Paris Saint-Germain
Frank hails Vitinha as future Ballon d’Or after Champions League hat-trick
Thomas Frank hailed Vitinha after a Champions League hat-trick, calling him his next Ballon d’Or. PSG
Tottenham Hotspur manager Thomas Frank publicly praised Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Vitinha following the Portugal international’s Champions League hat-trick at the Parc des Princes. Vitinha’s first equaliser came from 25 yards and found Guglielmo Vicario’s top corner, while his second was noted for its technical quality and dribbling.
Frank, speaking after his side’s defeat in France, made clear his frustration at surrendering leads during the contest. He referenced Spurs having been 1–0 up and then 2–1 up before the home side turned the game.
Frank said: “There is a frustration when you go 1–0 up and 2–1 up against PSG away from home. The performance was to really get something out of the game—a point or three points. That was the performance.
“You hope Vitinha doesn’t put the ball in the top corner. That was very tricky. Then the two goals, their third and fourth, you can’t concede them if you want to win here.
“By the way, Vitinha, best midfielder in the world, he’ll be the next Ballon d’Or winner, for me.”
Vitinha celebrated a personal milestone after the match and reflected on his unexpected scoring haul. He said that he had never before scored twice in a single game, and that the hat-trick was the first time he had achieved so much in one match.
Vitinha said: “It’s the first time. Even two, it’s the first time. I had never scored two in the same game,” he joked.
He added: “It was incredible, I think it’s a bit of a mental thing. If you don’t think about scoring a lot of goals, you probably won’t. You have to believe, you have to push, too. Of course, always for the good of the team and never against the team, but you have to believe, show up, feel that the ball will come to you.
“The truth is that I had luck combined with the goals and I’m overjoyed. I never, never thought I’d score three goals in a game. Very happy to have scored, but mainly for the victory.”
The win moved Paris Saint-Germain second in the Champions League standings with three games remaining.
Arsenal
PSG and Barcelona dominate 2025 Best FIFA Men’s and Women’s 11s
PSG and Barcelona players led the 2025 Best FIFA Men’s and Women’s 11s revealed at the awards. Read.
The 2025 Best FIFA Football Awards revealed men’s and women’s Teams of the Year that were shaped by last season’s major club achievements. Paris Saint-Germain’s Champions League winners featured heavily in the men’s selection, while Barcelona and Spain supplied the bulk of the women’s eleven.
Gianluigi Donnarumma, who may have since moved on to Manchester City, was included after a season in which he was instrumental in PSG’s triumphs. The PSG presence continued with Achraf Hakimi, Willian Pacho and Nuno Mendes in defence and Vitinha in midfield. The forward line included 2025 Best FIFA Men’s Player Ousmane Dembélé alongside Lamine Yamal, with Pedri also voted into the XI. Liverpool centre back Virgil van Dijk was recognised for his role in the Reds winning the Premier League title, and English midfielders Cole Palmer and Jude Bellingham completed the midfield mix.
The full men’s XI named at the ceremony was: Gianluigi Donnarumma; Achraf Hakimi, Willian Pacho, Virgil van Dijk, Nuno Mendes; Cole Palmer, Jude Bellingham, Vitinha; Pedri, Lamine Yamal, Ousmane Dembélé.
On the women’s side, Spain and Barcelona dominated the selection, with four players from England’s Lionesses included after retaining their European Championship title. Aitana Bonmatí, voted Best FIFA Women’s Player for the third successive year, led a Barcelona contingent that also included Alexia Putellas, Patri Guijarro, Clàudia Pina, Irene Paredes and Ona Batlle.
Arsenal’s Mariona Caldentey, who left Barcelona for the Gunners in 2024 and helped steer Arsenal to Champions League glory, was named in the lineup despite debate over individual awards. The women’s XI was completed by Hannah Hampton, Lucy Bronze, Leah Williamson and Alessia Russo.
Both teams reflect the season’s balance of club and international success as recognised by the 2025 awards.
Barcelona
Explainer: How the 2025 Best FIFA Football Awards Voting Works
How the 2025 Best FIFA Awards winners are chosen: voters, points and the leading nominees. on Dec. 16
The 2025 Best FIFA Football Awards will be decided at a ceremony in Qatar on Tuesday, Dec. 16 at Fairmont Katara Hall. A long list of nominees will be reduced to a handful of winners that evening, with the selection process shared between national team representatives, media and registered fans.
