Raphinha is staking a claim as the best footballer in the world this season with his stunning form for Barcelona, and Sunday night saw the Brazilian justify his case once again.
Now 28, Raphinha has spent the last two and a half seasons at the Nou Camp. It comes after a two-year stint with Leeds United in the Premier League, where he went on to have a hand in 29 goals in 67 games.
Moments like his winner and first Leeds goal against Everton, scoring against Manchester United at Elland Road or his winning and scoring of the penalty in the 2-1 win at Brentford saw him become a Leeds icon.
Many Leeds fans argue Raphinha is the best player to have played for the club this century and beyond. Judging by his performances under Hansi Flick at Barcelona, there is no doubt Raphinha is Leeds’ best.
Raphinha takes superb tally to 30 goals and assists for Barcelona
While his first couple of seasons at Barcelona were good without excelling, the jury was out for Raphinha this term. In the eyes of many Barca fans, Raphinha needed to shine in 2024-25 or it would be his last.
Well, Flick has made him captain since the injury to Marc-Andre ter Stegen and he is thriving. New-found confidence, combined with leadership and a sense of dragging his teammates along, Raphinha is on fire.
Harry Gray recently described Raphinha as the best in the world, and he’s hardly wrong. Barcelona beat Real Madrid 5-2 in the Spanish Super Cup final on Sunday, and Raphinha had a hand in three goals.
Scoring Barcelona’s third and fifth goals, he also created their fourth for Alejandro Balde after earlier strikes from Lamine Yamal and Robert Lewandowski which cancelled out Kylian Mbappe and Rodrygo.
Raphinha has already outdone his first two Barcelona seasons
There was talk of Raphinha leaving for £85m in the summer. Profit on a player they paid Leeds a fee of £55m, but if that same bid was tabled now you can imagine Barca rejecting it without a second’s thought.
The Brazilian now has a whopping 19 goals and 11 assists for Barcelona, already far surpassing the kind of numbers he managed in his first full two years with the club. Flick deserves credit for unlocking Raphinha.
Far surpassing 70 goals and assists for Barcelona and at this rate, it might only be a couple more seasons before he doubles that. A breathtaking talent that Leeds fans are lucky enough to call one of their own.
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