Paris Saint-Germain’s French international forward Ousmane Dembele has been named the men’s Ballon d’Or winner for 2025, with Barcelona’s Spanish international Aitana Bonmati claiming the women’s title for the third consecutive year.
Dembele helped PSG to its first Champions League title in May, and saw off strong competition from Barcelona starlet Lamine Yamal, who helped the Spanish club to the La Liga title year, immediately off the back of his starring role for Spain in their Euro 2025 triumph.
There was better news for fellow Barca forward Bonmati, however, as she became the third person, behind former French international Michel Platini and Argentina legend Lionel Messi, to claim a hat-trick of titles.
Dembele succeeded Manchester City midfielder Rodri to become the sixth Frenchman to win it after Raymond Kopa, Platini, Jean-Pierre Papin, Zinedine Zidane and Karim Benzema.
Bonmati won ahead of her Spain teammate Mariona Caldentey.
Paris Saint-Germain’s Ousmane Dembele holds aloft the Ballon d’Or award [Benoit Tessier/Reuters]
Dembele tops Yamal for club if not country
The award capped a remarkable turn of fortune for Dembele, who at one point last season was snubbed by PSG coach Luis Enrique for disciplinary reasons. But once repositioned as a No 9, he became a scoring machine and was inspirational in PSG’s historic Champions League campaign. The French club also completed a quadruple last season.
Dembele was praised after the Champions League final for the way he contributed to PSG’s pressing and his ability to defend during the 5-0 rout of Inter Milan. He delivered 35 goals and 16 assists in 53 official matches last season, and was involved in 14 goals (eight goals, six assists) in the Champions League in 15 appearances.
Dembele received the Ballon d’Or from former winner Ronaldinho and teared up during his acceptance speech, in which he asked his mother to join him on the stage.
“It’s incredible to win a trophy like this,” he said in French. “I worked for the team to help win PSG’s first Champions League. To then be rewarded with an individual trophy like the Ballon d’Or is truly exceptional.”
Barca forward Yamal, who turned 18 in July, also helped Barcelona to win the Copa del Rey last season, as well as the Spanish top flight, and to reach the Champions League semifinals. Yamal was given the Kopa award for the best under-21 player for the second straight year.
“I need to keep on working to win other awards in the future,” Yamal said through a translator.
Dembele was injured, but able to attend the ceremony in Paris, while his team lost at Marseille 1-0 in the French league. He was one of nine PSG players nominated for the men’s award, including goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma, forward Desire Doue, who scored twice in the Champions League final, and winger Khvicha Kvaratskhelia.
Barcelona’s Aitana Bonmati makes a speech after winning the women’s Ballon d’Or award [Benoit Tessier/Reuters]
Bonmati rises from Spain defeat to claim third straight Ballon d’Or
Although Bonmati lost to England in a penalty shootout in the Women’s European Championship final last summer, she was named the best player of the tournament, which she began just days after being hospitalised for viral meningitis.
Bonmati’s spot kick in the shootout was one of two saved by England’s Hannah Hampton, who was voted the best women’s goalkeeper.
“Third time in a row here, and I still can’t believe it,” Bonmati said. “I owe Barcelona everything. This is the club of my life.”
She won a domestic treble with Barcelona and also reached the Champions League final.
Barcelona has won the last five women’s awards, but it was expected that an Englishwoman would win for the first time. England won the Euros, and Arsenal took the Women’s Champions League. But with five England players among the women’s top 10 nominees, the highest placed was Alessia Russo at third.
Other trophies at Ballon d’Or awards
Barcelona forward Vicky Lopez won the women’s Kopa trophy, and Sarina Wiegman, who led England to European victory, took the Johan Cruyff award for best women’s coach. On a great night for PSG, Luis Enrique won in the men’s category.
PSG was voted the best men’s club, and Donnarumma received the Lev Yashin award for best goalkeeper. Donnarumma, whose shot-stopping in the knockout stages proved crucial to PSG’s success, left for Manchester City during the offseason. Hampton was crowned the best women’s goalkeeper.
