Vitinha speaks frankly about Dembélé’s Ballon d’Or chances

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·5 mars 2026

Vitinha speaks frankly about Dembélé’s Ballon d’Or chances

During a documentary on Canal11, Vitinha, the 26-year-old midfielder for Paris Saint-Germain and Portugal, was invited to comment on a possible sense of injustice regarding his 3rd place finish in the 2025 Ballon d’Or, behind Ousmane Dembélé (the 28-year-old forward for PSG and the French national team) and Lamine Yamal (the 18-year-old forward for FC Barcelona and Spain).

Vitinha: “If I had finished off the podium, no one would have seen me disappointed.”

“When I said that Dembélé was the rightful winner, it wasn’t just empty words. He is our anchor and our leader on the pitch. He was decisive in important moments and deserved to win. I knew I could finish in a good position, but I never set my expectations too high. If I had finished off the podium, no one would have seen me disappointed. But of course, being on the podium was special.”

Around the Ballon d’Or, and this is one of the most annoying aspects of this trophy, the media and fans are always looking for injustices. Every ranking must be debated and should be changed. Vitinha is far removed from all that. He knows very well that what matters most is the team, and that the winner deserves his place.

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PSG’s number 17 never made this trophy an absolute goal to achieve. It’s a bonus, and being on the podium is pleasing. But his mission is collective; that’s where he wants to win titles. A refreshing simplicity from which some could take inspiration.

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