The incredible and continued rise of Raphinha

There was a time when the €58 million spent on acquiring Raphinha’s services looked like money wasted. He was out of favor with the management, struggling for form and consistency, and many Culers or Barcleonistes would have been happy to see the Brazilian head to pasture new.

Fast forward to today, and that €58 million transfer fee looks like one of the bargains of the past decade, with Raphinha’s name now being one of the first on the team sheet, being shortlisted for Ballon d’Or honors, and being crowned La Liga’s Player of the 2024-25 season. 

Raphinha started his professional career in 2016 with Portuguese outfit Vitória de Guimarães. He played 16 games for the B-team, scoring five goals and assisting one. For the first team, the Brazilian featured in 85 games, scoring 22 and assisting 13. His performances in his final season caught the eye of Europe’s top clubs, and he ultimately signed for Sporting CP.

After scoring nine goals and creating five others in 41 games in Sporting CP’s colors, Raphinha moved to the French Ligue 1 club Rennes in 2019 in a €21 million transfer. After becoming Rennes’ record signing, Raphinha’s stock rose to new levels as he helped them qualify for the UEFA Champions League. However, he was still a few years away from influencing Barcelona’s latest La Liga winner betting odds.

Becoming a Premier League Superstar

In October 2020, Raphina joined Leeds United of the Premier League on a four-year contract for a fee reported to be €20 million. The transfer was unpopular with Rennes supporters, many of whom believe Raphinha has almost single-handedly helped the team with Champions League qualification.

Raphina became an instant hit with Leeds United fans. He contributed six goals and nine assists in 30 games, but his dazzling skills and unrivaled work rate off the ball endeared him to them. Leeds United struggled during Raphinha’s second season and battled relegation throughout.

Raphinha finished as the club’s top scorer with 11 goals, including a crucial penalty against Brentford on the season’s final day, meaning the Yorkshire club retained its Premier League status.

It quickly became evident that Raphinha would not be a Leeds United player for much longer because several top-tier clubs enquired about signing him. During the close season, Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur expressed strong interest. A deal was in place with Chelsea, but Raphina preferred a move to Barcelona, and the rest, as they say, is history.

Completing His Dream Move to Barcelona

Raphinha joined Barcelona on July 15, 2022. Due to registration issues, he was initially presented without a name or number on his shirt, with the club needing to sell players to make new signings.

Having struggled to adapt to La Liga, Raphinha only played a full 90 minutes seven times under Xavi in 60 games: twice in the first season and five times in the second. 

It seemed like his Barcelona days were numbered, especially when Saudi Pro League side Al-Hilal offered €90 million for his services. However, incoming manager Hansi Flick wanted to keep him, stating he was an important player for the team and central to his plans for the 2024-25 season.

Although Raphinha is best known for playing on the right wing and coming inside on his dangerous left foot, Flick deployed the Brazilian in a more central role behind Robert Lewandowski and flanked by wingers. This tactical switch improved Raphina’s form dramatically in La Liga and the UEFA Champions League.

A Career-Defining Season

In La Liga, Raphina scored 18 and assisted 11 goals in 36 games as Barcelona won the league title by four points from arch-rivals Real Madrid.

He was also scintillating in the Champions League, scoring 13 and assisting nine in 14 games. Those numbers saw Raphiha finish as the competition’s joint-top scorer and the outright winner in the assists category. Last season, Raphinha scored 34 goals and 25 assists over 57 games, putting him in the running for the Ballon d’Or.

Speaking to Diario Sport after the domestic season ended, Raphinha said, “A lot of people wanted me gone, so it is already a victory just to be fighting for the Ballon d’Or and to be among the ten favorites. It has never been an objective for me.”

Although Raphinha is in the running for Ballon d’Or honors, the current favorite is Ousmane Dembele, the former Barcelona player he was once brought in to replace. Dembele saw his odds of winning slashed after helping Paris Saint-Germain beat Inter Milan 5-0 in the Champions League final.

Raphina’s Barcelona teammate, Lamine Yamal, is La Liga’s frontrunner in the Ballon d’Or race. The 17-year-old scored 18 and created 25 assists in 55 Barcelona appearances this season. Raphinha says he has never seen a talent like Yamal.

“I have never seen anything like Lamine, not from a 17-year-old or even from a 20-year-old. What he has is special, from another world. It’s brutal. He has no ceiling. He can go as far as he wants. It all depends on him. He has quality, commitment, and works hard.”

Raphinha Will Only Get Better

After being crowned La Liga Player of the Season and renewing his Barcelona contract, Raphinha is here to stay. Where he once looked surplus to requirements, he is now one of the first names written down in Flick’s starting XI. 

Now that he is one of the club’s captains and has a manager who has shown faith in his ability, Raphinha can concentrate on giving his all to the team without having to worry about outside noise.

The happy and settled Raphinha is entering his prime years, and that means he will likely get better. The upcoming 2025-26 season could be when we see some real magic from the Brazilian number eleven and perhaps a 29th La Liga title for the Catalan giants.