Four major parties vote for each award: managers, captains, journalists and fans. Each sector comprises 25% of the total tally that will determine which players end the night with a new piece of silverware. The managers and captains of all 211 FIFA Member Associations’ men’s national teams will vote for their outstanding three candidates for each of the three men’s awards: Best FIFA Men’s Player, Best FIFA Men’s Coach and Best FIFA Men’s Goalkeeper. Similarly, the managers and captains of all 211 FIFA Member Associations’ women’s national teams will cast their votes for their top three candidates for each of the three women’s awards: Best FIFA Women’s Player, Best FIFA Women’s Coach and Best FIFA Women’s Goalkeeper.
The other 50% of the votes come from various media representatives and the general public. FIFA allows a select number of journalists who cover the men’s and women’s games to have their say in choosing the ceremony’s award winners. Unlike the Ballon d’Or voting, fans who registered at FIFA.com before the deadline were able to cast their votes for each award.
Players receive a set number of points based on where each voter ranks them in their top three. The nominee with the most points across all four voting groups will be crowned the winner of each respective award.
Nominees highlighted among the frontrunners include Paris Saint-Germain forward Ousmane Dembélé and Barcelona teenager Lamine Yamal for the men’s prize, with Dembélé said to hold a slight edge after helping deliver PSG’s first-ever Champions League trophy in 2024–25. In the women’s race, Bonmatí and Mariona Caldentey — the winner and runner-up of the 2025 Ballon d’Or Féminin respectively — lead the field. If Bonmatí wins, she would break her tie with teammate Putellas to become the first player in history to win the Best FIFA Women’s Player award three times.
Captains and managers may vote for nominees from their own countries, but nominated captains and managers are not allowed to vote for themselves.
Bayern Munich
Konaté’s Next Move After Real Madrid Exit: Bayern and PSG in Focus
Real Madrid have reportedly withdrawn interest in Ibrahima Konaté while Bayern and PSG circle soon.
Ibrahima Konaté has seen his reputation suffer markedly over the past year. Once the subject of strong interest from Real Madrid, who were reportedly set to replicate the Trent Alexander-Arnold trick by signing the Liverpool defender on a free transfer next summer when his contract expires, Madrid have now pulled out of the race.
The 26-year-old’s recent form has been described as largely dismal, with only a smattering of competent displays. Amid Liverpool’s ongoing disaster this season, he has been identified among those most culpable. Transfer talk appears to have distracted him and his future at Anfield is uncertain.
Two destinations emerge as the most likely options given the facts publicly reported.
Bayern Munich remain a plausible suitor. The Bundesliga champions have already taken Luis Díaz from Liverpool and that summer signing has settled in well in Bavaria. Bayern were tentatively linked with Konaté while Real Madrid showed interest. The attraction of acquiring a centre back approaching his peak years on a free transfer would be obvious. Whether Bayern need another central defender is debatable. Their current options include Dayot Upamecano, Hiroki Ito, Jonathan Tah and Kim Min-jae, while Josip Stanišić can operate in the position. Upamecano has been linked with a Bayern exit amid interest from Paris Saint-Germain and Madrid, a development that could intensify Bayern’s focus on Konaté if the French centre back departs.
A return to France also makes sense. Paris-born Konaté has been linked with Paris Saint-Germain, the club that would be unlikely to struggle with any salary demands. He spent time in his youth with Paris FC and brings Champions League, Premier League and major international experience. PSG are well stocked at centre back after signing Illia Zabarnyi from Bournemouth for just under £55 million ($72.8 million) last summer alongside Marquinhos, Willian Pacho, Lucas Hernández and Lucas Beraldo. Whether Luis Enrique’s squad needs another centre back is uncertain, but PSG appear the most probable suitor if Konaté leaves Liverpool.
For now Konaté remains under contract and the coming months will determine whether either Bayern or PSG move to capitalize on a situation that began with Real Madrid’s withdrawal.
United Preparing Major Midfield Overhaul with Goretzka Among Targets
Salah becomes first player with 152 goal contributions at one Premier League stadium
