Blaise Matuidi
Blaise Matuidi already has his sights set on the 2026 Ballon d’Or winner.
For the 2025 edition, Vitinha finished in third place for the Ballon d’Or. And after a dazzling display this Wednesday against Tottenham in the Champions League—where he netted a hat-trick—Blaise Matuidi believes that the Portuguese midfielder could claim this individual honor in the future.
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“It feels like he’ll never stop improving. At 25, he hasn’t even reached his prime yet. I don’t see any limits for him. So potentially, just like Luka Modric had a brilliant season and won the Ballon d’Or, Vitinha is capable of doing the same. For a midfielder like him, he’ll naturally rely more on the team around him than a striker would, but he absolutely has what it takes. I don’t think it’s something he dwells on, though. From what I see, Vitinha always puts the team first, he’s focused on collective success. But his qualities speak for themselves. That’s what makes him such a unique player,” the Frenchman told L’Equipe on Friday.
