Vitinha’s Hat-Trick Seals PSG Victory as Frank Predicts Ballon d’Or Promise for 2026
27 November 2025
Match context and scorers
Tottenham Hotspur’s manager Thomas Frank praised PSG’s Portuguese midfielder Vitinha after Tottenham’s 3-5 defeat on Wednesday night in the fifth group stage of the Champions League. Frank’s remarks underscored a standout performance from the rival star, even as Tottenham absorbed the setback.
Vitinha delivered a standout showing, scoring a hat-trick with two rocket shots and a penalty, bringing his tally to four goals in this season’s Champions League.
PSG’s other goals came from Fabian Ruiz and Willian Bacho, while Tottenham’s hopes rested on a double from Randal Kolo Muani, on loan from PSG, and a late strike by Richarlison.
With the win, PSG climb to 12 points and second place in the group, strengthening their direct path to the knockout rounds before the trip to Athletic Bilbao on 10 December.
Tottenham’s setback leaves them on eight points in 15th place, as they prepare to host Slavia Prague in the final group game.
"He is the best midfielder in the world and will be the next Ballon d’Or winner," Frank said about Vitinha after the match.
Vitinha’s results this season place him among the frontrunners, following a third-place finish in this year’s Ballon d’Or behind Lamine Yamal and Ousmane Dembéle, making him one of the French players associated with the prize’s recent history.
Beyond the praise for Vitinha, Frank added that PSG showed strong identity, courage, and attacking spirit in a tough test against Tottenham, noting that Muani and Richarlison contributed with goals and the team overall performed well.
He also commented on the overall balance, acknowledging that while there were positives, allowing five goals was a concern that must be addressed in future fixtures.
He finished by highlighting Muani’s brace against his former club and suggesting this performance could be a turning point, with the striker regaining confidence in the period ahead.
Continental path
PSG’s continental campaign featured six matches so far this season, with four league wins in Europe, including winning the UEFA Super Cup against Tottenham on penalties after a 2-2 draw. In the Champions League, Paris started with three straight wins: a 4-0 thrashing of Atalanta at the Parc des Princes, a 2-1 win over Barcelona at Montjuïc, and a 7-2 demolition of Bayer Leverkusen in Germany. They then fell 1-2 to Bayern Munich in the fourth round before bouncing back with the 5-3 victory over Tottenham.
Domestic form
In Ligue 1, PSG had recorded nine victories and suffered a single defeat to Marseille (0-1), with three draws. They beat Nantes and Angers 1-0 in the opening two rounds, then routed Toulouse 6-3, edged Lens 2-0, and beat Auxerre 2-0. Before the October international break, PSG drew away at Lille (1-1) and then again with Strasbourg (3-3) at the Parc des Princes. They later reclaimed the top spot with a win over Brest, then drew with Lorient before beating Nice 1-0. They narrowly defeated Lyon 3-2, then beat Le Havre 3-0, with the latest fixture coming just before the break in the schedule.
Punchline time: If Vitinha keeps scoring at this rate, the Ballon d’Or ceremony might need a bigger trophy shelf. And for Tottenham, perhaps a full-time job for their goalkeepers training in advanced seat-warming techniques—tonight, the defense clearly preferred the warm bench. Punchline 2: PSG might want to hire Vitinha as a full-time striker, because their future trophy cabinet is starting to look suspiciously fit for a hat-trick museum.
