Barcelona star Raphinha has appeared to aim a cheeky dig at Ballon d’Or rival Ousmane Dembele on social media.
Raphinha’s Ballon d’Or Case Grows Stronger After Sensational Season with Barcelona
Brazilian winger Raphinha has emerged as a serious contender for the 2025 Ballon d’Or after delivering a remarkable season for Barcelona, capped by a domestic treble under new manager Hansi Flick. The 28-year-old was instrumental in Barça’s triumphant campaign, lifting the Copa del Rey, Supercopa de España, and reclaiming the La Liga title.
Individually, Raphinha’s numbers were staggering. Across all competitions, he scored 34 goals and registered 25 assists in just 57 appearances — a career-best output that has turned heads across Europe.
His performances in the UEFA Champions League were particularly eye-catching. Despite Barcelona falling short in the competition, Raphinha led all players with 13 goals and 8 assists, and also topped the charts for both chances created and big chances created.
However, the UEFA Best Player award went to Paris Saint-Germain star Ousmane Dembélé, who was instrumental in his side’s Champions League final victory. This decision sparked debate on social media, with many fans and pundits insisting Raphinha was snubbed. The conversation gained more traction when fans noticed the Brazilian had ‘liked’ an Instagram post from the Barça fan page For Blaugrana, which highlighted his superior stats compared to Dembélé’s.
Fan reactions were swift and passionate:
- “Raphinha knows he got robbed lol.”
- “They robbed him actually.”
- “Bro is in pain.”
- “Bro is gonna destroy Champions League next season.”
- “We love you Rapha.”
In a recent interview with Brazilian journalist Isabela Pagliari, Raphinha humbly listed several players he believes could also claim the Ballon d’Or: “Lamine [Yamal], Salah, Mbappé too. Pedri, for me, one of the best players in the world. Vinícius, for me, is always a candidate, even if his numbers are slightly below last year. And, of course, Rodrygo would be considered. He’s spectacular, phenomenal, out of the ordinary, one of the best I’ve ever seen.”
With Raphinha entering the peak years of his career and Barcelona back to winning ways, the winger’s Ballon d’Or candidacy is no longer a long shot. If he carries this form into next season, especially in Europe, the prestigious golden ball could be within his reach.
