Unanswered message deepens Mbappe and Dembele tensions in France camp

Kylian Mbappe and Ousmane Dembele have continued to deny any serious dispute between them, but reports from inside the France camp suggest their relationship has become increasingly strained.

Behind the calm statements and smiles shown to the media, the two France forwards appear to be dealing with a deeper disagreement than they have acknowledged publicly.

Foot Mercato has reported that the tension has not been resolved, while L’Equipe says the situation at Clairefontaine is more complicated than the players’ public comments suggest. Some people close to Dembele were reportedly surprised by Mbappe’s recent claim that he had spoken to his team-mate and that there was no tension between them.

According to the reports, the players had not genuinely communicated before the latest France camp began, apart from a message sent by one to the other which went unanswered.

Mbappe was then surprised by Dembele’s reaction when he arrived at Clairefontaine. Dembele appeared angry at the way the matter had been handled, despite both players’ attempts to play down the disagreement.

Before France’s match against Italy, Dembele had addressed the issue in a news conference. He described it as no more than “small arguments on social media”, adding that he was not concerned by them at his age.

Dembele also said he sat next to Mbappe at mealtimes and insisted there was no problem between them.

The latest details suggest, however, that the misunderstanding was not one-sided. Mbappe is believed not to have expected Dembele’s anger to have lasted so long, particularly because previous verbal disagreements between the pair had never escalated to this level.

L’Equipe reports that the relationship between the two players is no longer what it was. Some members of the France squad reportedly believe the episode could have a lasting effect on their association.

There has also been a noticeable change in Mbappe’s close circle during the current camp. He has become closer to Michael Olise, while he and Dembele have not displayed the usual understanding between them.

Neither player has accepted that there is a serious rift, but the atmosphere within the France squad appears to have developed into a quiet, unresolved standoff away from the cameras.