Kylian Mbappé Dismisses Dembélé Tension Talk Amid Ballon d'Or Battle

Kylian Mbappe has dismissed talks of tensions with Ousmane Dembele 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, Mbappe said he believes he can win it this year. The Real Madrid striker also compared himself with Dembele, who won the accolade last year. When told that 10 years ago only a few observers would have thought that Dembele would win the Ballon d'Or before him, Mbappe 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!" Mbappe'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 Mbappe 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, Dembele has a chance to retain the Ballon d'Or. Dembele and Mbappe 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, Mbappe made history when he overtook Lionel Messi for the most all-time World Cup goals (22), in fewer games. Reporting by The Associated Press.