The men’s and women’s Gerd Müller trophies for the top scorers went to Barcelona’s Ewa Pajor and Viktor Gyokeres, who joined Arsenal this summer from Sporting Portugal after a prolific season.
Lamine Yamal and Raphinha both find the net in Barcelona’s 3-0 La Liga win at Mallorca, who had two players sent off.
Barcelona began the defence of its La Liga title with a comfortable 3-0 win at Mallorca, scoring early and taking advantage of two first-half red cards for the hosts.
Raphinha and Lamine Yamal, who led Barcelona’s prolific attack last season, needed only seven minutes to impress again on Saturday. Yamal’s curling cross found Raphinha by the far post, and the Brazil forward headed in from close range.
Ferran Torres’s shot from outside the area in the 23rd was a goal that drew complaints from Mallorca because one of its players was on the ground after being hit by the ball in the head in the buildup.
Some Mallorca players stopped playing after their teammate went down, but the referee allowed play to continue. Mallorca immediately complained after Ferran scored.
The host went a man down 10 minutes later when Manu Morlanes was sent off for a second yellow card for fouling Yamal on the run. His first yellow was for protesting Barcelona’s second goal.
The second red card in the 39th came from Mallorca striker Vedat Muriqi hitting the head of Barcelona goalkeeper Joan García with his left foot while reaching up for a high ball. The referee changed the card from yellow to red after a video review.
Barcelona’s Brazilian forward Raphinha heads the ball to score the opening goal at Mallorca [Jamie Reina/AFP]
Yamal made it 3-0 in second-half stoppage time by hitting the top corner.
Barcelona, which won the league last season after scoring 102 goals, was without veteran striker Robert Lewandowski because of an injury. Newly signed forward Marcus Rashford went in as a substitute in the 69th.
New Barcelona goalkeeper García did not have to work much in his Barcelona debut after being signed in the offseason in a transfer from city rival Espanyol.
Regular starting goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen is out after undergoing lower back surgery, and García started ahead of Wojciech Szczesny and Iñaki Peña, who replaced Ter Stegen last season.
Later Saturday, Valencia hosted Real Sociedad and promoted Levante visited Alaves.
On Friday, Rayo Vallecano won at Girona 3-1, and Villarreal defeated promoted Oviedo 2-0.
Barcelona’s domination of Real Madrid last season resulted in Los Blancos bringing an end to Carlo Ancelotti’s second tenure – even though he had delivered a league and European double a year previous.
Rumours rumbled for most of the season, after a low-key start at home and abroad, that former Real midfielder Xabi Alonso would be making the switch from Bayer Leverkusen to replace Ancelotti.
All seemed well for a dignified departure for the Italian, club football’s most decorated manager, who now will lead the record World Cup winners into next year’s 2026 edition.
For the perfectly written script to continue, however, Alonso will need to make a strong start on all fronts. Al Jazeera Sport takes a look at the new La Liga season.
When does the La Liga season begin?
The first match of the new Spanish campaign is on Friday, August 15 and sees Girona, who finished only a point above the relegation zone last season, entertain a Rayo Vallecano side that claimed ninth spot in La Liga last year.
Girona were the league’s surprise package two seasons ago when they finished third – only four points behind Barcelona.
Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal, third from right, and Marc-Andre ter Stegen lift the trophy after winning La Liga [Albert Gea/File Photo/Reuters]
When are Barcelona and Real Madrid’s first La Liga fixtures?
Barcelona kick off their La Liga defence on Saturday, August 16, when they make the trip to Mallorca.
Real Madrid are not in action until Tuesday, August 19, when they complete the first round of Spanish top-flight fixtures with a trip to Espanyol.
What transfers have Real Madrid and Barcelona made?
It has been a quiet transfer window for Barcelona, whose finances had been heavily in the spotlight last year with La Liga rules limiting spending on wages and transfers – complicating the registration of Dani Olmo.
