The Final Four of the 2025 Nations League returned its verdict on Sunday, bringing some important lessons in the Golden Ball race. If Spain's victory against the French team in the semi-finals (5-4) allowed Lamine Yamal to score points in his duel at a distance with Ousmane Dembélé, the defeat of La Roja against Portugal in the final (2-2, 5-3 TAB) somewhat weighed down by the young Barcelona prodigy.
Another blow for Crack Blaugrana, which will not participate in the Club World Cup (from June 15 to July 13 in the United States), its season is over while several of its rivals still have a blow to play. This is the case of Kylian Mbappé, winner of the golden shoe and determined to win this new FIFA competition, but also of Ousmane Dembélé who, despite his injury to the left thigh, could return for the end of the tournament.
But two new candidates, who have won everything this year, also point to their nose. They too evolve at PSG: Vitinha and Nuno Mendes. Titled as “Dembouz” in Ligue 1, in the French Cup, in the Champions Trophy and in the Champions League, the Portuguese left midfielder and the leftist Portuguese side has just added the League of Nations to their record. And many are starting to quote them among the serious candidates for the Ballon d'Or.
“Vitinha deserves the Ballon d'Or”
“What he realizes this season, for me, without a doubt, justifies itsaid coach Roberto Martinez about Vitinha. He is an essential player in the successes of PSG this year. I think that, by its style and its effectiveness, it deserves to be a golden ball. »» On social networks, the militant messages for Nuno Mendes also multiply and underline the way he muzzled Mohamed Salah in C1 and Lamine Yamal in the final on Sunday evening.
Could one of them win the bet? In the event of a beautiful route from Paris Saint-Germain to the World Cup clubs, they could in any case climb in predictions. Which would not be good news for Ousmane Dembélé. A dispersion of the voices of the jury of France Football Between several players from the red and blue would reduce the influence of the tricolor international. Antoine Griezmann had lived it in 2018, with Kylian Mbappé and Raphaël Varane.
