Ousmane Dembélé has responded to Kylian Mbappé’s recent comments about the Ballon d’Or race, emphasizing that he has never considered himself the player who was destined for the biggest individual awards. The Paris Saint Germain forward, who won the Ballon d’Or in 2025, was asked about his chances of retaining the prestigious award after his team’s 1 to 0 victory over Brest. His response appeared to contrast with Mbappé’s recent description of himself as “the chosen one” during an interview with France Football. Dembélé said he had spent his career working quietly rather than expecting recognition, adding that his success came after years of effort and perseverance.
Dembélé explained that he had never been viewed as the obvious future star during his development. Instead, he described himself as someone who was often working in the background and trying to improve without making big statements about his ambitions. He pointed to last season as a turning point, when his performances with PSG earned him the Ballon d’Or after a highly successful campaign. The French forward now finds himself in the unusual position of defending the award while once again competing against some of the biggest names in world football. His comments suggested that he prefers to let his performances decide the outcome rather than publicly campaign for the prize.
The exchange has attracted attention because of Mbappé’s own comments about the different paths taken by the two French stars. In his recent France Football interview, Mbappé said that Dembélé had always been regarded as a talented player, while he himself had been viewed as “the chosen one” from the beginning. Mbappé also acknowledged that Dembélé had taken a different path, including dealing with injuries, but eventually reached the highest level. Dembélé’s response, particularly his reference to never being the chosen one and having worked extremely hard, was therefore widely interpreted as an answer to his France teammate’s remarks, although there is no indication that the two players are engaged in a serious personal dispute.
The 2026 Ballon d’Or race remains particularly open, with Dembélé, Mbappé, Harry Kane and Lamine Yamal among the major contenders on the 30 player shortlist. Dembélé is attempting to become the first player since Lionel Messi in 2023 to win the award in consecutive years, while Mbappé is relying on an outstanding individual season despite not winning major team trophies. The winner will be announced in London on October 26, with the competition expected to remain closely contested until the final vote. For Dembélé, however, his message is clear: rather than seeing himself as a player who was destined for the award, he believes his journey to the top was built through patience, hard work and a willingness to keep improving.
