The French team is preparing to challenge Spain in a decisive match, but another battle is playing behind the scenes. That of the Ballon d'Or, the subject of barely veiled tensions between Kylian Mbappé and Ousmane Dembélé. And to believe certain testimonies, the competition is not limited to the field. Voices are rising to denounce a heavy atmosphere around the captain of the Blues, accused of imposing a form of silent authority on his teammates.
Whoever set foot in the dish is none other than Jérôme Rothen. In his program on RMC, the former international has pointed out the excessive influence of Mbappé within the France group. According to him, some players would not dare to express themselves freely on the race for the Ballon d'Or, for fear of attracting the wrath of the ex-star of PSG. “In the French team, his teammates do not want to put him on the back. We know that his reactions can be very hard ”he launched, without detour.
Golden ball: Mbappé pressure divides the locker room
Rothen believes that Mbappé's political weight slows down certain positions, even though Dembélé, author of a sparkling season with PSG, now receives clearer support, starting with that of Didier Deschamps and Ibrahima Konaté. Supported supports for their sincerity, where the absence of Mbappé at a press conference this Wednesday was perceived as a flight.
Mbappé, too influential among the Blues? Rothen balances everything
The consultant does not mince his words: “He doesn't assume. He knew he would have been asked about PSG's victory in the Champions League and Dembélé. He did not want to face these questions. »» Rothen sees it as a form of discomfort in the player, frustrated by the turn of events and by the rise of his former teammate in the park.
On the eve of the shock against Spain, this hidden tension could weigh on the state of mind of the Blues. If the objective remains collective, personal ambitions invite themselves more than ever in the debates. And the stature of Mbappé, now in Real Madrid, continues to arouse as much fascination as tensions.
