According to RMC Sport, Paris Saint-Germain forward Ousmane Dembele is dissatisfied with Kylian Mbappe's recent interview comments regarding the 2026 Ballon d'Or race. Dembele later publicly responded to Mbappe's "the chosen one" remark, and Mbappe was surprised by his national teammate's response.
The race for the 2026 Ballon d'Or is fierce, with two French players, Dembele and Mbappe, among the leading contenders. Dembele won the 2025 Ballon d'Or and also won the Champions League with Paris Saint-Germain this season, while Mbappe became the World Cup's all-time leading scorer this summer.
Previously, Mbappe compared his career trajectory with Dembele's in an interview with France Football. He said: "He (Dembele) has always been seen as a very talented player, while I have always been seen as the 'chosen one.' I reached the top level very early. He took a different path, experienced injuries, but then caught up well."
According to L'Equipe and confirmed by RMC Sport, Mbappe's remarks displeased Dembele and his entourage. This was the first time Dembele had publicly responded to Mbappe's statements.
Following Paris Saint-Germain's 1-0 away victory over Brest in Ligue 1, Dembele was asked about the 2026 Ballon d'Or race. His response clearly referenced the "chosen one" phrase Mbappe had previously used.
Dembele said: "You know, I've always been the one working quietly in the back of the classroom, working very hard. Throughout my career, I haven't said much, I've just been working very hard."
"As I said, I was never the 'chosen one,' but I put in a lot of effort. Last year, I had an incredible season with Paris Saint-Germain, and it eventually paid off. As for this year, we'll see what happens, no pressure."
Reports indicate that Mbappe was surprised by Dembele's public response on the Ligue 1+ program. However, the Real Madrid forward is not currently planning to respond publicly.
The two are more likely to communicate directly during the next French national team training camp later this month to resolve the matter. They will reunite with the French team under Zinedine Zidane.
With just over a month until the 2026 Ballon d'Or is announced on October 26, both players are making their cases for consideration. On September 12, Dembele told France Football: "This season, I've performed better in crucial moments that truly decide matches, and that's very clear. And that makes an impact. Isn't that the first selection criterion?"
In an interview published the day before, Mbappe commented on his own performance: "No one was better than me last season."
AF's PC site is now live! Browse full news, comments, match details and stats on your computer. Visit: www.allfootballapp.com