Stuttgart is the place to decide the Golden Ball

Dembele is a candidate for the Ballon d'Or.

Stuttgart - where Spain and France meet in the Nations League semi-finals - is not only the meeting place to determine the next name to appear in the final in Munich. For Lamine Yamal and Ousmane Dembele, it is also the stage for a potential duel: the battle for the most prestigious individual award in world football - the Ballon d'Or.

The race is relentless

Exactly one year ago, Luis de la Fuente led “La Roja” to overcome the French team in the Euro 2024 semi-finals - a milestone marking the strong return of Spain on the European football map. In the early morning of June 6, they met again, and in addition to the Nations League trophy, both teams have another quiet goal: to strengthen the profile of their stars in the race for the Golden Ball.

Dembele - with a successful season with PSG, winning the Champions League - is considered one of the top candidates for this year's individual award. He has affirmed himself as an indispensable factor in the "Les Bleus" squad, bringing speed, technique and clear influence in big matches.

On the other side, Yamal - the teenage star of Barcelona and the Spanish national team - had an explosive season. Although he could not win the Champions League with his club, the 17-year-old football "prodigy" still made a strong impression when he won the treble (La Liga, King's Cup, Super Cup) and was a pillar in the national team's journey to the Nations League semi-finals.

Dembele had a very successful year.

Dembele has played 49 games, scored 33 goals and assisted 15 - impressive numbers. Meanwhile, Yamal has played 55 games, contributed 18 goals and 25 assists - an impressive performance for a player who is only 17 years old. However, football is not just about statistics. The decisive goals, the explosive moments in big matches - that is what helps a player score points with the Ballon d'Or votes.

So Stuttgart could be where the balance tips one way.

Football is a collective game, but the Golden Ball is an individual race.

The Ballon d'Or has always been a paradox of football. In a team sport , the individual accolade has become the ultimate goal that every player aspires to. It carries prestige, global recognition, and a host of financial benefits - from contract terms to commercial image.

Therefore, although no one admits it publicly, every match at the end of the season - especially in international tournaments - is an opportunity for stars to prove themselves before the anonymous votes from journalists, coaches and captains of national teams.

Mbappe, the Golden Boot winner, is not out of the woods yet. If he has a breakout performance at the upcoming Club World Cup with Real Madrid, he could well find his way into the race, which currently seems to be leaning towards the two names mentioned above.

Don't forget the emergence of young talent Desire Doue, who is considered the future of the French team. But at this point, the real battle is between Yamal and Dembele - the old and new of Barcelona.

Yamal once modestly shared in an interview with COPE radio: "I don't think about the Ballon d'Or. I just want to play football with joy. If it comes, great, if not, that's okay too. If I had to choose the best player of the year? I would choose myself." A half-joking, half-serious statement - but containing the admirable confidence of a player growing up rapidly amidst the media storm and expectations.

However, Lamine Yamal also played very well.

Dembele, after years of injury and criticism, is having the best season of his career. His resurgence is proof that class speaks for itself at the right time. Overcoming Yamal today – if accompanied by a strong performance – could be the turning point that cements his place in the Ballon d'Or voting.

Luis de la Fuente and Didier Deschamps also reunited after a year. If De la Fuente's Spain was a team of control, flexible pressing and cohesive team play, France was still a team of outstanding individuals, who knew how to decide the fate of a match with just a flash of brilliance.

Spain is on the rise with a new generation, and Yamal is the leader. France still maintains its inherent strength, but cannot hide its dependence on Mbappe or Dembele in key matches. Which team continues to the Munich final could also be the deciding factor in the Ballon d'Or race, because collective achievements are always the "foundation" to honor individuals.

Stuttgart is not only the place to determine the team that reaches the Nations League final, but also the place to shape the situation of the 2025 Ballon d'Or race. Yamal and Dembele - two generations, two personalities, two schools of football - will face off head to head.

No one dares to say for sure who will win, but clearly, whoever wins this match will have an important "vote of confidence" on the way to touching the greatest individual glory in football.

Source: https://znews.vn/stuttgart-la-noi-dinh-doat-qua-bong-vang-post1558446.html