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CHAMPIONS LEAGUE

Ballon D’or: Legends Who Never Won Football’s Greatest Prize

The Names Are Like A Who’s Who Of Footballing Greats: Neymar, Kylian Mbappe, Robert Lewandowski, Thierry Henry, Dennis Bergkamp, Andres Iniesta, David Beckham.

They’ve All Had Glittering Careers And Won Countless Trophies, But There’s Something Else They All Have In Common – None Of Them Has Won The Men’s Ballon D’or.

The Prestigious Annual Award Has Been Handed Out Since 1956 When Two French Sportswriters Wanted To Recognize The World’s Best Talent. At First It Only Included European Footballers, But Now It Is Open To Players From Across The Globe.

A Period Of Domination Started In 2008 As Cristiano Ronaldo And Lionel Messi Battled It Out For The Number One Spot. In The Decade That Followed, No-One Else Got A Look-In As The Two Greatest Players On The Planet Shared The Top Prize. But Which Big Names Are Conspicuously Absent From The List Of Winners?


Dennis Bergkamp – Arsenal’s Dutch Maestro Who Redefined Elegance

Dennis Bergkamp Is Justifiably Regarded As One Of The Greatest Players Of His Generation, Yet The Ballon D’or Eluded Him. After Joining Arsenal From Inter Milan In 1995, Bergkamp Won Three League Titles, Including The Famous Invincibles Campaign, And Three FA Cups. Despite His Iconic Goals For Both Club And Country, His Only Top-Three Ballon D’or Finishes Came Before His Arsenal Glory Days – Third In 1992 And Second In 1993.
Arsenal news: Gunners legend Dennis Bergkamp 'hurts' at current state of the club | Goal.com Nigeria


Thierry Henry – Arsenal’s Record-Breaking Icon

Another Arsenal Legend, Thierry Henry, Remains Arsenal’s All-Time Top Scorer With 228 Goals In 377 Matches. Known For His Blistering Pace And Technical Brilliance, Henry Twice Finished In The Ballon D’or Top Three. Despite His Dominance In The Premier League, He Never Claimed Football’s Biggest Individual Award.
Thierry Henry and Arsenal team-mate Dennis Bergkamp


Neymar – Brazil’s Record Goal Scorer

Neymar Has Over 400 Career Goals And Is One Of Only Five Players To Score 100 Goals With Three Different Clubs – Santos, Barcelona, And PSG. Despite A World Record £200M Transfer To PSG, Neymar Could Not Convince Ballon D’or Voters To Crown Him The Best In The World.
Neymar: Barcelona forward signs contract to stay until 2021 - BBC Sport


Kylian Mbappe – The Modern Day Phenomenon

Lightning Fast And Clinical, Kylian Mbappe Announced Himself On The Global Stage By Scoring In The 2018 World Cup Final As A Teenager. He Became Ligue 1’s Top Scorer In Six Consecutive Seasons With PSG Before Smashing Records At Real Madrid. Already A Runner-Up For The Ballon D’or, Mbappe Still Has Time To Add His Name To The Winner’s List.
Kylian Mbappe scores 50th Real Madrid goal - BBC Sport


Robert Lewandowski – The Goal Machine Denied By Covid

Robert Lewandowski’s Golden Moment Came In 2020 When He Scored 55 Goals In All Competitions For Bayern Munich. Many Believe He Would Have Won The Ballon D’or That Year, But The Award Was Cancelled Due To The Covid Pandemic. He Later Finished Runner-Up Behind Lionel Messi.
FC Barcelona: Robert Lewandowski opens the door to a departure! - Foot Africa


Erling Haaland – The Future Contender

Erling Haaland’s Goalscoring Record At Manchester City And In The Champions League Is Nothing Short Of Astonishing. He Became The Fastest Player To Reach 50 Champions League Goals. Already A Runner-Up For The Ballon D’or, His Consistency Suggests He Will Remain A Top Contender For Years.
James Gill - Danehouse/Getty Images


Andres Iniesta – The Midfield Genius Without A Crown

Andres Iniesta Won 32 Trophies With Barcelona, Including Four Champions League Titles, And Scored Spain’s Winning Goal In The 2010 World Cup Final. Despite Finishing Second In 2010 And Third In 2012, He Never Won The Ballon D’or. Many Believe Messi And Ronaldo’s Dominance Cost Him The Award He Deserved.
Etsuo Hara/Getty Images


British Players And The Ballon D’or

The Last British Winner Was Michael Owen In 2001. Since Then, Few Have Come Close, With Frank Lampard (2005), Steven Gerrard (2005), And Jude Bellingham (2024) Earning Top-Three Spots. The Long Wait Continues For Another British Superstar To Win Football’s Most Prestigious Prize.


Conclusion

The Ballon D’or Is The Pinnacle Of Individual Recognition In Football, But Even Legends Like Henry, Bergkamp, Neymar, Lewandowski, Mbappe, Iniesta, And Haaland Have Missed Out. Their Stories Prove That While The Award Is Prestigious, True Greatness Is Not Defined By A Trophy Alone.

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CHAMPIONS LEAGUE

Champions League Top Scorers 2025-26: Mbappe, Haaland, Osimhen Lead The Golden Boot Race

Champions League Top Scorers 2025-26: The Battle For Europe’s Most Ruthless Finisher

The race for the 2025-26 Champions League Golden Boot is shaping up into another heavyweight shootout, with Europe’s most lethal forwards firing at full throttle.

Last season, the scoring chart exploded as Raphinha and Serhou Guirassy both finished with 13 goals, one of the highest tallies in modern UCL history. It was a reminder that Europe’s attackers aren’t just competing — they’re breaking barriers.

