France's new team coach Zidane must tame the Ballon d'Or dispute
In the aftermath of the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico, the French national team is under new leadership of Zinedine Zidane, who must quell an escalating dispute surrounding the Ballon d’Or, a conflict that arose after Ousmane Dembélé won the award last year.
Deschamps' departure after fourteen years
Didier Deschamps was the national team coach of the French side for fourteen years. He started in the summer of 2012, shortly after the disastrous European Championship in Poland and Ukraine. After 185 caps, his tenure ended at the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
The last campaign seemed uninterrupted up to the semi‑final, with a front line around Désiré Doué, Bradley Barcola, Ousmane Dembélé, Kylian Mbappé and Michael Olise that ran like a train. In the semi‑final, France was completely shut down by Spain, which matched Deschamps’ men. Deschamps left the field with his tail between his legs, shortly after he lost his mother during the tournament.
Mbappé bets on the Ballon d’Or, Dembélé calls for discretion
Ballon d’Or conflict between Dembélé and Mbappé
Last year Ousmane Dembélé won the Ballon d’Or after playing a decisive role in Paris Saint‑Germain’s first Champions League title, the French champions. Kylian Mbappé publicly stated that recent Ballon d’Ors are not always awarded to the world’s best player, unlike the era of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. Former player Jérôme Rothen described the remark as a frontal attack by Mbappé on Dembélé, a calculated revenge that completely shattered the relationship.
Zinedine Zidane, who was announced well in advance as Deschamps’ successor, now takes over the baton and must heal the huge rift within Les Bleus. He has scheduled a face‑to‑face meeting to rescue the tense locker room, which insiders say turned into a grave scene at the World Cup.
Dembélé celebrates his Ballon d’Or modestly, Mbappé retorts
The internal division threatens the unity of France’s national team just as global attention is focused on the upcoming international tournaments. Zidane’s success will depend on his ability to bridge the rivalry between Dembélé and Mbappé and forge the French squad back into a collective.