Off the PitchDaily Mail FootballUnverified source· 24 Sept 2026
Mbappe and Dembele's 'frosty' rift over Ballon d'Or
A 'chosen one' remark and a Ballon d'Or dispute have reportedly cooled one of France's closest attacking bonds.
Kylian Mbappé
player
Who
Kylian Mbappe and Ousmane Dembele
What
Reported 'frosty' relationship
Cause
Ballon d'Or dispute
Camp
Zinedine Zidane's first France camp
What happened. Kylian Mbappe and Ousmane Dembele's relationship has reportedly grown 'frosty' amid a dispute over this year's Ballon d'Or. Concerns were raised over the distance between the pair during Zinedine Zidane's first camp as France head coach.
- RMC Sport says tension stems from Mbappe's Ballon d'Or comments
- Mbappe called himself 'the chosen one' and Dembele referenced the remark
- Mbappe insists there is no rift with Dembele
“I, on the other hand, have always been seen as the chosen one.”
— Kylian Mbappe
France's camp mood will be watched as the pair link up under new head coach Zinedine Zidane.
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