playSam Marsden and Mohamed MohamedMultiple AuthorsOct 21, 2026, 04:00 AM ETOpen Extended ReactionsRaphinha’s career has been characterized by constant change — first, as he hopped between clubs in Brazil, Portugal, France, England and Spain. Recently, after settling in at Barcelona since 2022, the change has come in a different way: through coaches and his positioning on the pitch.The Brazil international joined Xavi Hernández’s Barça from Leeds United as a right winger, went on to excel on the left flank under Hansi Flick and is now delivering world-class performances this season as a No. 9, scoring 14 goals in 10 games going into Sunday’s Clásico against Real Madrid (watch live at 3 p.m. ET on ABC and ESPN+).It’s perhaps no surprise to see him fulfilling so many different roles. Victor Orta, the sporting director who signed him for Leeds back in 2020, even imagined him playing in other positions.- Yamal vs.
Mbappé: Who has the stronger claim to win the Ballon d’Or? – Tyler, The Creator joins list of music stars to appear on Barça Clásico kit – Clásico match ball for Barcelona vs. Real Madrid LaLiga clashes unveiled”I remember one day watching Vitória de Guimarães and thinking he could play as a wing back,” Orta tells ESPN. “He had a different style to the typical, technical Brazilian. I said, ‘Wow, he looks like he could run the 400 meters in athletics.'”Raphinha will be 30 in December, and his path to the top of the game has not always been obvious.
The 7-year-old who attended Ronaldinho’s birthday party was not among the many Brazilian teenagers catapulted straight to one of Europe’s elite clubs.Instead, after fighting his way through várzea tournaments in his homeland — dubbed by Raphinha himself as “the home of the rejects” — he landed in Portugal with Vitória, going on to play for Sporting CP and then to French Ligue 1 club Stade Rennais. However, it was at Leeds, in the Premier League spotlight, where his career accelerated.Raphinha at LeedsThat is not to say it has been straightforward since. He was not always happy with his game time under former coach Xavi Hernández at Barça and thought he would leave the Spanish champions before Hansi Flick took over in 2024.In Flick, he has found a manager whose style fits him superbly. The same could be said with Marcelo Bielsa at Leeds, although the Argentine coach wasn’t convinced at first.”Raphinha had been on our radar for a while, but the deal only became possible late in the transfer window,” says Orta, now working at Spanish club Real Valladolid.
“I was in the barbers one Saturday, very early, and I got a message from someone working with [Raphinha’s then-agent, now Barça sporting director] Deco saying: ‘Raphinha can leave because a new player is coming in.'”I remember telling Marcelo. Perhaps because he didn’t know him so well, the first reaction was: ‘Do you know if he is good? Let me think…'”But the market was closing. I told Marcelo to trust me.
I remember he did some research, called me and said he had good opinions on the player. I said, ‘OK, that’s good because he’s flying in now.'”Even the flight had been hastily arranged after several Rennes players attempted to scupper the transfer, but a move for Jérémy Doku meant Orta got the deal over the line.”Three of the team’s captains went to the chairman and said, ‘Raphinha is not leaving, we need Raphinha,'” Orta says. “They were pushing, but the club needed the deal because they wanted the money for another player that was coming in, which was Doku.”I put him on the plane without Marcelo’s permission because with my team, and especially a guy called Carlos Vargas, we had the feeling he was top. The statistics — high-speed sprints, intensity — showed someone with the physicality for the Premier League, a clear fit for Marcelo.” View this post on Instagram A post shared by Premier League (@premierleague) The prediction was not wrong.
Raphinha, a relentless runner, was a match for Bielsa. Over two years, he scored 17 goals, twice helping Leeds avoid relegation from England’s top flight.”He’s one of the greatest players I’ve ever played with,” said Rodrigo Moreno, Raphinha’s teammate at Leeds. “He’s capable of repeating high-intensity actions over and over again during a match. Given what Bielsa demanded, he adapted to the league instantly.”Raphinha’s impact even goes beyond those he played with.
Current Leeds captain Ethan Ampadu, who joined the club a year after Raphinha left, said: “It’s pretty special what he’s done. He was here before I was. And everyone here speaks so highly of him. They can’t, they’ll never say a bad word about him.
And that also is represented within the fans. He’s very much loved here.”Raphinha’s last act for Leeds was to score a penalty in the comeback win at Brentford in 2022 to secure survival. After the match, he walked the length of the pitch on his knees in an act of gratitude — something he has repeated when Barça have won trophies (seven so far, including three league titles).His future already lay elsewhere at that point, but in helping Leeds stay up, he also ensured his release clause didn’t plummet with clubs lining up to sign him.”If we were relegated, his clause was €24 million,” Orta says. “But he fought for us until the last game and then [Barça] paid €54 million with bonuses, perhaps now €60 million.”I can tell you now that one team, not Barcelona, called us the Thursday before the Brentford game offering €30 million, €6 million more than the clause.
I said to [the owners], ‘I trust Raphinha. He’s going to fight until the end. The clause doesn’t matter.'” — Sam MarsdenAnalysis: Signs of stardomIn attack, Bielsa’s Leeds were known for playing at a quicker speed, utilizing vertical movements and placing a heavy emphasis on wingplay. Out of possession, their ability to manufacture high turnovers from an aggressive man-marking scheme helped them create dynamic opportunities.
Raphinha not only fit into that tactical landscape, he helped accentuate it in different ways.On the ball, Raphinha added value during earlier phases by combining with teammates through quick interplays and layoffs against pressure with either foot. In the final third, he used a variety of passes, from whipped crosses to lobs over the top, alongside above-average decision-making to be a high-end creator.Off the ball, speed and acceleration amplified his runs. He would execute plenty of out-to-in cuts from the right side, even if it led to some offside calls. A common pattern involved him switching the play, and then quickly sprinting for near-post or back-post shots.His impressive work rate also benefited Leeds’ press and defensive structure, a necessity within Bielsa’s intense game model.Compared to his debut campaign, 2021-22 was a down season.
Opponents were able to better prepare for Bielsa ball, aided by a major injury crisis that to some extent stemmed from such a demanding style of play. His rate of non-penalty goals and assists per 90 minutes went from 0.57 to 0.31. Per Opta, his non-penalty expected goals and assists per 90 rate also saw a dip from 0.48 to 0.41.Despite those drops, Raphinha was still an above-average attacker. According to Scout Lab, among qualified attacking midfielders and wingers in Europe’s Big Five leagues, he was in the 93rd percentile in expected threat created, and 88th in offensive action VAEP (valuing actions by estimating probabilities).With Raphinha’s ability to operate both on and off the ball, it was no surprise that Barcelona signed him. — Mohamed MohamedRaphinha at Barça under XaviRaphinha picked Barça over Premier League options, but he was not an instant success with the Catalan club.
He enjoyed good times and endured bad times under Xavi, with competition on the right wing from Ousmane Dembélé and, later, Lamine Yamal limiting his minutes.Despite that, he managed 20 goals in two seasons under Xavi, and it was during the club legend’s tenure in charge
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