Tottenham Hotspur manager Thomas Frank didn’t hold back after watching his side fall 5-3 to Paris Saint-Germain in a chaotic Champions League clash on Wednesday; the Spurs boss boldly claimed, as reported by Fabrizio Romano via his official X account, that PSG midfielder Vitinha is the next Ballon d’Or winner, praising the Portuguese star for what he called a complete, almost outrageous midfield performance.
He said:
Thomas Frank: The next Ballon d’Or winner will be again from PSG. It will be Vitinha. The best midfielder in the world, and he’ll be the next Ballon d’Or winner. Wow, what a player.
SoftFootball understands that Vitinha, who has been attracting growing transfer interest from several top European clubs, has quietly become one of the most in-form midfielders of the season for Paris Saint-Germain. His performances have been consistent and energetic, making him stand out in a star-studded squad.
Although PSG has no intention of letting him go anytime soon, the level of interest he’s drawing shows just how much his stock has risen in such a short time.
The numbers back up the hype. Vitinha has been one of PSG’s most consistent performers this season. Against Spurs alone, he delivered five shots and 87 accurate passes and also scored a hat trick, stats that paint the picture of a midfielder who never stops moving and rarely wastes a touch.
His rise isn’t coming out of nowhere either. Vitinha finished third in the 2025 Ballon d’Or standings, behind winner Ousmane Dembélé and Barcelona’s teenage sensation Lamine Yamal, making him the highest-ranked midfielder in the world last year.
Under Luis Enrique, Vitinha has grown from a tidy possession player into a genuine match-winner. Combine that with his performance for Portugal, helping the team secure World Cup qualification, and Frank’s bold prediction doesn’t sound so wild. If his form keeps climbing like this, the 2026 Ballon d’Or conversation might just start and end with his name.
