France against Portugal. The almanac states its case, the crowd votes, you decide.
France · 1980s · LB
One of France's finest full-backs, he marauded down the flanks for Monaco and Marseille, winning the Champions League and reaching the Euro 1984 final with Les Bleus. Career record: 82 caps and 1 goals for France; club career at AS Monaco, Olympique de Marseille, Olympique Lyonnais.
Portugal · 2020–26 · LB
Portugal leaned on him in the Munich final of the 2025 Nations League: he scored the equaliser against Spain, stayed with Lamine Yamal down that flank all night, and buried his kick in the shootout. That Nations League title sits beside back to back Champions League wins with Paris Saint-Germain in 2025 and 2026, five Ligue 1 titles, two Coupes de France, and the Primeira Liga he won as a teenager at Sporting.
The almanac puts Nuno Mendes ahead by 1 rating point, 90 against 89.
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