The relationship between France team-mates Kylian Mbappe and Ousmane Dembele appears to have deteriorated during the current camp at Clairefontaine, despite both players publicly denying that they are involved in a dispute.
A report by Foot Mercato has provided further details about the situation, suggesting that the misunderstanding between the two France internationals may be more serious than it has appeared in public.
Mbappe recently said he had spoken to Dembele and insisted there was no tension between them. However, L’Equipe reported that the atmosphere inside the France camp was more complicated, with people close to Dembele surprised by the comments made by the team captain.
According to the reports, the players had not actually communicated before the start of the Clairefontaine camp, apart from a message sent by one of them which received no reply.
Mbappe was reportedly surprised by Dembele’s reaction when he arrived at the camp, with Dembele appearing angry about the way the situation had been handled.
Dembele had attempted to draw a line under the issue during a news conference before the match against Italy. He described it as nothing more than “small squabbles on social media”, adding that he was not concerned by them “at this age”.
He also said he sat next to Mbappe at mealtimes and that there was no problem between them.
The latest reports indicate, however, that the misunderstanding was not one-sided. Mbappe is understood not to have expected his team-mate’s anger to have lasted for so long, particularly because previous verbal disagreements between the pair had never escalated to this level.
L’Equipe said the relationship between the two players was no longer what it had been. Some members of the France squad reportedly believe the incident could have a lasting effect on their relationship.
There has also been a noticeable change in Mbappe’s close circle during the current camp. He has become closer to Michael Olise, while the familiar understanding between Mbappe and Dembele has been less evident.
Both players continue to reject the idea that there is a crisis between them. Away from the cameras, though, the atmosphere within the France squad has been described as resembling a quiet cold war.