This week saw the fifth matchday of the 2025-2026 Champions League group stage. UEFA then organizes various votes among the fans. Paris Saint-Germain, who won at the Parc des Princes wednesday against Tottenham (5-3), had no player in contention for the Champions League Player of the Year award. The competition was between Serhou Guirassy (28-year-old forward for Borussia Dortmund), Kylian Mbappé (26-year-old forward for Real Madrid), Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (36-year-old forward for Olympique de Marseille), and Vitinha (25-year-old midfielder for PSG). Guirassy won the award.
It wasn’t a huge surprise, even though Vitinha obviously had his say. It’s hard to lose to a four-goal haul, especially against a player with such a high media profile. There’s also the weight of statistics: more goals means a better performance. That’s understandable; Mbappé achieved something remarkable. Which doesn’t diminish Vitinha’s performance, even if he lost out on that honorary title.
