Rift in France football? Dembele hits back after Mbappe's 'chosen one' remark

The French national football team is experiencing a rift between two of its biggest players: captain Kylian Mbappe and 2025 Ballon d'Or winner Ousmane Dembele. The rift was sparked by Mbappe's comments regarding his chances of winning the Ballon d'Or in the coming weeks. Mbappe, who led France in the FIFA World Cup this year and is their highest goalscorer in tournament history, backed himself to win the award. Dembele, however, wasn't amused by his captain's choice of words and hit back after his Ligue 1 match for Paris Saint-Germain against Brest on Monday (Sep 14).

What Mbappe said about Dembele

In an interview with France Football, Mbappe said, "there wasn't anyone better than me last season," when asked about his chances of winning the Ballon d'Or.

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He was asked about teammate Dembele as well and said: "He was always seen as a talented player. I, on the other hand, was always viewed as the chosen one. I reached the top right away, very early. Ousmane had a different trajectory, marked by injuries, but he has managed to bounce back!"

How Dembele reacted to Mbappe's comments

Dembele, who won the Ballon d'Or last year, appeared to respond to Mbappe's comments after PSG's 1-0 win over Brest, telling Ligue 1: "I've always been at the back of the class working hard. Throughout my career, I haven't said a word; I've worked incredibly hard. Like I said, I was never the chosen one, but I worked hard and last year I was rewarded after a fantastic year with Paris Saint-Germain. And this year, we'll see how it goes -- no pressure, taking it easy."

The French forward backed Harry Kane, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, and Mbappe as his favourites to win the Ballon d'Or this year, but added: "I don't think this trophy is unpredictable. I think it will remain in the hands of a Paris Saint-Germain player."

Dembele won the Ballon d'Or after scoring 35 goals for PSG across all competitions and winning Ligue 1, the Coupe de France, and the Champions League in a historic season under Luis Enrique.

Mbappe, who left PSG in 2024 for Real Madrid, finished 7th despite scoring 44 goals in all competitions for the Spanish club.