The Spanish international arrived from RB Leipzig in Germany for a fee of $62.5m in the summer of 2024, but was nearly forced into a free transfer away from the Catalan club due to their dire financial situation.
Real Madrid, meanwhile, have been quick to bolster a defence that has been hampered by injury and suspension throughout last season.
Trent Alexander-Arnold was a much-heralded arrival at a snip from Liverpool for $11.3m. Little expense was spared, however, in the capture of Spanish defensive duo Alvaro Carreras from Benfica for $57.7m and Dean Huijsen for $67m from Bournemouth.
Real Madrid’s Trent Alexander-Arnold moved from Liverpool in time to play at the FIFA Club World Cup [Hannah Mckay/Reuters]
What were the results between Barcelona and Real Madrid last season?
Barcelona won all four El Clasico matches between the football clubs last season, including the decisive La Liga clash, a May 11 meeting in Catalonia. The 4-3 win all but sealed the title for Barca, and also ended any thought that Ancelotti may stay on as manager of Real.
A 4-0 demolition of Real in Madrid on October 26 kicked off the derbies last season, the first major warning signs that Los Blancos may have a turbulent ride ahead.
Where will the spotlight focus on Barcelona and Real Madrid?
The lack of any major additions to Barcelona’s title-winning squad will throw doubt on whether manager Hansi Flick will be able to push the players to go again without further competition for places.
An early-season injury to Robert Lewandowski may mean an early opportunity for Rashford to make his mark in attack alongside Lamine Yamal and Raphinha. The England international has many questions himself to answer following his demise from his status as the star of Old Trafford.
Ferran Torres, the 25-year-old Spanish international, will also be a candidate to start in the place of Lewandowski in the early-season games.
With the resolution of Marc-Andre ter Stegen’s dispute, both the backlines and midfield appear well-resourced for Barca. Flick’s side will be fully expected to put up a stern defence of their La Liga title and to go all the way in the Champions League, a competition they were heavily favourites to win last season until their shock semifinal elimination by Inter Milan.
Barcelona’s Marcus Rashford acknowledges fans before a match against Como [Bruna Casas/Reuters]
Real Madrid will have to cope with the loss of Luka Modric in midfield, only a year after the retirement of Toni Kroos – an absence believed to have heavily contributed to Real’s demise last season.
The link-up between the front three of Kylian Mbappe, Vinicius Junior and Rodrygo was another area of concern for Real. Indeed, so much so that it affected the role of Jude Bellingham, who was forced to sit deeper in midfield following the arrival of the former.
Mbappe eventually silenced the critics. The French international’s tally of 40 goals in all competitions surpassed that of Cristiano Ronaldo in his first season with Madrid.
Nonetheless, the link-up between an attack and midfield, which is now missing both of its mainstays for more than a decade, will be the major problem for Alonso to solve.
Can Atletico Madrid challenge Real and Barcelona?
Atletico finished 14 points off top spot last season, but had offered hope at one stage, with a 15-game winning streak, that glory was on the cards.
Diego Simeone’s side finished sixth in the League Phase of the Champions League, but were eventually eliminated by Real, who themselves had to reach the knockout stage via playoffs. They did also have a disappointing group-stage exit at the Club World Cup, including a 4-0 defeat by Paris Saint-Germain.
Simeone’s side are always based on a solid defence, and the permanent capture of Clement Lenglet following his loan from Barcelona last season ensures that is likely to continue.
An already formidable forward line is boosted by the arrival of Thiago Almada from Botafogo, for an undisclosed fee, following a season-long loan at Lyon last season.
Alongside fellow countryman Julian Alvarez, France and Atletico legend Antoine Griezmann, and Giuliano Simeone, the son of the manager, Almada could well sprinkle the magic needed to elevate Atletico to the top of the pile.
Atletico Madrid’s Thiago Almada, centre, in action in pre-season against Newcastle United [Lee Smith/Reuters]
Manchester United loanee Marcus Rashford debuts for Barca as Lamine Yamal scores twice in 5-0 win against Como.
