Raphinha Sends FIFA a Cheeky Message at Villarreal
Barcelona's Brazilian winger responds to FIFA TOTY snub with another stellar performance, continuing his red-hot form with a penalty goal against Villarreal.
Raphinha Lets His Boots Do the Talking After FIFA Snub
Barcelona’s Brazilian wizard Raphinha closed out 2025 in dazzling fashion, delivering yet another masterclass performance against Villarreal that left many scratching their heads over his recent FIFA Team of the Year omission.
The former Leeds man was instrumental at La Cerámica, converting a penalty he won himself after being brought down by Comesaña following a clever piece of skill. That spot-kick in the 11th minute marked his seventh goal of the season and continued his impressive scoring streak.
On Fire in Front of Goal
Raphinha’s penalty against Villarreal means he’s now scored in three consecutive matches - the sort of form that makes his absence from FIFA’s best XI all the more baffling. Beyond just finding the net, the Brazilian was absolutely everywhere on the pitch:
- Hit the woodwork with a thunderous effort
- Led Barça’s pressing game brilliantly
- Created numerous dangerous opportunities
- Continued his stellar all-round contribution
This performance follows what has been a spectacular run dating back to the 2024-25 campaign, where his numbers were nothing short of extraordinary.
Flick Fuming Over FIFA Snub
Barça boss Hansi Flick didn’t hold back when addressing the FIFA oversight before the Villarreal clash, clearly incensed by the decision.
“The influence of Raphinha in our game and season was incredible,” Flick declared, visibly annoyed at the pre-match press conference.
The German gaffer’s frustration is understandable. When you look at FIFA’s final Team of the Year, which included Dembélé and Lamine Yamal in attack alongside other Premier League and Ligue 1 stars, Raphinha finished fifth among forwards despite his consistently brilliant displays.
The voting breakdown showed Raphinha tallied just 12 points, trailing behind Dembélé (26), Lamine Yamal (22), Haaland (17), and Mbappé (16) - a result that seems to have given the Brazilian extra motivation to prove his worth.
Based on current form, those FIFA voters might be feeling a right Charlie Chaplin (rhyming slang for “right muppet”) as Raphinha continues to dazzle for the Catalan giants. If he maintains this trajectory, they’ll have a proper mare leaving him out next time around.