Luis Enrique may well be pleased that the discussions surrounding the Ballon d’Or are now over, but he is nonetheless keen to share his views on the subject. When asked at a press conference about the importance Vitinha (26) has come to hold within the Paris Saint-Germain squad, the Asturian manager was full of praise for the Portuguese player… before expressing regret at his position in the 2026 table.

“What Vitinha brings is so different. It’s a real pleasure to have a player with such physical abilities and that mentality. He’s still looking to improve; he’s at an incredible level,” explained Enrique on the sidelines of PSG’s away match at Le Havre on Friday, as part of the ninth round of Ligue 1 fixtures.

The Spaniard concluded: “In the Ballon d’Or rankings, he isn’t where he deserves to be.” Having finished third in the 2025 edition – which saw his team-mate Ousmane Dembélé (29) win the coveted award – Vitinha finished 14th in the rankings this season, despite another outstanding campaign punctuated by several titles, including a second consecutive Champions League triumph.