Raphinha answers Ballon d’Or omission with outstanding Barcelona start

Raphinha has made a flying start to the season with Barcelona, registering 11 goal contributions in his first six matches and surpassing his output at the same stage of the previous two campaigns.

The Brazil international set up goals for Xavi Espart and Lamine Yamal during Barcelona’s match against Levante, continuing a run of impressive performances in which he has contributed both goals and assists.

His current form follows a defining 2024-2025 campaign, when Raphinha scored 34 goals and created 23 more for his team-mates. That gave him 57 direct goal contributions in Hansi Flick’s first season as Barcelona manager.

Although Raphinha has operated closer to a conventional striker in some matches, he has retained his ability to create opportunities for others.

He demonstrated that against Levante by providing two assists, having already set up Karim Adeyemi in Barcelona’s 5-0 victory over Elche in the opening round of La Liga.

Raphinha has scored eight goals and supplied three assists in six appearances this season, taking his total to 11 goal contributions. That is a significant improvement on the same point last season, when he had recorded five contributions, made up of three goals and two assists.

The figures also underline the impact of Flick’s approach. The German coach has once again given Raphinha more influential attacking responsibilities, with the change reflected directly in the Brazil forward’s statistics.

Flick previously praised Raphinha and said that, when performing at his best, he is among the finest players in the world.

However, despite his explosive start to the campaign, Raphinha was not included among the 30 nominees for the Ballon d’Or. His omission has prompted widespread criticism, particularly given the level of his recent performances and the numbers he has produced.

Raphinha finished the previous season with 28 goal contributions, scoring 21 goals and setting up seven others. That represented a marked decline from the exceptional campaign before it, when he reached 57 contributions.

His latest run suggests he is already on course to challenge his own best figures with Barcelona. After only six matches, the 11 contributions he has recorded have taken him well beyond his totals from the equivalent period in the past two seasons, while also reaffirming the creative side of his game despite his increasingly advanced role.