Brazilian with curls. Gaucho from Porto Alegre. Frontman and percussionist. A Barça footballer shined in Paris. If it were 2006, all the headlines would be talking about Ronaldinho. But not. It’s 2024 and the big smile was from Raphinha. Rarely has he been seen so happy in these two years, in which he has been reminded actively and passively of the price he cost: 65 million between fixed and variable. Touched by a wand, the winger brought joy to Barcelona fans and a coup d’état that the club had been waiting for for a long time.
If Barcelona is recovering its self-esteem, Raphinha also needed that boost in a season where he seemed out of place (only 20 starts) and ahead of Lamine Yamal and even João Félix. In Paris she found her place. A reward for his mentality, resilience and insistence.
It was a very special night for him. In the box, Deco, who was his representative until he signed to serve as Barcelona’s sporting director, looked at him with pride, although he still collects some agreed commissions from that transfer. Under that attentive gaze he broke his hair on the field despite the fact that he had his first braided hairstyle.
Nearby, in the VIP area, Ronaldinho was invited. El Gaúcho was always one of his godfathers since he is a family friend. With glasses and the Kangol cap with the visor turned back, he is still a rock star and arousing admiration.
At the time when he was the best player on the planet, Ronnie stood on the stage of the Bikini room in Barcelona with a mask to play some bongos with a percussion group from his country. In that band, Samba Tri, there was a musician who had a son who was crazy about soccer. He was good at it. And when the boy grew up, he ended up defending the colors of Barça, like him. Blessed by Ronaldinho, Raphinha’s big game arrived.
Neither with Vitória de Guimarães, nor with Sporting Clube, nor with Rennes nor with Leeds United. Raphinha had never played in the Champions League until he arrived at the Camp Nou. After the premature elimination last year, he did not even know the knockout rounds. Until yesterday, the Brazilian had not made his debut as a scorer in the top European competition.
An explosive, intense and athletic footballer, Raphinha is a hard-working Brazilian rather than a precious or a juggler. Almost a sprinter, he has sometimes been criticized for his lack of balance when it comes to facing. Even that worked out. Two of the three dribbles he attempted were successful. His strengths are unmarking, depth and shooting, in addition to pressure. He does everything at high speed. Pure wind.
And those virtues exploded in the Parc des Princes, where he did not stop running and looking for the back of the defense. In 79 games played in a Barcelona shirt, he had never scored a double. He did it on a big night.
He scored the first as a right winger and scored the second starting from the right. He opened the scoring with his right foot – which is not his dominant leg – and tied it at 2-2 with a precise volley with the outside of his left foot – the good one. It’s difficult to know what was better in the play, Pedri’s assist or Raphinha’s definition, who beat Nuno Gomes with speed and dared to hit a shot that left Donnarumma pinned between the posts.
The Brazilian, who already had a face-to-face with the goalkeeper after five minutes but could not overcome him with a soft touch under his legs, grew up and even tried it with a direct free kick. He kissed the ball, but his shot missed the net. Shortly after, Xavi replaced him. But it cannot be denied that the footballer is in a sweet moment, with four goals since the end of February. The son of the wind struck and has a spark. When he scores, Barça does not lose.
