A report published by the daily newspaper L’Équipe has highlighted a strained relationship between Karim Benzema and Kylian Mbappé, two of the biggest stars in French football. According to this source, a genuine “deep animosity” exists between the two players, whose paths have often crossed without ever truly converging.
The most recent point of friction dates back to the vote for the best French player of the season, organized by France Football. In this prestigious poll, each professional player is asked to name the three best French footballers of the year. While most observers expected Benzema to vote for his compatriot Mbappé, the Al-Ittihad striker surprised everyone by not including him at all. Instead, Benzema chose to single out Eduardo Camavinga, Bradley Barcola, and William Saliba as the three best French players of the past season. This decision did not go unnoticed, as Mbappé’s name seemed inevitable after a year marked by his remarkable performances with Real Madrid and the French national team.
To understand the distance between Karim Benzema and Kylian Mbappé, we must go back several years. Their relationship has always oscillated between mutual admiration and a silent rivalry, fueled by misunderstandings and personal choices. During Euro 2020, Benzema had just returned to the French national team after several years’ absence. Many expected a formidable partnership between the two strikers, symbols of different but complementary generations. However, on the pitch, the connection between them never truly clicked. They lacked the necessary understanding, their playing styles clashed, and their egos inevitably collided.
Tensions reportedly escalated at the 2022 World Cup when Benzema, injured just before the tournament began, abruptly left Qatar. Some rumors suggested that Mbappé and other key players in the locker room did not support the idea of Benzema returning for the finals. Even though neither has publicly confirmed these allegations, the tension seems to have persisted. In this context, Benzema’s vote takes on a symbolic dimension. By choosing not to include Mbappé in his top three, the former Ballon d’Or winner sends a clear message: their relationship is indeed fractured. This seemingly innocuous gesture immediately sparked reactions from the football world. Many observers see it as a public display of disagreement, or even a deliberate act to highlight the distance between the two stars.
L’Équipe points out that Benzema made this decision consciously, driven by what he considers a personal lack of respect from Mbappé. Since leaving Real Madrid and his spectacular transfer to Al-Ittihad in Saudi Arabia, Benzema has often been questioned about his relationship with the French national team captain—questions he answers with measured detachment, but never with enthusiasm.
Behind the scenes, some close to the player claim that Benzema never appreciated Mbappé’s perceived “distant” attitude during their time together on the French national team. Others believe that it was the excessive media attention surrounding the young striker, often presented as “the new face of French football,” that created a rift with his elder. For Mbappé, now a Real Madrid player after years of speculation, this situation could also be seen as a complicated legacy. By joining the club that made Benzema a legend, he inevitably finds himself compared to him. The fact that Benzema doesn’t acknowledge him in a symbolic vote could therefore be interpreted as a way of asserting his own legacy in Madrid.
Despite the controversy, some analysts prefer to interpret this vote from a more sporting perspective. For them, Benzema may have wanted to reward a new generation of French players, those who embody the future of French football. Benzema’s vote will remain a symbol of this persistent coldness. Behind the media smiles and measured pronouncements, the tension between the two icons of French football serves as a reminder that even the greatest champions are not immune to human rivalries. While Mbappé continues his career at Real Madrid, in the shadow of Benzema’s legacy, the latter is writing a new chapter in the Middle East. Two parallel destinies, linked by talent, separated by ego—and now by a single ballot.
By citing Eduardo Camavinga, Bradley Barcola, and William Saliba, Benzema highlighted three young, talented, and promising players who represent the future of the national team. This choice can also be seen as a sign of passing the torch, although the symbolism of the gesture towards Mbappé remains difficult to ignore. Camavinga, now a pillar of Real Madrid, is one of the players Benzema knows best. Together, they shared the Madrid dressing room and won prestigious trophies. As for Saliba, his impressive progress at Arsenal is undeniable, while Barcola is gradually establishing himself at PSG, Mbappé’s flagship club—a choice that adds another touch of irony to Benzema’s decision.
