Raphinha opens up on painful Ballon d’Or snub as the Barcelona winger delivers honest comments about missing out on the award.
The Brazilian winger and club captain, who lifted multiple trophies and posted elite attacking numbers, believes his overall body of work should have placed him at the very top of the voting.
In an exclusive interview with SofaScore, Raphinha confessed he had gone into the gala expecting at least a top-three finish and genuinely feels he “deserved to be first.”
He argued that an individual honour like the Ballon d’Or “cannot be based on a single competition,” pointing out that across the full campaign—titles, statistics, and week-to-week impact—his case stacked up against anyone, in an exclusive interview with SofaScore
The final ranking, though, told a different story. Ousmane Dembele claimed the award on the back of PSG’s treble, with Lamine Yamal in second and Vitinha third, while Raphinha had to settle for fifth despite being one of Europe’s most decisive wide forwards.
For many Barcelona supporters and analysts, that position felt harsh given how often he dragged the team through tight games.
Raphinha managed to balance his frustration with respect for his rivals.
He praised Dembele’s “spectacular season” and acknowledged Lamine’s breakout year, but reiterated that if the award truly reflected the entire season, he would put himself first, followed by Lamine Yamal and Pedri, with Dembele outside his personal top three.
Ultimately, the Brazilian stressed that the omission will not define him.
“No individual award will erase what I did last season,” he said, underlining that his satisfaction comes from performances, trophies, and his role as Barça’s leader rather than a golden trophy he feels slipped away unjustly.
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