The weight of the Ballon d’Or
Ousmane Dembélé's Ballon d'Or is forcing PSG to rethink the renegotiation of his contract which runs until 2028. A specific clause linked to the Ballon d'Or of several million euros could exist in his contract, as was the case at Dortmund and Barça, but the club considers it “far-fetched”. The Frenchman, with 35 goals and 16 assists last season, intends to obtain a salary increase. Luis Campos and Moussa Sissoko are currently managing these discussions, while PSG maintains its desire to control the timing and level of increases. As written The Teamthe Ballon d'Or can become a burden as much as an honor, affecting winners and disappointments. Ousmane Dembélé has not played again since his victory due to injury, which illustrates the weight of the trophy after an intense season. The feeling of accomplishment creates a void, as for Vinicius or Ribéry, whose international careers were disrupted. Even champions like Benzema or Modric have experienced post-Ballon d'Or difficulties, between injuries and up-and-down performances. We can also take the example of Kaka and Owen, who disappeared from the radar. Historically, winners often face additional pressure, and only Ronaldo and Messi seem to have escaped this curse.
Tuchel responds with humor to English fans
During England's World Cup qualifier, fans taunted Thomas Tuchel with mocking chants, responding to the German's previous criticism of the lack of support at Wembley. The English fans began chanting: “Thomas Tuchel, we sing when we want“. Despite these provocations, Tuchel took the chants with humor and greeted the fans. Especially since for England, it is already “the american dream», as the placard Daily Mail. Thomas Tuchel's England secured their qualification for the World Cup against Latvia with a 5-0 victory. A match led by Harry Kane who scored two goals. Anthony Gordon, Eberechi Eze and an own goal sealed a comprehensive victory, making it six wins in six games without conceding a goal. Tuchel described this performance as “brilliant” and celebrated the dream of going to the World Cup.
Unstoppable Spain
“On the way to the World Cup“, title A.S. this Wednesday morning. La Roja won without trembling against Bulgaria in Valladolid 4-0, and equaled its record of 29 consecutive official matches without defeat. Carried by a decisive Mikel Merino, author of a double header, Spain dominated from start to finish, with 72% possession and impressive technical precision. Pedri, sparkling in the organization of the game, once again proved his importance. Samu, Grimaldo, Baena and Laporte were among the four new starters for De la Fuente, who continues to rotate while maintaining a high collective level. Bulgaria, outdated, has never been able to exist despite the numerous changes made by its coach. Oyarzabal sealed the victory from the penalty spot, after an own goal from Chernev. A quiet success which strengthens the Spanish dynamic and brings qualification for the World Cup a little closer.
