes it."

However, it isn't just Dembele who is unhappy with Mbappe. A number of France national team members are reportedly losing patience with their captain. The unity that helped Les Bleus win the 2018 World Cup now seems divided.

Highlighting the same, Rothen added: "I am told that there are a lot of players in the French team who do not understand, once again, all his statements, who are more in team Dembele than team Mbappe, yet it is the same team, but apparently there are two teams now."

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