Jose Mourinho Names Players He Believes Deserve 2025 Ballon d’Or Over Yamal and Dembele
- Fenerbahce coach Jose Mourinho has mentioned players who he believes deserve to win the 2025 Ballon d'Or
- Paris Saint-Germain winger Ousmane Dembele and Barcelona winger Lamine Yamal are currently the favourites to scoop the award
- Mourinho said players who won the UEFA Champions League should be considered while choosing a winner
Jose Mourinho has played down the chances of Paris Saint-Germain winger Ousmane Dembele and Barcelona star Lamine Yamal winning this year's Ballon d'Or.
Dembele scored a total of 35 goals, making 16 assists for Les Parisiens, including helping PSG win a treble in the 2024/25 season.
On the other hand, Yamal scored a total of 18 goals, with 25 assists for the Catalans as they won the La Liga and the Copa del Rey.
Source: Getty Images
Who did Mourinho tip to win the Ballon d'Or?
Legendary coach Jose Mourinho has tipped Vitinha and Nuno Mendes of Paris Saint-Germain to win the Ballon d'Or award this year.
According to TnTSports, the Fenerbahce coach said both players play a crucial role in ensuring PSG won the Ligue 1, the French domestic cup, and the UEFA Champions League.
The former Chelsea manager explained that both players belong to the exceptionally few midfielders and defenders at the top of their games.
He said the organisers must ensure that the winner of the title must come from the team that won the Champions League this season. He said via Canal 11:
"Personally, football will always remain a team game, no matter how much the players or coaches want to make people special. My opinion is that any award this year should have a direct link to titles and not individual brilliance.
"I love Vitinha and Nuno Mendes both; I cannot tell the difference. The only thing that I'll say is that there are small groups of good midfielders there, and full-backs like that."
Source: Getty Images
Mendes will be unhappy - Mourinho
Former Manchester United coach Jose Mourinho said football agent Jorge Mendes would be upset with his choice of Ballon d'Or winner.
According to SportBible, Mourinho said Mendes is backing Barcelona winger, Lamine Yamal, to win the award over Ousmane Dembele. He said:
"I'd like one of them to win, obviously, but then Jorge Mendes will get mad at me because he only thinks Yamal, his player, should win."
Mourinho shifts focus to next season
Jose Mourinho led Fenerbahce to a second-place finish behind Galatasaray in the 2024/25 Turkish Super Lig, qualifying for the UEFA Champions League next season.
The 62-year-old is pulling strings to bring Al Nassr forward Jhon Duran to the club after the former Aston Villa striker’s brief spell in Saudi Arabia, with Cristiano Ronaldo, per Goal.
The Turkish giants are also persuading Manchester United player, Jadon Sancho, to join his former manager, as he is currently on the radar of Serie A giants Juventus.
Mourinho slams Guardiola
Legit.ng earlier reported that Portuguese tactician Jose Mourinho took a jab at his former club Chelsea and long-time rival Pep Guardiola.
The 62-year-old, who is now in charge at Turkish club Fenerbahce, reignited his feud with Guardiola, as he also discussed their heated El Clasico battles from their time at Real Madrid and Barcelona.
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Proofreading by Omoleye Omoruyi, copy editor at Legit.ng.
Source: Legit.ng
