Raphinha: “I deserved to win the Ballon d’Or.”
Brilliant in FC Barcelona colors, Raphinha remains marked by his fifth place in the Ballon d’Or and believes, in light of his performances and statistics, that he deserves higher individual recognition.
Brilliant in FC Barcelona colors, Raphinha remains marked by his fifth place in the Ballon d’Or and believes, in light of his performances and statistics, that he deserves higher individual recognition.
Raphinha has not lost any of his sparkle in FC Barcelona’s shirt. Match after match, the Brazilian winger confirms his importance in the Catalan setup and continues to string together top-level performances in La Liga. Yet, at 29, the player remains marked by persistent frustration: the lack of individual recognition after an exceptional 2024-2025 season.
Fifth in the latest Ballon d’Or, Raphinha had initially welcomed the ranking with lucidity, considering it an honorable distinction and proof that he had taken a step forward since leaving the Premier League. But in hindsight, the feeling of injustice remains. In an interview given to Sofascore, the Brazilian international appeared more bitter about the criteria for awarding the ultimate prize.
« An individual award should not be decided on a single competition. Taking into account my season, the titles won, my statistics and my impact on the team, I sincerely think I deserved to win it», he said. During the 2024-2025 season, Raphinha had led Barça to the Champions League semi-finals, eliminated by Inter Milan. His numbers spoke for themselves: 34 goals and 26 assists in all competitions, a record that had placed him among the main favorites for the Ballon d’Or.
The Catalan winger, however, did not wish to fuel the controversy, praising in passing the remarkable seasons of Ousmane Dembélé and Lamine Yamal. Two players whom he also considered worthy to be among the contenders, at the end of a very high-level season with their respective clubs.
