Zidane's first test: the Ballon d'Or feud ignites the conflict between Mbappe and Dembele
Before Zidane grabbed the thread
Walid Acherchour, an analyst on RMC radio's "After Football" programme, has warned over the potential impact of Ousmane Dembélé's recent comments on the atmosphere within the French national team. The words came after Paris Saint-Germain's 1-0 win over Brest on Sunday evening, in the fourth round of the French league, and quickly stirred controversy.
Dembélé had spoken about his chances of retaining the Ballon d'Or. He insisted he was used to working in silence without being "the chosen one", a response that landed all the more sharply in light of Kylian Mbappé's recent comments about the award.
Having provided the assist for the only goal of the match, scored by Ferran Torres, Dembélé said: "I have always been like this, at the back of the queue, working hard. Throughout my career I never said a word, but I worked incredibly hard. I was never chosen, but I worked hard. Last year I was rewarded for a wonderful year with Paris Saint-Germain, and this year we will see. No pressure, I am relaxed."
Acherchour linked the remark to Mbappé's earlier words. The Real Madrid forward had spoken about his own chances of winning the Ballon d'Or, pointing out that he had always been seen as "the chosen one". According to the analyst, Dembélé may well have taken those words personally.
"This could pose a problem for the French national team, because the statement Mbappé made may be viewed in this way," Acherchour said. "I am convinced that Ousmane Dembélé may have taken the matter personally."
Dembélé's repetition of the phrase "the chosen one" after the Brest match was no passing matter, the French analyst added, especially given how widely such statements spread across social media.
He explained: "What Dembélé did tonight in the French league is not a trivial thing. His repetition of the very same phrase used by Kylian Mbappé... we know very well what happens on social media these days and how far it spreads, and I do not think he did that in a trivial manner."
Acherchour closed his warning by stressing the need to keep an eye on the relationship between the two players, particularly with each reaching a new level at his club. Whatever is happening between Dembélé and Mbappé deserves watching, he argued, whether at Paris Saint-Germain or within the French national team.
