Raphinha has thrust himself into the Ballon d’Or conversation with a sensational run of form this season
Barcelona attacker Raphinha has firmly established himself as a key figure for the Brazilian national team, but his path to donning the iconic yellow jersey could have taken a very different turn. Long before he made his international debut in October 2021 during a World Cup qualifier against Venezuela, the Barcelona winger was on the radar of the Italian national team.
Thanks to his Italian heritage through his father, Raphinha held dual nationality and was eligible to represent the Azzurri. In fact, the Italian Football Federation had their eyes on him ahead of Euro 2020 and went as far as including him in their pre-tournament plans. Raphinha came close to representing Italy, much like fellow Brazilians Jorginho, Emerson Palmieri, and Rafael Toloi, who all went on to lift the European Championship trophy that summer.
But deep down, Raphinha never lost sight of his ultimate dream, which was to play for Brazil. The former Leeds United winger wanted to follow in the footsteps of his idol and family friend Ronaldinho. Despite strong interest from Italy and a nearly finalized plan, Raphinha never lined up for the Italian national team, because his Italian passport wasn’t processed in time.
Also Read: I Haven’t Seen a Player Like Lamine Yamal in the Last Eight or Nine Years: Simone Inzaghi
Recalling that time, Raphinha said,
“I was close to accepting Italian national team call. I was supposed to go to the Euro they won in 2020. I was basically set to go. So luckily, since the passport didn’t come through.”
“At that point, the people from the Italian national team were calling me. Jorginho used to call me all the time. The Italian staff had this amazing project for me, something that really caught my eye.”
“But at the same time, deep down, I still had that one percent of hope that I could wear the Brazil shirt. And luckily, my Italian passport didn’t get ready in time!”
Raphinha’s belief turned into reality in 2021, and since then, he has gone on to make 33 appearances for the Selecao, scoring 11 goals across five years. His commitment has paid off in a big way. Raphinha has thrust himself into the Ballon d’Or conversation with a sensational run of form this season, having racked up an astonishing 30 goals and 25 assists across all competitions. The Brazilian winger has emerged as Barcelona’s talisman, consistently delivering in crucial moments.
With the season still in full swing, Raphinha could put the perfect seal on a special campaign by helping Barcelona clinch both the La Liga title and the UEFA Champions League crown.
soccer
