Fears of a rift in the France squad; tensions rise around Mbappé and Dembélé

Unease has emerged within the French national team following Kylian Mbappé's recent comments regarding the Ballon d'Or. French media reports claim that Ousmane Dembélé—the current Ballon d'Or holder—and several national team teammates are upset by Mbappé's remarks. Consequently, there are fears of a division in the French dressing room ahead of upcoming matches.

While recently discussing his career and the Ballon d'Or, Mbappé remarked that he had long been considered "one of the chosen ones." He also hinted that Dembélé's career had taken a different path due to injuries. This statement sparked a fresh controversy between the two stars.

In response, following PSG's victory over Brest, Dembélé stated that he had not received any special advantages to achieve his success; rather, he won the Ballon d'Or as a reward for hard work and a successful stint in Paris. Since then, discussions regarding the relationship between the two stars and the atmosphere within the national team have intensified.

Former French footballer and analyst Jérôme Rothen claims that Mbappé's comments deeply hurt Dembélé. According to Rothen, Dembélé views the matter as a form of betrayal and is furious with Mbappé. He further claims that several other national team players are also displeased with Mbappé's statements.

Rothen added that there are players in the French squad who do not agree with everything Mbappé says and whose stance aligns more closely with Dembélé's. He asserts that the situation has reached a point where the team appears to be split into two factions. However, these are primarily based on media reports and analyst commentary; there has been no official confirmation of a rift from the French team itself.

This public exchange of views between the two stars regarding the Ballon d'Or has now become a major talking point surrounding the French national team. With important matches coming up, the football world will be watching closely to see if this controversy impacts team dynamics or on-field performance.