The Ballon d'Or brings Mbappé and Dembélé together at the London Palladium
After parting ways at the last gathering of the French, captain Kylian Mbappé, injured from the friendly match in Turkey (1‑0 win), will meet Ousmane Dembélé this Monday evening at the London Palladium, where the France Football Ballon d’Or ceremony will be held.
The captain of the French, Kylian Mbappé, will meet his teammate Ousmane Dembélé this Monday evening at the London Palladium. Both are tipped as serious candidates for the Ballon d’Or.
Composition of the French delegation
This meeting takes place during the first international gathering of the France team under Zinédine Zidane's tenure. The delegation will not be complete; only the injured players have been given permission by Luis Enrique to attend the ceremony. The match against Olympique Lyonnais has been postponed to Monday 20:30, freeing the concerned players.
Among the absentees, the Real Madrid forwards Vinicius Jr and Jude Bellingham will not attend the gala. In contrast, Kylian Mbappé, the only Real Madrid player present, is expected to adopt a more fair‑play attitude than in the previous two years, when the club had snubbed the event.
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Luis Enrique said that the presence of the injured players, made possible by the postponement of the match against Lyon to Monday 20:30, avoids disrupting the schedule. This decision allows the players to focus on their recovery.
Nuno Mendes, Marquinhos and possibly Khvicha Kvaratskhelia are expected alongside Mbappé and Dembélé at the Palladium. Their participation underscores the importance the French Federation places on representation at the gala.
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The Ballon d’Or, organized by France Football, remains one of the most media‑covered events in world football, where the season's performances are evaluated. This edition sees the top figures of French football face off, while European clubs adjust their visibility during the ceremonies.