“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):

"Players who are having a great season for the Ballon d'Or? Lamine, Salah, Mbappé... Vinicius' numbers may be lower than last season, but for me he's always there. Two underrated players who could have been included in the awards or at least considered are Pedri and Rodrygo."

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.

"I felt like he and coaching staff didn’t trust me enough" – Raphinha opens up on relationship with former Barcelona manager

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):

"I felt Xavi and his coaching staff didn’t trust me enough. Sometimes I did everything in 60 minutes, but he would replace me. I tried to fix my situation, I talked to him a lot, but there was no change. He had his own way of thinking,”

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

"There's an iconic video in which I exploded when I arrived at the bench and hit the seat. I think it was in the game against Manchester United , where I did really well, scoring a goal and giving an assist. I think we were 2-2 and he took me off."

He added:

"I had also just created a very clear chance. I felt comfortable and was playing very well. And the first substitution was me. When I saw it, I couldn't believe it."

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.