Ousmane Dembélé and Kylian Mbappé step up Ballon d'Or race with pointed exchanges | OneFootball

Since the shortlist was announced, Ousmane Dembélé and Kylian Mbappé have intensified their Ballon d'Or pitches, each underlining his own case and edging at the other.

Mbappé, now at Real Madrid, set the tone by comparing their trajectories: “He has always been seen as a talented player. I have always been seen as the chosen one.” He was speaking to France Football.

Those remarks, and the “chosen one” line, did not sit well in the opposing camp. After PSG’s 1-0 win at Brest on Sunday, Dembélé replied without naming his France team-mate: “I have always been at the back of the class working hard. I have never been the chosen one. Last year I was rewarded in a fantastic year with PSG. This year, we will see, without pressure.” He told Ligue 1+.

Dembélé can point to winning the Champions League this year with PSG and says he excelled in decisive moments, which he believes matters most.

Mbappé, meanwhile, finished top scorer in La Liga and the Champions League, and became the all-time leading World Cup scorer in the United States this summer. “There was no one better than me last season.”

Both are due to link up for the first France camp under Zinédine Zidane, a chance to clear the air. The 2026 Ballon d'Or winner will be revealed on 26 October.

Source: Le Progres

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