As France gear up for their crucial final International break of this year, with the next one being in March, and with their 2026 World Cup qualifying hopes firmly in sight, the whole country is buzzing with excitement and joy once again.
France will take on Ukraine and Azerbaijan in this month’s International break with just one more win required for them to seal their place in the USA, Canada and Mexico in 2026. They currently sit on top of their group (Group D) with 10 points from 4 games.
Yet, amidst the serious business on the pitch, a surprising and rather public feud has erupted off it, involving France’s golden boy, Kylian Mbappe, against one of the nation’s most acclaimed rappers, Orelsan.
In the pre-match press conference of France vs Ukraine, Mbappe was questioned by the reporter for his off-field clash with the rapper. Mbappe responded to the question by telling him that it doesn’t interest him at all.
The Real Madrid forward dropped various facial expressions as he said – ‘Nothing to say, it doesn’t interest me ‘. Check out the video (in French) below –
« Rien à dire, ça m'intéresse pas »
— L'Équipe (@lequipe) November 12, 2025
💬 Kylian Mbappé sur son clash avec Orelsan qui a plaidé "une incompréhension" de son morceau "la petite voix" pic.twitter.com/8gAlSTfuUp
To let you know how and where it all started from, let me take you a bit into the past.
This conflict is centred around a lyric in Orelsan’s new song and the Mbappe’s family’s ownership of a football club. This particular lyirc was a direct jab at Mbappe’s family’s ownership of SM Caen, which they took over in 2024. The club was subsequently relegated to the third division of French football (the National league), resulting to a severe outrage from their fans.
In a song named “La petite voix” (The Little Voice) from his new album, Orelsan includes a line: “You’re going to sink your city like the Mbappe’s.” Orelsan, who grew up in the Normandy city of Caen, is a longtime fan of the local team, SC Caen or Stade Malherbe Caen.
Kylian Mbappe, generally controlled and mature with his public presence, particularly on social media this time, broke character to deliver a strong reaction. Responding directly to Orelsan’s critique, Mbappé didn’t back down, accusing the rapper of dishonesty and opportunism. He lashed back with a pointed remark:
“PS: The guy kept begging us to get in with 1% without paying because he doesn’t have a penny but wanted to look like the little guy from Normandy.”
This extremely personal jab showed a deeper history between the two, implying that Orelsan had previously sought involvement with the Mbappe’s about their ownership but on circumstances that Mbappe thought were financially motivated and less than sincere. It was an uncommon display of real emotion from the usually reserved superstar, underscoring how deeply the criticism of his family’s football management had struck Caen.
Orelsan has now attempted to downplay the incident, calling it a “misunderstanding.” He clarified that the song’s idea incorporates an inner, negative critic, and the lyric was part of that critical voice, not necessarily a personal jab from Orelsan himself at the Mbappe’s.
It remains to be seen whether this answer will totally please Mbappe. While Orelsan’s response suggests that it was just a part of the song and not a direct attack at the family, Mbappe’s response shows a previous interaction that had left a bad taste.
While France focuses on securing its World Cup spot against Ukraine and Azerbaijan, this off-pitch drama serves as a reminder that even football’s biggest personalities are not immune to the constraints and public scrutiny that reach beyond the football field.
