On Monday, September 21, 2026, French national team captain Kylian Mbappé denied any tension with teammate Ousmane Dembélé regarding their Ballon d'Or ambitions. In an interview with L'Équipe, Mbappé called Dembélé a friend and dismissed the speculation as a media-created debate. The controversy arose after Mbappé declared himself a favorite for the award in a France Football interview, and Dembélé responded with comments about never being the chosen one. Both players gathered with the French squad at Clairefontaine under new coach Zinedine Zidane.
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