UEFA President Ceferin Names Surprise Pick for 'Best Player of Our Time'

UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin has taken many by surprise after he named one of Europe's most in-form players as "perhaps the best player of our time" at a recent event in Portugal.

Ceferin's comments come just weeks after Ousmane Dembele lifted his first Ballon d'Or trophy following a remarkable season in 2024-25, where he notched 35 goals and 16 assists in all competitions for treble-winners PSG.

Dembele finished top with 1,380 points, ahead of Lamine Yamal (1,059), Vitinha (703), Mohamed Salah (657) and Raphinha (620).

Achraf Hakimi featured in the top 10 alongside Kylian Mbappe, Cole Palmer, Gianluigi Donnarumma and Nuno Mendes, the Portuguese full-back who continues to shine for Luis Enrique's PSG.

In fact, Mendes was hailed by Aleksander Ceferin as "perhaps the best player of our time" during a recent speech at the Portugal Football Summit, according to O Jogo.

Mendes has been one of PSG's standout performers this season. Image credit: Getty

Speaking at the Cidade do Futebol complex in Portugal this week, Ceferin heaped praise on Mendes and his Portugal teammates.

"Nuno Mendes is fantastic, perhaps the best player currently, but his position isn't as appreciated as those who score," he said.

"There's João Neves, Vitinha, my favourite centre-back, Rúben Dias, but I don't want to mention names; I'm still forgetting someone."

Ceferin added: "What you [Portugal] do is impressive; it's not just talent and hard work; the others do it too. There's something more, I hope to discover before I leave the UEFA presidency."

UEFA's president also described five-time Ballon d'Or winner Cristiano Ronaldo as "the greatest promoter of Portugal in the world" before highlighting his ability as a player.

Ceferin pictured alongside Zlatan Ibrahimovic during the UEFA Champions League 2025/26 League Phase Draw. Image credit: Getty

Ceferin went as far as identifying the former Manchester United and Real Madrid forward as "one of the three great football names of all time."

"I think he's by far the greatest promoter of Portugal in the world," he said at the event. "I've never seen anyone so competitive. He doesn't want to stop, he wants to keep competing. What he's achieved is impressive; I think we'd need a two-hour conversation to explain it all."

"I have great respect for him as a person and a footballer, and we also know what he does in charitable actions, which he didn't need to do and yet does." added Ceferin. "He's one of the three great football names of all time."