The Ballon d'Or row has blown up into a crisis inside the France camp. Statements from Kylian Mbappé and Ousmane Dembélé fuelled speculation of tension between the two stars, before a third figure stepped in to calm things down and bring the dispute to a swift close.
Mbappé moved to defuse the controversy, insisting there was no real crisis with Dembélé despite the exchange of words over the Ballon d'Or race. The Real Madrid star said: "I have already spoken to him about this matter, and there is no tension. I don't think there are any real problems concerning it. I am completely calm."
His earlier comments had drawn wide reactions. Mbappé spoke about his path being different from Dembélé's, pointing out that he had been seen for years as the player tipped to shine, while Dembélé needed more time because of injuries and the circumstances he went through.
Dembélé, for his part, was keen to stress that his career had not been easy, and that he had relied on hard work over the past years to reach the top. The Paris Saint-Germain star said he had never been "the chosen player", insisting he had worked continuously until he earned the reward last season after an exceptional year with his club.
"As for this year, we will see," he added. "There is no pressure, and I am at ease." Those words opened the door to talk of a sensitivity between the players, especially given that Mbappé and Dembélé have shared a strong relationship for years. Matters never reached the point of a rupture.
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According to the French website "Foot Mercato", citing the newspaper "Le Parisien", Mbappé realised his statements had not gone down well with Dembélé. He took the initiative to contact him, clarifying his position and containing the situation before it could develop within the France camp.
The newspaper "Le Parisien" explained that the pair reached an amicable settlement, both keen not to let the Ballon d'Or dispute poison the mood in the national team.
Marcus Thuram played an important role in calming things down. He helped mediate between the players through a WhatsApp group that included the trio of Mbappé, Dembélé and Thuram.
The tension ended quickly. Both players closed the chapter of controversy for now, focusing on their task with France, away from the Ballon d'Or battle that had first sparked the dispute.
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