Nuno Mendes backed Paris Saint-Germain teammate Ousmane Dembélé for this year's Ballon d'Or after saying he "cancelled out" Lamine Yamal during Portugal's UEFA Nations League final win against Spain .
A 5-3 penalty shootout win, following a 2-2 draw in Munich, sealed victory for Portugal and a tearful Cristiano Ronaldo , who had earlier limped out of the game due to injury.
Mendes was named Player of the Match after an outstanding game for Roberto Martinez's team in which he scored his team's opening goal before dominating in his one-on-one clash with teenage star Yamal.
And when asked about his role in Portugal's win, Mendes admitted he had won his duel against Yamal before tipping Dembele to pip the Barcelona youngster to the Ballon d'Or.
"It was a clash [with Yamal]