Reigning Spanish champions Barcelona completed their pre-season preparations by thrashing Italian side Como 5-0 in a game which signalled a thawing of relations with goalkeeper Marc-Andre Ter Stegen.
Barca also gave Marcus Rashford a substitute’s appearance on Sunday, two weeks after the England forward joined on loan from Manchester United.
Double strikes from Fermin Lopez and Lamine Yamal and a first-half goal from Brazilian Raphinha completed the rout in the Joan Gamper Trophy.
With the game played at the Johan Cruyff Stadium within the team’s training complex, while Barcelona wait for the heavily delayed modernisation of the Camp Nou to be completed, Hansi Flick’s team showed fluency as they prepare to begin their Liga title defence away to Mallorca on Saturday.
Before kickoff on Sunday, Ter Stegen gave the traditional captain’s speech from the pitch, just days after his dispute with the club over the handling of his back injury broke to the surface.
“I think it was important to resolve the issue between the club and me, and now it’s time to look forward,” said the 33-year-old German goalkeeper, two days after having his captaincy restored.
“We’re going to fight again for all the trophies and we hope that with your help we can win all the titles possible,” Ter Stegen told the fans.
Rashford saw mixed fortunes, providing the cross for Raphinha to score but also blowing the chance to tap into an empty net.
Como, who are managed by former Barcelona and Arsenal midfielder Cesc Fabregas, had seen their previous match – at Real Betis – descend into violence.
The Italians are touring Spain as part of their warm-up for the new season, but the friendly on Wednesday with former Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini’s Betis saw two players sent off as punches were exchanged during a brawl. Como eventually won the match 3-2.
The statistics are remarkable, especially when you consider his age. And they keep improving.
Since making his debut, he has won two La Liga titles, although he featured just once during Barcelona’s 2022–23 title-winning campaign. Since then, he has missed only four league games across the past two seasons. He has also lifted the Copa del Rey and Spanish Super Cup. On the international stage, he has already won the European Championship with Spain.
He wants everything: to lead, to score, to win. But there’s a calmness to his ambition. He doesn’t just dream of being better, he works at it.
Crucially, he knows he’s not there yet. That balance between confidence and humility is what allows him to play with such freedom, as if still in the schoolyard.
It all begins at home. His parents, often discussed publicly but rarely understood, play a crucial role in keeping his feet on the ground. His father is firm, tells it as it is, and is enjoying his son’s success very publicly – perhaps too exposed at the public judgement.
His mother and grandmother offer a different kind of strength – consistent, loving, and deeply rooted in values. They are the quiet force that underpins everything.
That’s how he appears not a teenager overwhelmed, but a boy enjoying the game. It’s not down to ignorance of pressure. It’s a mindset, one that believes the best is still to come, and if it doesn’t arrive, he’ll keep chasing it.
Before the Champions League final he said: “At my age, few have played as many games for a club like Barca, and that’s what I value most. Playing at this level and for a club like Barca isn’t something that anyone can do.”
When asked about the pressure or fear of failure involved with playing at the top level, he said: “I left that fear behind on the pitch in Mataro a while ago.”
He was referring to his old pitch in the district of Rocafonda, where he played as a kid with others three, four and more years older.
His celebration is a tribute to where he comes from – a densely populated, working-class neighbourhood in Mataro, known for its multicultural community, social challenges, and strong sense of local identity. The three last numbers of the postcode is the shape of his fingers when he scores, 304.
Once again it was the Barcelona star Lamine Yamal who was the talk of the game as he won player of the match by scoring two goals in his sides 5-4 win.
However, the footballing icon Cristiano Ronaldo will want to show the teenager who’s boss with a second Nations League win.
Ronaldo had never beaten Germany before in his career – he has played Germany five times, losing all five but he was the difference maker in the semi-final.
The main battle of the game will definitely be between the teenage sensation Yamal and footballing phenomenon Ronaldo.
A new-look FIFA Club World Cup, featuring 32 teams, kicks off in the United States on June 14 and runs through to the final on July 13.
