The average Vitinha was 14th in the edition 2025/26 of the Golden Ball, which distinguishes the best footballer of the season and did not have Portuguese in the top 10, announced today the organization of the award awarded by France Football magazine.
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26/10/2026
by
Lusa
O vitinha was 14th in the edition 2025/26 of the Golden Ball, which distinguishes the best footballer of the season and did not have Portuguese in the top 10, announced today the organization of the award awarded by France Football magazine.
Third placer of the most prestigious individual award of the sport in 2024/25, Vitinha was two European champion and French penta-champion at the service of Paris Saint-Germain last season, besides having won the Domestic and European Super Cup and Intercontinental Cup.
The average, 26 years old, joined the ideal team of the Champions League, in which he was elected best player of the final, won by the Parisians against the English of the Arsenal in the tie for penaltis, in Budapest, Hungary.
Vitinha now returns to be the best quoted Portuguese in the Golden Ball, which integrated four Portuguese in the 30 nominees and saw João Neves, also the centercamper of Paris Saint-Germain, repeat the 19th position of 2024/25.
The team of the two European champions is also part of the left defense Nuno Mendes, which was 23rd placed, a year after finishing the top 10 edition 2024/25, won by teammate Ousmane Dembélé.
The middle Bruno Fernandes, from Manchester United, was in the 27th place, following a time when he was elected best player of the English League and broke the record of assists in the history of the competition, and represented Portugal's main selection in the final phase of the World Cup2026.
Nuno Mendes, João Neves and Vitinha, with the Portuguese, holders of the League of Nations, were removed in the eighth finals by Spain, European champion and future winner of the world title.
Portugal was not without representation in the top 10 of the Golden Ball since 2023/24 and remains with 13 international ‘AA’ to reach this level, in a lot led by Cristiano Ronaldo (14 presences), captain of the Portuguese team and five times winner of the award (2008, 2013, 2014, 2016 and 2017).
Behind Ronaldo, which is only surpassed in successes by the record of eight of the Argentine Lionel Messi, are Eusébio (eight), distinguished in 1965, and Luís Figo (three), victorious in 2000, while Bernardo Silva reached the top 10 on two occasions, against one of José Águas, José Torres, Fernando Chalana, Paulo Futre, Ricardo Carvalho, Deco, Pepe, Nuno Mendes and Vitinha.
Portugal had two footballers at this level in five editions, in 1966, the year of the best Portuguese participation ever in Mundiais, with third place, 2004, when FC Porto was European champion and Portugal lost the final of Euro2004 as host, 2016, with the unprecedented continental trophy of selections, 2019, after the first success in the League of Nations, and 2024/25.
The ceremony to deliver the 70th Golden Ball is held today in London, London Palladium, and for the first time outside Paris, winning the best male and female footballers of the time, among other awards awarded by France Football, together with UEFA.