Few players in world football enjoyed a year as complete as Raphinha’s last term. Across all competitions, he contributed 59 goals and assists, a level of output rarely seen since the Messi-Ronaldo era in Spain.
In La Liga, the Brazilian was directly involved in 29 goals, winning the division’s Player of the Season award and leading Barcelona to domestic glory. His impact in Europe was even more remarkable, recording 22 goal involvements in the Champions League, the best individual tally in the tournament’s history.
He also delivered when it mattered most: four goals and three assists against Real Madrid across four Clasico wins, a hat-trick versus Bayern Munich, and a goal against Inter in the semi-finals. Raphinha’s excellence extended to the international stage too, contributing five goal involvements for Brazil as they sealed qualification for the 2026 World Cup.
Yet, despite his accolades, his name was missing from FIFPRO’s list, a snub that highlighted the often subjective nature of such awards and left Raphinha determined to prove his critics wrong once again.
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