Mbappé reacts to the Ballon d’Or won by Dembélé

Long regarded as one of the top contenders for the Ballon d’Or, Kylian Mbappé has ultimately seen his compatriot Ousmane Dembélé surpass him. The former Paris Saint-Germain player was crowned in 2025, ahead of the young prodigy from FC Barcelona, Lamine Yamal. When asked by L’Équipe about this outcome, Mbappé assured that he harbors no resentment towards his former Parisian teammate. The captain of the French national team believes that their respective paths cannot be compared. “ He has always been seen as a very talented player, while I have always been seen as the chosen one,” explained the Madrid striker.

Mbappé recalls having reached the heights of world football very early. “I reached the highest level very early in my career,” he emphasizes, referring to his meteoric rise since his professional debut at AS Monaco. Dembélé’s journey, on the other hand, has been much more tumultuous. Between injuries, periods of doubt, and criticism, the French winger has had to overcome several obstacles before establishing himself among the best players on the planet. “His journey has been different. He has faced injuries and difficult moments, but he made an incredible comeback,” acknowledges Mbappé. This is a way for the Real Madrid player to commend his compatriot’s perseverance while acknowledging a trajectory that, in his view, has long placed him in a different category of expectations.