Row over comments about the Ballon d'Or? Ousmane Dembele allegedly "furious" with Kylian Mbappe | Goal.com

Published on 15 Sep 2026 | Reading time: 2 minutes

"He is furious with Mbappe. For him, it is a form of cheating. That is a strong word, but that is exactly how he sees it," former PSG professional Jerome Rothen told RMC Sport. "And it is not just him. Everyone around Ousmane, the people in the PSG dressing room," are angry with the Real Madrid striker, he added.

Some team-mates of the superstar duo in the France national team are also said to be angry about Mbappe's comments. "The feeling we had at the World Cup is confirmed by this. There were many players who had a problem with Mbappe's behaviour and his comments. That is the truth. He alienated many people in the French team," said Rothen, speculating that "two camps" will now form: "I think the walls [during the next international break] will shake a little."

In interviews with France Football and L'Equipe, Mbappe clearly cast himself as the favourite for the coveted trophy and described himself as "the chosen one", while saying Dembele "had always been regarded as a talented player". "I was right at the top from the start. He had a different path, injuries, but he made up for that well," he stressed.

After PSG's 1-0 win, Dembele, who had so far stayed fairly reserved in the Ballon d'Or debate, addressed the issue himself and appeared to send a response to Mbappe. "I was always like that: at the back of the class, worked hard," he explained after the away win and said of the award: "Since the start of my career, I have not said a word about it. I was never the chosen one. I worked incredibly hard. Last year I was rewarded after a fantastic season with Paris Saint-Germain. This year we will see, very relaxed and without pressure."

As well as Mbappe and Dembele, the Spanish world champions Lamine Yamal and Rodri (both Barcelona) can also consider themselves in with a chance of winning the Ballon d'Or. Harry Kane of Bayern Munich is also considered one of the favourites. Dembele's team-mate Kvicha Kvaratskhelia also has a chance because of PSG's repeated Champions League triumph.

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