In a piece dated 10 February 2026, Michel Duran reports that 29‑year‑old Barcelona winger Raphinha acknowledged feeling hurt by the absence of individual recognition following an outstanding 2024/25 campaign. Raphinha was instrumental as one of the main architects of Barça’s season, during which the club won La Liga, the Spanish Super Cup and the Copa del Rey. As captain, he registered over 60 direct goal contributions across the season.
Despite those numbers, Raphinha was largely overlooked for major individual honours: he did not make the top three of the 2025 Ballon d’Or voting and was not awarded FIFA’s The Best. On Monday, however, SER Catalunya recognised his performances by presenting him with the Toresky Award for Athlete of the Year.
After receiving the accolade, Raphinha stressed that team trophies remain his priority — they were the reason he joined the club — but he also said that personal recognition matters and is rewarding when you know you have given your best. He emphasised that many decisions off the field are out of his control and that he will continue to focus on delivering results on the pitch, which leaves him satisfied with his season regardless of external votes.
Raphinha expressed gratitude for the Toresky Award, noting that it means a great deal to him and his family because it comes from Barcelona and Catalonia. Footage of his reaction circulated online, reflecting the warm environment surrounding the presentation.
He also spoke about life in Barcelona and Catalonia, saying that settling in has been special for him and his family: they feel embraced, enjoy the city, the beach and the good weather, and have been made to feel at home despite not having lived there long.
The article notes that Raphinha is currently recovering from an overload problem that sidelined him for matches against Albacete and Mallorca. Asked if he would be fit for the first leg of the Copa del Rey semi‑final against Atlético Madrid later in the week, he replied that he does not yet know but is trying to recover as quickly as possible and does not want to play at 50% — he aims to be fully fit.
Regarding coach Hansi Flick’s frustration about the latest injury setback, Raphinha accepted that the team must work on improvements and that he, like his teammates, needs to address areas for progress.
On the La Liga title race — with Real Madrid only one point behind Barcelona despite not playing well — Raphinha said he does not pay attention to other teams and that Barcelona must focus on doing their job: if they perform, the rest will take care of itself.
Finally, when asked whether he told youngster Lamine Yamal about winning the Toresky Award ahead of him, Raphinha downplayed any rivalry and insisted that Yamal deserves the awards he has won and those he will win in future, pointing out that many decisions about prizes can sometimes be unfair to young talents.
The piece was published on 10 February 2026 and written by Michel Duran.
