Manchester City midfielder Rodri has made a clear call on the Ballon d’Or discussion, identifying Paris Saint-Germain’s Ousmane Dembélé and Vitinha as his picks after a season in which PSG dominated.

Rodri’s view arrives amid a wider conversation about an open Ballon d’Or race, a contrast with years dominated by Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. His preference, though, is unambiguous.

“The Ballon d’Or is difficult,” Rodri acknowledged. “PSG has been the team of the season, and it would be hard not to give it to someone from that team. I’m happy for [the club’s manager] Luis Enrique.

“I’d like to see it go to Lamine or Pedri, but on sporting merit, it’s Dembélé or Vitinha.”

Dembélé emerges in Rodri’s assessment as the leading candidate after a dramatic year in attack. The France international is credited with 35 goals and 16 assists across all competitions, having shifted from a career on the wing into a central striker role as PSG sought to maximise his goalscoring output.

Vitinha’s case is less about headline numbers and more about control and influence. He played a deeper, more understated role for PSG, pulling the strings in midfield, and he also contributed to Portugal’s international success by helping to steer his country to Nations League glory with what has been described as a sensational eye for a pass.

Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal is likely to attract plenty of attention and votes after establishing himself as the club’s talisman at just 18 years old, but Rodri suggested the teenager may have to wait a little longer before claiming football’s top individual prize.

Rodri’s comments underline a season in which PSG’s collective achievements have bolstered the personal cases of their standout performers.

Ruben Amorim publicly cast doubt on his Manchester United future after a damaging Carabao Cup second-round exit to Grimsby Town.

The head coach pointed to his players’ display as decisive, saying, “I think the players spoke really loudly about what they want today.” He expanded on that verdict in an ITV Sport interview with Gabriel Clarke: “I think it was clear for everybody what happened today. The way we start the game without any intensity, all the idea of the pressure, we were completely lost and that’s why I think they spoke really loud.”

United fell 2–0 behind the fourth-tier hosts in a poor first half despite Amorim naming what was described as a strong starting XI. At halftime he introduced Matthijs de Ligt, Bruno Fernandes and Bryan Mbeumo.

A biblical downpour added to the drama in the second half. At one point Amorim was seen rearranging a magnetic tactics board on the touchline amid heavy rain. One substitute did make an impact as Mbeumo bent a left-footed strike into the bottom corner in the 75th minute to halve the deficit.

Harry Maguire’s late equaliser forced the tie to a penalty shootout, which Amorim admitted he could not bring himself to watch. He later told Sky Sports: “In the end, it doesn’t matter if we recover or not, it’s the signs the team gave during the game, the beginning of the game.

“I think the best team won, the only team that was on the pitch. The best players lose because one team can win against any group of players, and I think the team and the players spoke really loud today, so that’s it. We lost, the best team won.”

At his post-match press conference Amorim appeared resigned. “I would like to say very smart things and very important things. I have nothing to say,” he sighed. “That is the biggest problem also. To see the same mistakes and nothing to say in this moment. I’m really sorry for our fans. It’s too much sometimes.”

He added, “Something has to change, and you’re not going to change 22 players again. It’s hard to face everything. We move to the next game, then we have time to decide things.”

Mohamed Salah has become the first player to win a third Professional Footballers’ Association Men’s Player of the Year award after a dominant 2024/25 campaign. The 33-year-old Egypt international scored 29 goals and provided 18 assists as Arne Slot’s Reds claimed last season’s Premier League title. The PFA honour follows Salah’s record-equalling third Football Writers’ Association Footballer of the Year award earlier in the year.

On the women’s side, Mariona Caldentey was named PFA Women’s Player of the Year. Caldentey, 29, moved to Arsenal last summer and finished with 19 goals in all competitions, including eight during Arsenal’s Champions League run that ended with victory over her former club Barcelona.

Olivia Smith, who recently joined Arsenal in a world-record deal after a standout season at Liverpool, was named PFA Women’s Young Player of the Year.

Morgan Rogers claimed the PFA Men’s Young Player of the Year award following a breakthrough season for the Aston Villa attacking midfielder that included an England breakthrough.

The 2024/25 PFA Premier League Team of the Year features Liverpool representatives Virgil van Dijk, Ryan Gravenberch and Alexis Mac Allister alongside Salah. Milos Kerkez, who moved to Anfield from Bournemouth in the summer, also made the XI. Arsenal supplied three players to the team: William Saliba, Gabriel Magalhaes and Declan Rice.

Matz Sels and Chris Wood were recognised for their campaigns at Nottingham Forest. Alexander Isak was included for his excellent form at Newcastle. Cole Palmer and Bruno Fernandes were shortlisted for the Player of the Year award but missed out on the final XI.

The PFA Women’s Super League Team of the Year includes Chelsea’s Erin Cuthbert and Millie Bright. The side also contains Mariona Caldentey, Alessia Russo, Emily Fox and Kim Little, Manchester City pair Yui Hasegawa and Mary Fowler, and the Manchester United trio Phallon Tullis-Joyce, Maya Le Tissier and Jayde Riviere.

In the EFL awards, James Trafford, now of Manchester City, became the first goalkeeper to be named Championship Player of the Year after Burnley’s promotion campaign. Richard Kone, who scored 21 goals for Wycombe in his first full professional season and has signed for QPR, was named League One Player of the Year. Bromley striker Michael Cheek won the League Two Player of the Year after scoring 25 league goals in the promoted side’s season.