Mbappé brushes off talk of tension with France teammate Dembélé as Ballon d’Or race heats up

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PARIS (AP) — Kylian Mbappé has dismissed talks of tensions with Ousmane Dembélé as the France teammates feature among the top contenders for the men’s Ballon d’Or.

With the winners to be announced at a ceremony in London on Oct. 26, clubs and players have been campaigning actively for the prestigious award.

During a recent interview with France Football, which organizes the trophy, Mbappé said he believes he can win it this year.

The Real Madrid striker also compared himself with Dembélé, who won the accolade last year. When told that 10 years ago only a few observers would have thought that Dembélé would win the Ballon d'Or before him, Mbappé replied:

“But he has always been seen as a talented player. I, on the other hand, have always been seen as the chosen one. I was at the top right away, from a very young age. He had a different journey, with injuries, but he has caught up really well!”

Mbappé's comments reportedly created tensions between the pair. Both players were set to gather Monday for a France training camp ahead of upcoming Nations League matches, and Mbappé said their relationship remains unchanged.

“I’ve already spoken to him about it, and there’s no tension,” he told L'Equipe during an interview in connection with his role as an ambassador for the brand On. “He’s a friend. I don’t think there’s really any problem regarding that. I’m very relaxed about it.”

After claiming a second straight Champions League title with Paris Saint-Germain last season, Dembélé has a chance to retain the Ballon d’Or.

Dembélé and Mbappé both played for France at the World Cup, where their team lost to eventual champion Spain in the semifinals. Although it’s difficult to win the accolade without a major trophy, Mbappé made history when he overtook Lionel Messi for the most all-time World Cup goals (22), in fewer games.

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