João Neves grins at another nomination, Benfica history in the mix | OneFootball

João Neves is nominated to join the team of the year, according to FIFA. The young midfielder playing for PSG received this honor after the season he had with the Parisian club. However, the Portuguese is not the only familiar face from Portuguese football on the list, which also includes the captain of Benfica, Nicolás Otamendi.

As reported, the number 30 of the Clube da Luz appears on an extensive list competing for a spot in the eleven that will be revealed at The Best gala, organized by FIFA. Besides Nico Otamendi, Portuguese football is also represented by another athlete playing in Liga Portugal Betclic, in this case, Diogo Costa, the goalkeeper from Porto.

Along with the rival of the blues and whites, the captain of Benfica - who made a promise after the game with Leverkusen - also features Viktor Gyokeres, a forward who switched from Sporting to Arsenal in the summer. The same list also includes some names that shone with the Sacred Mantle.

In competition with the Argentine defender, FIFA also nominated the center-back from Manchester City, Rúben Dias. In the midfield sector, the world football governing body has among the nominees two athletes trained in Seixal: João Neves, shining at PSG, and Bernardo Silva, a key player for Pep Guardiola at the citizens.

In the 2025/26 season, only with Benfica's jersey, Nicolás Otamendi – valued at 1 million euros – has played 20 matches: 10 in Liga Portugal Betclic, eight in the Champions League, one in the League Cup, and another in the Cândido de Oliveira Super Cup. In the 1,800 minutes he was on the pitch, the center-back scored two goals.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇵🇹 here.