In advance of the tournament, Al Jazeera takes a look at the top five talking points:
1. Cramped schedule raises concerns over player welfare
FIFA’s decision to expand the Club World Cup from a six- or eight-team tournament to a supersized 32-team edition has been criticised by FIFPRO, the global football players’ union, and the World Leagues Forum (WLF).
Legitimate questions have been raised about the extra workload on players due to the increased number of matches, and the corresponding reduction in rest and recovery time for players in a shortened off season.
“The FIFA Council’s decision to schedule the first edition of the 32-team FIFA Club World Cup between 15 June and 13 July 2025 without implementing further player workload safeguards demonstrates a lack of consideration for the mental and physical health of participating players, as well as a disregard for their personal and family lives,” FIFPRO said in a statement in December.
A report released by FIFPRO and Football Benchmark in April found that several Club World Cup-bound players are among the most overworked for the 2024-25 season.
The report’s findings estimated that Real Madrid’s Federico Valverde, who made 43 back-to-back appearances up until April 1 with fewer than five days of recovery time before these matches, could potentially reach 65 back-to-back appearances for club and country by the end of the season, racking up close to 7,000 minutes and 78 games.
The WLF, an organisation representing 44 major professional leagues that is chaired by Premier League chief Richard Masters, said the organisation was unhappy that it had been overlooked in FIFA’s decision-making process.
According to the Reuters news agency, Masters accused FIFA of prioritising its own commercial interests, adding that the June-July schedule would affect player availability for national leagues at the start of the season in August.
An elongated FIFA Club World Cup schedule in 2025 has reduced the already-short off season for many top players in the tournament, increasing the chance of injury, according to FIFPRO [File: Jason Cairnduff/Reuters]
2. Will the matches be competitive?
While the expansion of the Club World Cup to 32 sides allows more teams a chance at testing themselves against some of the biggest names in global club football, it also raises questions about the competitiveness of the tournament.
With every group having at least two clubs from Europe or South America, teams from the other continental confederations, such as Asia or Africa, could find themselves having very little chance of glory against the heavyweights of the game.
For example, in Group G, Moroccan side Wydad AC and UAE Pro League Al Ain are pitted against Manchester City and Juventus, who have been supremely successful on the domestic and continental stage.
Teams from the European confederation (UEFA) have historically dominated the Club World Cup, winning 16 of the 20 editions played to date. The remaining four have all been won by clubs from the South American confederation (CONMEBOL).
So, history suggests that the presence of European or South American sides could lead to lopsided matchups in this year’s edition.
Real Madrid are the most successful club in the Club World Cup, having won a record five titles [File: Josep Lago/AFP]
3. Where are the superstars and superteams?
While Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe will play at the tournament, fans will be denied an opportunity to watch many of the elite performers from the 2024-25 season, such as Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah, the Premier League’s Golden Boot winner, or teenage prodigy Lamine Yamal, who won three trophies this year with Barcelona.
Salah created history as the first player in Premier League history to finish a season with the most goals and assists as well as win the Player of the Season award. But one of the most in-form forwards in the world will not be among the players in the US as Liverpool could not qualify for the tournament, with Manchester City and Chelsea earning spots from the English quota.
Further confusing the selection of teams was FIFA’s abrupt decision to give the host nation a spot and award it to Inter Miami, underlining the opaque nature of the qualifying criteria for the tournament which won’t feature Liverpool, Barcelona or Napoli, who have all just been crowned champions in three of the most prestigious leagues in Europe.
Inter Miami gained entry by topping Major League Soccer’s regular season standings, despite losing in the first round of the playoffs – a decision critics say shows FIFA’s desperation to have Inter’s Argentina great Messi at their inaugural showpiece.
Apart from the winners of each confederation’s premier club competitions, teams qualified according to a ranking based on their performances over a four-year period. Barcelona, the current La Liga champions, missed out on a spot due to the four-year club coefficient rankings and two-team restrictions, as their archrivals Real Madrid qualified for the Club World Cup alongside Atletico Madrid.
