Neymar Slams Raphinha Ballon d'Or Finish

Neymar publicly criticised the 2025 Ballon d'Or results after the ceremony in Paris, calling Raphinha’s fifth-place finish "too much of a joke" and taking a swipe at France Football on social media. Raphinha finished fifth despite a highly productive season — various reports credit him with roughly 34–38 goals and 22–26 assists in about 57–69 appearances — and he was the Champions League top scorer with 13 goals while helping Barcelona win domestic trophies. The final standings placed Ousmane Dembélé first (after a roughly 35-goal season and PSG’s Champions League success), Lamine Yamal second, Vitinha third and Mohamed Salah fourth. Fans, pundits and former teammates voiced surprise and frustration at Raphinha’s placement, with some Leeds and Barcelona supporters alleging bias. Dembélé becomes PSG’s first Ballon d'Or winner, and attention now turns to the new season.