Raphinha is furious about being 'overlooked' for the Ballon d'Or and FIFA The Best awards

Raphinha openly criticized the unfair manner in which he was ignored in the voting for both the 2025 Ballon d'Or and FIFA The Best awards.

Raphinha scored 34 times last season, marking the highest personal achievement of his career, and becoming an iconic figure for the Catalan giants. At one point, he was considered a contender for the Ballon d'Or, but ultimately the award slipped away to Ousmane Dembele, PSG's forward and Champions League winner.

In the voting, Raphinha ranked fifth, behind Dembele, Lamine Yamal, Vitinha, and Mohamed Salah, and he also failed to make the top three in the FIFA The Best selection. Nevertheless, his contributions were acknowledged in Spain with the Toresky Award for Best Athlete of the Year. Speaking to Cadena SER, Raphinha stated: “It truly means a lot to have my efforts recognized; in the end, knowing you gave your all and receiving an award for that feels very rewarding. For me, the most important thing remains the team trophies, which is why I joined the club, but to say individual awards don’t matter would be a lie.”

When asked if his 2025/26 season performances were unfairly overlooked, Raphinha said: “I don’t owe anyone anything. I know the season I had, and I know it’s very unfair; ultimately, these are things beyond our control. I can’t manage what happens off the pitch. In the end, you have to be friendly with the voters. I perform on the field, and no matter what happens, I’m satisfied with the season I’ve had.”

Raphinha joined Barcelona from Leeds United in 2022. The 1996-born star has faced many questions about his future amid transfer rumors at Camp Nou, but the 29-year-old is pleased to have proven his worth in a demanding environment.

Speaking about wearing the Barca shirt, he said: “Honestly, beyond football, living in this city is a dream. We love the beach and being in a city with wonderful weather. People welcomed us warmly from day one. We liked this place before, and now it feels even more special because of everyone’s affection.”

Barcelona is aiming for more major trophies this season after having won the Spanish Super Cup. They remain active in the Champions League and the Copa del Rey, while leading La Liga by a single point over their fierce rivals Real Madrid.

Regarding the close competition behind them, Raphinha shared his thoughts on the pursuit of a third La Liga title in Spain: “Honestly, I don’t pay attention to other teams. I believe we just need to focus on doing our job well, and if we do, there’s no need to worry about the others.”

This season, Raphinha has faced some fitness issues but still managed to score 13 goals. He is competing for playing time with players like Marcus Rashford, who is on loan from Man Utd, while young talent Lamine Yamal shines on the opposite wing.

Yamal is expected to win the Ballon d'Or in the future due to his great potential, and when asked if he jokes with the 18-year-old teammate about the Toresky award, Raphinha responded: “No, no. In the end, Lamine deserves all the awards he has won and those he hasn’t yet, which I also think have been unfairly withheld from him many times. He’s still very young, with many football dreams ahead, and I’m sure he will claim all the individual honors in the future.”

Barcelona will play the first leg of the Copa del Rey semi-final against Atletico Madrid midweek, before continuing their away match at Girona in La Liga’s 24th round, as coach Hansi Flick’s team strives to solidify their top position.