Rothen: Mbappé-Dembélé Relationship May Be Permanently Changed

Ousmane Dembélé and Kylian Mbappé reunited with the French national team this Monday for the first training camp under Zinédine Zidane at Clairefontaine. On his RMC show, Jérôme Rothen stated that the relationship between the two players "will never be the same again" after recent media comments from the two French stars, made during the 2026 Ballon d'Or race.

Kylian Mbappé downplays the situation, but Jérôme Rothen struggles to believe it. The Real Madrid star met his Ballon d'Or counterpart, Ousmane Dembélé, with the French national team on Monday for the first camp under Zinédine Zidane. While concerns about tensions between the two men have been circulating in the news surrounding the Bleus during this international break, the French captain himself attempted to dismiss them on Monday. However, according to RMC consultant Jérôme Rothen, who first reported these tensions, Mbappé's explanation is more about polished communication than anything else.

"There has been a strain on their relationship; I confirm what I said, contrary to what Kylian Mbappé claims to slightly mitigate it," Jérôme Rothen stated on Monday during his show Rothen s'enflamme on RMC. "Firstly, he doesn't say nothing happened, as he admits they had a conversation and discussed it. Then, he (Mbappé) says it's not 'really'... And this 'not really' can be interpreted in several ways. I won't say more; I'm just saying I shared everything last week. We'll see, and I hope they didn't clash when they met."

"I truly hope they will put this minor dispute aside"

A week earlier, in mid-September, the consultant revealed the onset of this significant tension between the two players following controversial statements from Mbappé during his 2026 Ballon d'Or campaign. While Dayot Upamecano chose to avoid the subject on Monday during the Bleus' training session, the first under Zinédine Zidane, preferring not to "get into debates," Jérôme Rothen later asserted that only the field can resolve these issues, without completely correcting them.

"In any case, the field will help alleviate all of this," continued the former PSG and Monaco player. "[...] It's not just because you regret something and adjust it slightly... The relationship has changed; it will never be the same as before, and that's clear. I'm convinced of it."

Jérôme Rothen concluded: "Afterwards, on the field, if an assist is to be made between Ousmane Dembélé and Kylian Mbappé, I truly hope they will put this minor dispute aside."

Di Meco Trusts Zidane to Manage the Situation

Former teammate of Zinédine Zidane with the Bleus, Eric Di Meco believes the new national coach is capable of resolving the situation if the recent media comments from Ousmane Dembélé and Kylian Mbappé threaten to disrupt the French national team's gathering.

"Zizou can arrange a meeting for the three of them. If he senses it could affect the group's atmosphere, he can do it," stated the former French national team defender. "When you've been a player and are used to team gatherings, you quickly sense when there's discomfort."

This ongoing saga could indeed affect the Bleus' performance during this lengthy international break of nearly three weeks if not resolved promptly. The first on-field response will come in Turkey on Friday, for Zinédine Zidane's first Nations League match as the French national team manager.