A few days before Zinedine Zidane's first stint as France national team coach, Kylian Mbappé declared himself the "chosen one" and compared himself to Ousmane Dembélé, saying the two are different. The Real Madrid forward's words caused an immediate reaction from Dembélé, who responded to his friend, according to press reports.
The comparison made by Mbappé caused tension between the two players, at a time when the French national team is preparing for the first matches under Zidane's command, who was officially presented as national team coach.
The French press reported that the French national team dressing room supports Dembélé, the current Ballon d'Or holder, and that Mbappé's reaction was interpreted as an attempt to consolidate his status within the national team.
The episode comes in a context of change in technical leadership for the French national team, with Zidane taking command for the first time, and marks a moment of apparent division between two of the country's most important players.
