Raphinha sparks new debate

Raphinha is exploding in Barcelona colors.

How can a player with 42 goals and 27 assists in just two and a half seasons not be placed in the right places in prestigious polls?

Raphinha's Paradox

Raphinha left the pitch to a standing ovation, and in that moment, the familiar questions arose. Why was a player with such a prolific scoring and assisting record not in the running for the Ballon d'Or?

Since the start of the 2024/25 season, Raphinha has been directly involved in 69 goals, a number that would make any top attacking star respect. 42 goals were determined by those energetic feet, along with 27 assists that opened all the attacking doors for the team. In an era dominated by numbers, this achievement should have become a "passport" to put him in the group of bright candidates.

But the paradox is that Raphinha has never been given the right place by the football world when the major awards speak.

The moment the crowd stood up and applauded him was more than just a recognition of a performance. It was a protest against a voting system that was increasingly out of touch with the true feelings of the audience. They loved Raphinha not for his flashy media campaign or brand image, but for what happened week after week: his energy, intensity, tenacity and direct impact on the game.

Before Atletico Madrid, Raphinha played well, contributing 1 goal.

Coach Diego Simeone, who knows what hard work is in football, said bluntly: "Raphinha is an extraordinary player, he can play in every position... I don't understand why he didn't win the Ballon d'Or." This comment was not a polite comment, it exposed the gap between what happens on the pitch and what is celebrated on the podium.

Coach Hansi Flick, who favours speed and pressing, also admits that when Raphinha is present, the team’s intensity increases. In other words, he doesn’t just create goals – he creates rhythm. Few in modern football can simultaneously explode in statistical output and maintain such high energy levels.

That has opened up an increasingly heated debate as to whether football awards are misjudging the type of player who forms the foundation of a team?

A player who scored 42 goals, assisted 27 times, can press relentlessly, can play as a wing-back, striker, winger and even a central midfielder… but still does not get the right weight in the ballot. Meanwhile, players who "eat the stars", are associated with brands and media, always hold priority positions.

It was no coincidence that the audience stood up and applauded Raphinha. They saw things that voting systems sometimes ignore: the effort, the fighting spirit, the nights when he rushed forward tirelessly and pulled the whole team along.

Time for voters to think again

The Ballon d’Or and other individual awards are in a difficult position these days. They have to convince fans that fairness still exists. But the fact that one of Europe’s most effective players, Raphinha, is excluded from the big debates raises the opposite question: do awards really reflect the value of players?

Raphinha is opening up a new debate.

Raphinha has become the poster boy for the type of player who is underrated, not because of lack of talent, but because he lacks the media glamour. He fights, runs, assists, scores – and lets the fans decide. No talking, no complaining, just letting the numbers and actions speak for themselves.

The applause on the morning of December 3rd was, in a way, a message to the rest of the football world. A reminder that fairness is not just about votes, but also about the true feelings of the audience.

And in that feeling, Raphinha is winning.

Despite the fact that he has yet to touch the major individual awards, the stadium has honored Raphinha in a way that no title can bring: with sincerity, with recognition coming from the hearts of thousands of people.

When a player is so beloved, one cannot help but ask. So what is football based on, numbers, images or real emotions?

Raphinha, with 42 goals, 27 assists and that applause, makes this controversy no longer possible to ignore.

Source: https://znews.vn/raphinha-thoi-bung-cuoc-tranh-luan-moi-post1608048.html