The Catalan giants, fielding some of the most exhilarating footballers on the planet, such as 17-year-old wonderkid Yamal or the goal-scoring genius of Raphinha, are a huge omission from the club-based tournament.
Prodigious talents like Romelu Lukaku and Scott McTominay, who ushered Napoli’s stunning 2024-25 Serie A title charge in Italy, will also not play.
Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah will be one of many global football stars missing from the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 [File: Phil Noble/Reuters]
4. Introduction of a special transfer window
In the build-up to the tournament, FIFA announced the creation of a special transfer window, allowing participating clubs to make last-minute transfers before their teams board the flight to the US.
FIFA has said signings can be made from June 1 to June 10 as well as June 27 to July 3, explaining that the objective of the latter window is to encourage clubs and players whose contracts are expiring “to find an appropriate solution to facilitate the players’ participation”.
The introduction of this transfer window is unique as signings usually either take place in the close season or the middle of the season, known as the summer and winter windows for European clubs.
FIFA’s move has led to speculation that Cristiano Ronaldo could be one of those players to put pen to paper during the window on a short-term deal for one of the participating clubs. Spanish newspaper Marca reported in late May that a club in Brazil had submitted an offer to sign Ronaldo. Botafogo – one of four Brazilian clubs competing at the tournament – have been linked with the veteran forward.
Ronaldo, 40, has hinted he could leave Al Nassr after declaring that a “chapter is over” hours after the Saudi Pro League finished. Al Nassr have not qualified for the Club World Cup, unlike fellow Saudi side Al Hilal, and FIFA President Gianni Infantino recently said “there are discussions” over Ronaldo playing at the Club World Cup.
The Portugal star confirmed on Saturday that he had received “quite a few” offers from participating clubs to play for them at the tournament, but had decided against accepting any.
Should a Ronaldo transfer ultimately occur, the Club World Cup could see Messi and Ronaldo face-off in the US market, greatly boosting media interest, ticket sales, TV viewership figures, and enhancing the overall appeal of the tournament. The duo, who are arguably the greatest players of their generation, last played in the same competition at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.
A club which has already benefitted from this special transfer window is Real Madrid, which was able to reach an agreement with Liverpool to sign defender Trent Alexander-Arnold early and make him available for the tournament.
The right back was scheduled to join the Spanish giants on a six-year deal as a free agent after his Liverpool contract expired on June 30, but according to The Athletic, Real paid Liverpool 10 million euros ($11.4m) to fast-track the process and get him on board for the Club World Cup.
Cristiano Ronaldo, who plays for Al Nassr, is out of contract this month, which has led to speculation over his exit from the Saudi Pro League club [File: Hamad I Mohammed/Reuters]
5. Dress rehearsal for next year’s FIFA World Cup
Fans in the US will get a glimpse of what the 2026 FIFA World Cup on home soil will look like when they attend the Club World Cup matches this year.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup will be co-hosted by the US alongside Canada and Mexico, running for more than a month with 100+ matches.
Among the 12 stadiums that will host the new-look Club World Cup, some have also been chosen as venues for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which will have 48 participants for the first time.
MetLife Stadium, an 82,500-seater in New Jersey, will host the semifinals and the final of the Club World Cup as well as the final of next year’s prestigious World Cup.
Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Philadelphia’s Lincoln Financial Field, Seattle’s Lumen Field and Miami’s Hard Rock Stadium are the other venues which will be involved in both tournaments.
The venues, though, might not be filled to their full capacity as organisers have struggled to sell tickets, with club fan tickets, general public tickets, and hospitality sections all still up for sale on the official FIFA site, nearly two weeks out from the start of the event.
The FIFA World Cup 2026 trophy is coming to the US next year, as the final will be held at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey [File: Martin Meissner/AP Photo]
Defending champions Spain face 2019 winners, and Iberian rivals, Portugal in Sunday’s Nations League final in Munich.
Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo acknowledged that he was “another generation” to Spain starlet Lamine Yamal but said Sunday’s Nations League final was more than just a battle between the duo.
The final in Munich has been framed as a showdown between veteran Ronaldo, 40, one of the game’s biggest names, and 17-year-old Yamal, the most exciting young talent in world football.
Ronaldo scored the winner to send Portugal past Germany into the final, and Yamal was named man-of-the-match after bagging a brace in Spain’s wild 5-4 semifinal win over France.
Ronaldo, however, said the focus on the two individuals was overblown, calling Spain “maybe the best national team in the world”.
“There are different generations, one is coming in and another is exiting the stage. If you want to see me as another generation, then that’s OK.
“When you talk about a clash between Cristiano and someone else, that’s not how it works. The media always try to hype things up, which is a normal thing, but it’s one team versus another team.”
“You’ve been talking about Lamine a lot and you’re right to do so because he’s very good,” Ronaldo told journalists, adding, “but I’d like to talk about the team.
“They’ve got Nico Williams, great midfielders like Pedri and their coach [Luis] de la Fuente is very good, very strong, very disciplined.”
Spain’s Lamine Yamal celebrates scoring his side’s third goal against France int the Nations League semifinal with Spain’s Nico Williams [Angelika Warmuth/Reuters]
Portugal last beat their Iberian neighbours in a competitive fixture 21 years ago, in a match which Ronaldo started.
Like Yamal, Ronaldo burst onto the scene at a young age.
Aged just 18, Ronaldo impressed so much for boyhood side Sporting in a 3-1 win over Manchester United in a friendly in Lisbon that the English club decided to buy him, bringing him to Old Trafford less than a week later.
Like a young Ronaldo, Yamal has consistently impressed since bursting onto the scene, winning a league and cup double with Barcelona this season after lifting the Euro 2024 title in Germany last year.
The Portuguese veteran asked the media to allow the teenager to grow and improve without pressure, reminding them the Spanish star “with funny hair” was just “three years older than my son”.
“The kid has been doing very well, but what I ask is for you to let him grow, not put him under pressure. For the good of football, we need to let him grow in his own way and enjoy the talent he has.”
Spain coach Luis de la Fuente said Yamal was “only 17, but very mature for his age. Well-prepared, intelligent – he lives life as if it’s all normal, and that’s what we want for him”.
De la Fuente said the national side were “trying to walk alongside [Yamal] in his education,” but added “you’d be surprised, shocked, how calm he is.
“He’s special. For some people, this would be a situation of maximum stress. But for him, he’s relaxed, he’s in control – he masters the situation.”
The coach also took time to praise Ronaldo, calling him “a legend in football and an example of the values I like: effort, work rate, sacrifice, getting better every day and never letting your guard down.
“Portugal are led by a footballer who will go down in history with an indelible legacy.”
Both Spain and Portugal have already won the Nations League. Spain are the current champions from their win in 2023, while Portugal won the inaugural tournament back in 2019.
Spain have won 16 and drawn two of their past 18 fixtures – and have not lost a competitive match since March 2023.
Spain forward Mikel Oyarzabal told reporters his side “do not think we are better than anyone,” but “we trust ourselves 100 percent and know we can compete in every game.
“We’ve shown that over the years. Our level is very high.”
A CLASH of generations and a crunch Iberian derby comes this Sunday when Portugal and Spain meet in the Nations League final.
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Portugal vs Spain prediction
Boy wonder
It would be rather silly to ignore the teenage sensation, wouldn’t it?
Lamine Yamal’s brace in midweek was further proof of his incredible rise this season, starring on yet another big stage.
The Barca boy has five goals in his last five games for club and country and this Spanish side are littered with incredible talent. Good boosted value.
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Spain and France played out a Nations League semi-final game for the ages with a scoreline that looks like it belongs in a penalty shootout.
The 5-4 win for Spain has everyone wondering if anyone can stop these attackers – although the less said about the defenders, the better.
Spain, who play Portugal in Sunday’s final, are looking for a third Uefa tournament success in a row having won the last Nations League and Euro 2024.