Now, the 2025-26 campaign is delivering more fireworks as big names like Kylian Mbappe, Victor Osimhen, Erling Haaland, and Harry Kane battle for the crown.

Below is the updated top scorer ranking after matches played on Wednesday, November 26.


UEFA Champions League Top Goal Scorers 2025-26

Updated After Matches Played On November 26

Rank Player Club Goals
1 Kylian Mbappe Real Madrid 9
2 Victor Osimhen Galatasaray 6
3 Harry Kane Bayern Munich 5
=3 Erling Haaland Manchester City 5
5 Anthony Gordon Newcastle United 4
=5 Harvey Barnes Newcastle United 4
=5 Marcus Rashford Barcelona 4
=5 Gabriel Martinelli Arsenal 4
=5 Vitinha PSG 4
=5 Lautaro Martinez Inter Milan 4

At the moment, Mbappe is setting the pace with nine goals as Real Madrid push for another deep run in Europe. Right behind him is Victor Osimhen, whose red-hot form at Galatasaray has shocked the continent.

Meanwhile, serial scorers Haaland and Kane remain firmly in the race, proving yet again why they are two of the most reliable forwards in world football.


Who Won Last Season’s Champions League Golden Boot?

The 2024-25 Golden Boot ended in dramatic fashion — and with two winners.

Both Serhou Guirassy (Borussia Dortmund) and Raphinha (Barcelona) finished tied on 13 goals, with UEFA refusing to use tie-breakers such as assists or minutes played.

The result?
A shared Golden Boot, and a season remembered for its goal-scoring chaos.


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CHAMPIONS LEAGUE

Hansi Flick Defends Lamine Yamal After Chelsea Clash And Calls For Teen Star To Step Up

Lamine Yamal looking frustrated during Barcelona’s Champions League defeat to Chelsea.

Flick Backs Yamal After A Rough Night In London

Barcelona’s Champions League setback at Stamford Bridge has dominated headlines, and one storyline took center stage — Lamine Yamal vs Marc Cucurella. The 18-year-old starlet struggled to break free from Cucurella, whom Hansi Flick boldly labelled “one of the best full-backs in the world.”

Despite the tough showing and the teenager’s visible frustration when he was subbed off late in the match, Flick stepped in with both support and a challenge.

“Lamine is fine. Many players aren’t happy when we substitute them,” Flick said. “Cucurella is one of the best in the world… but now it’s Lamine’s turn to step up.”

A firm hand. A soft landing. Classic Flick.


Barcelona Need A Reaction After The Chelsea Collapse

Barca’s 3-0 loss featured an own goal from Jules Kounde and clinical finishes from Estevao and Liam Delap. The defeat leaves Barcelona sitting in the playoff zone of their group instead of the automatic qualification spots — not exactly the Blaugrana standard.

Flick admitted it was “tough” and the team was “feeling down,” but he pushed back against the idea that the defence alone should carry the blame.

Barcelona’s high line makes headlines every season, but Flick made the tactical demand crystal clear:

“It’s not just the defenders. If we don’t all press effectively, we’ll have problems.”

Translation?
If one gear misses, the whole Barca machine stutters.


Injury Updates: More Problems, Some Solutions

Ahead of the weekend clash against Alaves, Barcelona’s squad news is mixed:

Ronald Araujo

Out with a stomach virus — and coming off a red card vs Chelsea.

Fermin Lopez

Experiencing discomfort after the Chelsea match. Flick joked that sometimes even “new boots with new monthly colors” can cause issues.

✔️ Pedri

Expected to return in the second half.
Barcelona fans exhaled collectively.

✔️ Marc Bernal

Will get minutes after recovering from injury.

✔️ Andreas Christensen In Midfield?

Yes — Flick is seriously considering it alongside Eric Garcia.

✔️ Raphinha

Flick says he’s “one of the most focused players” and admits he has missed the Brazilian’s spark.


Spotlight: Yamal Must Answer The Call

Cucurella may have won the duel at Stamford Bridge, but Flick’s message is clear:

This is not about one bad night.
It is about how the young star responds.

Barcelona need energy, leadership, and bravery — and Flick believes Yamal can provide it.

For an 18-year-old carrying expectations this huge, the next match will be more than just another LaLiga fixture.
It’s a character exam.


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Ballon d’Or

Thomas Frank Backs Vitinha For Ballon d’Or After Spurs’ 5-3 Thriller Loss To PSG

Tottenham gave Paris Saint-Germain a real scare in Paris but ultimately fell 5-3 in a thrilling Champions League clash. Spurs twice led the defending champions, but a stunning second-half display from PSG, led by Vitinha, proved decisive.

Despite the defeat, Tottenham boss Thomas Frank praised his side’s performance, highlighting their grit, personality, and aggressiveness. “I’m pleased with the performance. It was the reaction I wanted from the players, from the team. Much more character, personality, aggressiveness… Today we saw it, and I’m pleased with that,” Frank told reporters.

Frank also reserved high praise for PSG midfielder Vitinha, who scored a hat-trick and finished third in this year’s Ballon d’Or. “When we played against a decent team where they have one Ballon d’Or winner and I think the next one is playing in midfield… Vitinha. Wow, what a player,” said Frank. “Vitinha is the best midfielder in the world. He will be the next Ballon d’Or winner.”

The match saw Tottenham showing signs of life after their 4-1 drubbing by Arsenal, with strikers scoring two goals and promising performances from Archie Gray and Lucas Bergvall. Midfielder Gray reflected positively on the game, noting that Spurs faced “probably the best team in Europe at the moment” and that there were valuable lessons to take forward.

While Spurs now face back-to-back heavy defeats, Frank’s words underline that the team’s identity and fighting spirit remain intact. For Tottenham fans, there are positives to build on even in defeat, and lessons from facing Europe’s elite could prove invaluable.

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