Mesut Ozil has drawn a striking comparison between his iconic link-up with Cristiano Ronaldo and the budding partnership between Arda Guler and Kylian Mbappe. The young Turk impressed with a goal and an assist in the Madrid derby, sparking hope for a bright future despite Real Madrid's 5-2 defeat to Atletico Madrid.
Liverpool weren't the only European team to lose their 100 percent record this weekend. Over in Italy, Napoli slipped to second in the Serie A table after being beaten 2-1 by a Christian Pulisici-inspired AC Milan at San Siro.
Kylian Mbappe was seen storming down the tunnel after Real Madrid suffered a shock thumping at the hands of city rivals Atletico Madrid. The Frenchman did not wish to shake hands with his opponents, nor clap Los Blancos' travelling fans, opting to make a beeline straight to the dressing room. Keen to avoid interacting with anyone, Mbappe was visibly unhappy with the performance and result.
Kylian Mbappe was hiding in the background while Xabi Alonso soliloquised. It was just after the opening game of the Champions League group phase. Mbappe had pieced together a remarkable Blancos rescue act, scoring twice to overturn a 1-0 deficit (and he might have had one or two more.) Alonso was singing his praises. He hailed Mbappe's "incredible impact", and promised that they were "just getting started.” And then, as he realised Mbappe was in the room - just out of the shot - he tailed off.
Lamine Yamal won his second consecutive Kopa Trophy on Monday night, while at the same time finishing as runner up in the men's Ballon d'Or vote to Ousmane Dembele. This is not normal, of course. The kid is still only 18, which makes us think that we're witnessing the dawning of a new era of domination by a single player.
Ousmane Dembele’s Ballon d’Or triumph has attracted many deliberations, with Serge Gnabry admitting he feels “a little bit vindicated” after previously declaring the Paris Saint-Germain star was “much better” than Kylian Mbappe. The Bayern Munich winger praised Dembele’s rare two-footed ability, while also acknowledging the Real Madrid forward's world-class pedigree.
The Real Madrid attack hummed on Tuesday evening, as Kylian Mbappe bagged a brace and Vinicius Jr also scored to lift Los Blancos to a comfortable 4-1 win over Levante. Xabi Alonso's men have now won six out of six in the Spanish top flight.
Former Real Madrid footballer Alvaro Benito provided his thoughts on the 2025 Ballon d'Or ceremony, which saw Ousmane Dembele being crowned as the best player in the world, ahead of rival Lamine Yamal. While Benito admitted that the PSG forward deserved the award, he was unhappy about where Pedri finished in the rankings and was brutally critical of the journalists who vote.
Lionel Messi is in line for more Ballon d’Or recognition after seeing Inter Miami nominated for a new award. Paris Saint-Germain superstar Ousmane Dembele walked away with the Golden Ball in 2025, with the one-time Barcelona team-mate of Argentine icon Messi being named the best player on the planet. Several other prestigious prizes have been handed out.
Ousmane Dembele was presented with the Ballon d'Or for 2025 at a typically lavish ceremony in Paris on Monday night, capping a remarkable redemption at Paris Saint-Germain for a player regarded by Barcelona fans as one of the worst signings in the club's history.
It is the year 2025 and Ousmane Dembele is a Ballon d'Or winner. It's a reality that might require a little getting used to, as the Paris Saint-Germain superstar's path to this point has been far from smooth, but it is a fitting end point nonetheless.
The Ballon d'Or. Love it or loathe it, it's the award every footballer in the world dreams of one day winning. And now, after a memorable 2024-25 campaign, the winner of the 2025 Golden Ball has been announced: Ousmane Dembele.
Barcelona wonderkid Lamine Yamal has been named “Golden Ball” winner by CIES Football Observatory, with Real Madrid superstar Kylian Mbappe claiming the runner-up spot. There is no place in the top five for Paris Saint-Germain forward Ousmane Dembele despite the World Cup-winning France international being favourite to land the coveted Ballon d’Or in 2025.
The latest round of action across Europe's elite leagues saw Bayern Munich, Real Madrid and Porto maintain their winning starts to the 2025-26 season. However, while everyone expects Bayern to run away with the Bundesliga, Barca are hot on the heels of Madrid in La Liga, while Porto are presently processing the news that the most famous manager in the club's history has just taken charge of their hated rivals Benfica.
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