And they are favourites for the World Cup coming up next summer, with France second on the list.
Spain showed why they will be tough to stop after one of the most exciting international games in memory.
A total of 40 shots, 17 on target, nine goals. Spain led 4-0 and 5-1 – and threatened to blow France away – before their rivals rallied.
If only every match was like this.
“It was a crazy game,” said Spain goalscorer Mikel Merino. “Not the best game for the coaches – nobody wants to concede so many goals – but an amazing game for the fans.”
His boss Luis de la Fuente seemed to actually disagree with him.
“I’m happy. I enjoy suffering! I don’t understand sport without suffering,” he said.
“When two great teams face off like today, it’s normal every team makes the most of their moments.”
Lamine Yamal, who turns 18 later this summer, netted twice for Spain to cement his credentials as a Ballon d’Or contender.
He is up to six goals for his country now, to add to 25 for club side Barcelona.
Yamal impressed more than France’s PSG stars – Ousmane Dembele and Desire Doue – who were hyped up pre-game after phenomenal club seasons.
Les Bleus debutant Rayan Cherki help spark France’s fightback after coming off the bench to show why he is being linked to Liverpool and Manchester City.
Barcelona sporting director Deco denies the club have financial problems and says they do not need to sell players – despite La Liga’s restrictive financial controls.
Deco, 47, has overseen a revival of Barcelona since his appointment in 2023, culminating in a domestic treble while also reaching the semi-finals of the Champions League.
When asked whether the world should see Barcelona as a well-run club in 2025, Deco told BBC Sport: “Barcelona is my club, I love Barcelona. I saw what happened from the outside and always thought I could help put Barca at the same high level.
“I knew it would be difficult when I joined with the financial rules – it is not a financial problem, but the financial fair play rules in Spain are more difficult than the Premier League and in other countries.
“It is a problem for a lot of clubs, you just hear about Barca because we are a big club. You need to work with it, see how you can improve the team and the combination of La Masia [academy] players and experienced players has been important.”
The former Portugal midfielder, who played for the Catalans – as well as Chelsea and Porto – stresses Barcelona are happy working with La Liga but have faith the rules will continue to improve.
Even if they do not, Barcelona are excited to have “one of the biggest contracts in history” with Nike, and the newly renovated 100,000-seater Nou Camp will be the biggest stadium in Europe and improve revenues.
He insists Barcelona will “not sell our best players”, adding the team’s recent success means they can “grow with many of the same players”. But he says they are in looking for “two, three or four signings”, without needing to enter the market “like crazy” thanks to the stability at the core of the team.
When asked if it includes the option of signing Manchester United’s Marcus Rashford, thought to be available for £40m, or Liverpool’s Luis Diaz, he added: “We have been focusing on renewing contracts, after that, we’ll discuss players to come.
“Of course, these two players, like you mentioned, they are good but have contracts in their clubs, so we won’t speak because it’s not fair. But when you decide to go to the market, for sure, we find some names. In my opinion, we don’t need to bring many players.”
He added: “When I speak with the agents of the players, everyone wants to come or stay. So this is important. The image of the club is still good. We are proud because Barcelona is still such a big club, and the way we are playing football makes players want to come.”
Deco is aware of the constant threat of Real Madrid, who will look to improve under new head coach Xabi Alonso.
They have also agreed deals for right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold, who will leave Liverpool, and Bournemouth centre-back Dean Huijsen. Benfica left-back Alvaro Carreras is understood to be next on the club’s shortlist.
“Next season is not going to be easy, because I know that first Real Madrid has a lot of top players,” he said. “In my opinion they have a big team. They have a lot of fantastic players. Of course they want to improve.
“It’s very important to have a strong Madrid. It’s very important to have strong players, top players, players that the people want to see. I think Madrid has these kinds of players, like us.
“Now it’s important to keep the top players in La Liga. So for us it’s important that Madrid are strong, that Atletico is strong, and we need to be there.”
