Nuno Mendes, the 23-year-old left-back for Paris Saint-Germain and Portugal, spoke to RTP after his national team’s 2–2 draw against Hungary on Tuesday night. He was notably asked about the 2025 Ballon d’Or won by his PSG teammate Ousmane Dembélé (28), while Mendes himself finished in 10th place.
Nuno Mendes: “That’s what matters most to me right now.”
“The player who won it deserved it. Ousmane Dembélé had a very good season with us — a season that brought us a lot. I don’t focus too much on that kind of thing. For now, I’m concentrating on my own development and improving my game, both defensively and offensively. That’s what matters most to me right now.”
It’s refreshing to see this kind of mindset from Nuno Mendes, who avoids any potential controversy. There’s a winner, and there’s no point in questioning whether it was fair or not. As the Portuguese defender rightly points out, there’s little reason to dwell on individual awards.
What truly matters is what happens during the season, with both club and country. Mendes doesn’t want to lose focus — he knows he still has plenty to achieve and many titles to chase. Staying grounded and driven remains his top priority.
