“For me he’s always there” – Barcelona ace Raphinha names 6 players who are in race to win 2025 Ballon d’Or

Barcelona winger Raphinha has named six players he believes are “having a great season” for the 2025 Ballon d’Or. As the 2024-25 season winds down, many players have displayed incredible football prowess, positioning themselves in contention for football’s biggest individual accolade.

One player who has had a standout performance so far this season is Raphinha. The Brazilian has proven to be a key contributor in a Barcelona side led by Hansi Flick. While Robert Lewandowski has scored the most goals for Barcelona this season, Raphinha leads in goal contributions.

Raphinha topped the Ballon d’Or rankings for March, and he looks poised to win the prize given his consistent performance.

While the 28-year-old has been favored by many to win the 2025 Ballon d’Or, he believes other players are also in contention for the award. Speaking in a recent interview, Raphinha named Lamine Yamal, Mohamed Salah, Kylian Mbappe, Pedri, and Rodrygo as players who could win the 2025 Ballon d’Or.

He said (via Barca Universal):

Raphinha has already won two domestic trophies with Barcelona this season (Supercopa de España and Copa del Rey). He has scored 31 goals and provided 25 assists for the Catalan club in 52 appearances across competitions.

Raphinha joined Barcelona from Leeds United in 2022. However, he struggled to find his footing at the Catalan club in his first two seasons under the tutelage of then-manager Xavi Hernandez.

Speaking to Brazilian journalist Isabela Pagliari in a recent interview, Raphinha shared how repeated substitutions made him feel as though Xavi and his coaching staff didn’t fully trust him, regardless of how he performed.

He said (via Mundo Deportivo):

He then recalled a specific moment during a key match against Manchester United.

He added:

While the winger is critical of how he thought Xavi perceived him, he previously thanked the Spaniard for the role he played in his decision to stay at the club. at the club.

Ezekiel Olamide

Ezekiel is a European football journalist who covers breaking news and transfer rumors at Sportskeeda. He is currently pursuing an undergraduate degree in Accounting and has a work experience of around 3 years, having previously worked at the likes of Opera News Hub and Extratime Talk. He is a proponent of factual accuracy, meticulous research, verification of sources and journalistic ethics and standards.

An ardent Chelsea fan, Ezekiel’s journey as a football fan began in his childhood, witnessing Ronaldinho dazzle with his skills. His interest in the beautiful game deepened after Nigeria were knocked out of the 2010 FIFA World Cup; he was impressed with the Super Eagles’ fighting spirit in their 2-2 Group B draw against South Korea. Some other World Cup matches which have left a deep impact on him were Belgium’s incredible comeback against Japan in the round of 16 of the 2018 version and the 2022 final.

Lionel Messi is the one true GOAT for Ezekiel and he also follows the Major League Soccer and the Saudi Pro League owing to him and Cristiano Ronaldo. When not writing, he spends his free time deepening his SEO knowledge and watching skits.

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