One of the biggest names at FC Barcelona today is Raphinha, the Brazilian winger who arrived from Leeds in England to find his best historical form under Hansi Flick in Barcelona.
In total, he has played 71 matches under the German manager, with 66 goals and assists (41 goals and 25 assists). This resulted in last season’s treble, winning La Liga, the Copa del Rey, and the Spanish Super Cup. He was named La Liga Player of the Year and finished as the top scorer in the UEFA Champions League.
In total, since joining FC Barcelona in 2022, he has made 158 appearances, scoring 61 goals and providing 54 assists. In addition to the three trophies already mentioned with Hansi Flick, his Barça trophy collection also includes the 2022/23 La Liga title and the Supercopa de España from that same season, both won under Xavi Hernández.
Flick’s anger with FIFA over Raphinha’s exclusion from the ideal eleven
At The Best FIFA Football Awards gala, the ideal eleven for the 2024/25 season was announced, and surprisingly, the Brazilian winger was not included. The FC Barcelona coach echoed this sentiment, expressing his strong opinion: “I don’t want to single out who’s better, but Raphinha isn’t in the FIFA Best XI, and it surprises me. It seems like a joke. Raphinha’s influence on the team was incredible. We see his goals, his performances, his assists… it was incredible… And it’s a joke that he’s not in the ideal eleven. It’s not fair, and I have to say it. I can’t believe it.”
“I’m not good with statistics, but I think he has a rating of 22 in the Champions League. He’s the best in the Champions League. For me, the most important thing is his influence on the team,” he concluded.
Hansi Flick explodes over Raphinha’s absence from FIFA The Best XI: “It’s a joke”Empty heading
The Brazilian striker was not taken into account, despite being the top scorer in the 2024/2025 Champions League.
The FIFA Best awards continue to generate debate. A few days ago, the world football governing body revealed its ideal eleven of the season, a selection that sparked controversy by leaving out several high-performing players and including others who, in the opinion of experts and fans, did not deserve to be on the list.
FIFA included Gianluigi Donnarumma , Achraf Hakimi , Willian Pacho , Virgil van Dijk , Nuno Mendes , Cole Palmer , Jude Bellingham , Vitinha , Pedri , Lamine Yamal , and Ousmane Dembélé in its Team of the Season . Hansi Flick, manager of FC Barcelona , criticized the list because it overlooked Raphinha’s performance this season.
The German coach described FIFA’s selection as “a joke,” considering that the Brazilian winger’s performance with both FC Barcelona and his national team was ignored, despite his impact and consistency throughout the season.
Raphinha was the top scorer in the Champions League. It’s incredible. The most important thing is his impact. (…) It’s a bad joke. I can’t believe he’s not there.Hansi Flick
Raphinha won the Champions League top scorer title in the 2024/2025 season with 13 goals, tied with Serhou Guirassy.
Furthermore, the Brazilian winger was a key player in winning the LaLiga , Copa del Rey and Spanish Super Cup titles during that same season.
This season, Raphinha has six goals and three assists in 13 games played in all competitions (LaLiga, Champions League and Copa del Rey).
FC Barcelona will face Villarreal CF this Sunday, December 21st at the Estadio de la Cerámica, in a match corresponding to matchday 17 of LaLiga.
Raphinha’s emphatic response when questioned about the Ballon d’Or
Raphinha undoubtedly had an outstanding year, both individually and as part of a team. The FC Barcelona winger was chosen as the best player in LaLiga for the 2024/2025 season, finished as the top scorer and assist provider in the Champions League, and capped off the season by winning LaLiga, the Spanish Super Cup, and the Copa del Rey.
Despite his impressive statistics, the Brazilian footballer was not included in FIFA’s 2025 World XI. The governing body of football opted for a starting eleven comprised of Gianluigi Donnarumma, Achraf Hakimi, William Pacho, Virgil van Dijk, Nuno Mendes, Cole Palmer, Jude Bellingham, Vitinha, Pedri, Ousmane Dembélé, and Lamine Yamal.
Despite having the best season of his career, Raphinha was left out of the FIFA FIFPro World XI, a decision that has sparked considerable controversy. Hansi Flick, the FC Barcelona manager, called the South American striker’s omission “a joke.”
Raphinha also finished fifth in the race for the 2025 Ballon d’Or.
Following FC Barcelona’s victory against Villarreal CF, Raphinha was asked about the possibility of competing for next year’s Ballon d’Or. The Brazilian winger replied succinctly that it’s not something that keeps him up at night.
Raphinha has had a remarkable first half of the 2025/2026 season. Despite missing several matches due to injury, the 29-year-old forward has played in 11 LaLiga games, scoring seven goals and providing three assists. In the Champions League, he has featured in three additional matches, although he has yet to find the net.