AFCON 2025
Neymar has strongly criticized the final ranking of the men’s Ballon d’Or, calling Raphinha’s fifth-place finish a “joke.”
Ousmane Dembele won the award after leading Paris Saint-Germain to a Champions League victory, finishing ahead of Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal and his PSG teammate Vitinha.
Despite his ranking, Raphinha had a record-breaking Champions League campaign for Barcelona, contributing 13 goals and eight assists as his team reached the semi-finals.
Replying to a post on Instagram, Neymar directly commented: “Raphinha in 5th is too much of a joke.”
Dembele’s Stellar Season
Dembélé’s victory came after a remarkable transformation at PSG under manager Luis Enrique. He evolved into a complete forward who contributed both defensively and offensively.
Last season, the French international was a key factor in PSG’s Ligue 1 title, scoring 35 goals and providing 14 assists across all competitions, solidifying his status as the top scorer in the league.
