Mbappé remains surprised by Dembélé's response to the Ballon d'Or debate

On the evening after the 1‑0 victory of Paris Saint‑Germain over Brest, French striker Kylian Mbappé, a star of Real Madrid, said he was extremely surprised by Ousmane Dembélé’s response, released in France, to his recent remarks about the Ballon d'Or.

Mbappé’s words on the Ballon d'Or

Mbappé had stated, speaking about the Ballon d'Or, that “Dembélé has always been regarded as a talented player, whereas I have always been seen as the chosen one”. He added that he reached the top directly and at a young age, while his teammate had a different path because of injuries. The striker reiterated that his trajectory has been more straightforward compared to Dembélé’s.

After the 1‑0 victory of PSG over Brest, Dembélé replied: “I have always been the kid at the bottom of the class who works hard, I never talked but I have always worked”. He then emphasized that he has never been the chosen player, that he has had a fantastic season with Paris, and that he is following the race for the Ballon d'Or “without pressure”, adding “we’ll see”.

According to L’Équipe, Mbappé was surprised by the teammate’s counter‑response, who is also the current Ballon d'Or winner. However, he said he does not want to reply publicly and the two have not yet faced each other officially.

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L’Équipe points out that this is not the first time Dembélé, despite knowing Mbappé well, has felt annoyed by Mbappé’s words in the recent past. The player caught the jab from his compatriot in the statements released two days ago, but until now he had always preferred public silence, choosing not to back down this time. The name Mbappé is often mentioned in sports headlines.

Dembélé indeed celebrated his “fantastic season with Paris” as proof of his worth, reiterating that he is following the Ballon d'Or situation calmly. His intervention, made in France, reignited the debate between the two strikers about supremacy in French football. The surname Dembélé was mentioned in the response.

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The episode highlights how the Ballon d'Or can fuel tensions even within the French national team, shedding light on perception differences among the brightest talents. It remains to be seen whether Dembélé’s words will affect the team atmosphere ahead of upcoming international commitments.