supremacy titled and eyed by the most remarkable players each season.
(The Post News)- The UEFA Nations League match between France vs Spain will bring back memories of the Euros and feature an exciting head-to-head matchup between Lamine Yamal and Ousmane Dembele, two of the leading candidates for the Ballon d’Or in 2025. The expression “if I had to give the Ballon d’Or to someone…” has gained popularity recently, with most discussions focusing on just two candidates: Ousmane Dembele and Lamine Yamal.
Although candidates like Raphinha and others have compelling arguments, players, coaches, journalists, and other well-known football voices have all voiced their opinions, and these two are the ones who are most frequently discussed. Additionally, with the Club World Cup still to come, Kylian Mbappe is still in the running.
Regarding the award, this may be one of the most contentious years ever, but the winner won’t be revealed until September 22. Every face-to-face interaction between candidates becomes a fantastic chance to make an impression, and there is still the end of spring and the entire summer to influence thoughts. That might be provided by Wednesday’s Spain vs. France semi-final in Stuttgart.
With an incredible 56 goal contributions this season, Raphinha may be the most productive player statistically in Europe, but Lamine Yamal is now the main focus. Under Hansi Flick, the 17-year-old has been outstanding in the last few games of the season, propelling Barcelona ahead with crucial goals and situations. It is astounding what he has accomplished for his age.
In contrast, Dembele had a more subdued season debut before exploding into form in 2025. He thrived in PSG’s fluid system as a free agent. He topped the scoring records for months among players in the top five leagues in Europe before Mbappe, who won the Golden Shoe, finally overtook him. With 29 goals so far this year, the Frenchman is closely behind Dembele, who has 26. In PSG’s victory over Inter in the Champions League final, two assists provided the perfect finishing touch.
With a treble-winning season, 33 goals and 14 assists in 49 PSG games, plus two more goals with France, the Vernon native is well-positioned to win the Ballon d’Or. He might receive a significant boost from the Nations League. Under Luis Enrique, Dembele has scored 49 goals this season and appears to be a different player.
However, Lamine Yamal might not have had the same opportunities if he had stayed in Barcelona. And that’s where the child from Rocafonda excels. His screamer against France during the Euros last summer served as his public debut and was a testament to his fearless nature. With 18 goals and 21 assists this season, he has made a name for himself as a direct goal scorer. If you include one goal and one assist with the Spanish national team, that comes to 39 for Barcelona or 41. In addition, he has won the Spanish Super Cup, Copa del Rey, and La Liga.
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