Barcelona superstar tipped for the Ballon d’Or by former midfielder – ‘He’s the leader’ | OneFootball

As we approach the final phase of the campaign, it is fair to say that Raphinha has been one of the best performers in European football this season.

The former Leeds United attacker has rejuvenated himself under the leadership of Hansi Flick and has racked up an impressive 27 goals and 20 assists in just 42 competitive matches this season.

Raphinha’s statistics this season compare with some of the best players in Barcelona’s history, including Neymar himself.

Therefore, there have been murmurs within the footballing community over Raphinha potentially becoming a 2025 Ballon d’Or candidate.

These rumours were further fueled by former Barcelona and Spain midfielder Gaizka Mendieta, who backed Raphinha as one of the top contenders to win the Ballon d’Or this year.

What Mendieta said about Raphinha

In a recent conversation with MARCA on the occasion of his birthday, Mendieta offered his thoughts on Raphinha, hailing his performances and leadership qualities.

“For me, he’s a candidate for the Ballon d’Or for his numbers, his performance, and for being a leading captain. We saw in the match against Atletico that he fights for the last ball to score another goal. He’s the leader a team like Barça needs,” he said.

Will Raphinha win the Ballon d’Or this year? (Photo by Buda Mendes/Getty Images)

Gaizka also talked about Raphinha’s recent incident against Argentina’s Nicolas Otamendi while he was playing for Brazil during the international break.

“When you make certain statements, you take a risk and you can quickly walk away with your ears down. I don’t think he did it to provoke, but rather he got carried away by emotion and by what that match means for Brazil and Argentina,” he said.

Mendieta played for Barcelona for only one season between 2002 to 2003, before joining Lazio. However, he featured in almost 50 competitive matches for the Blaugrana during his brief spell.

Talking about the current form of his former team, Mendieta highlighted the role played by Hansi Flick this season.

“He’s the person most responsible for Barça’s high level. He’s brought out great performances from very young players like Lamine, Cubarsi, Fermin… who are performing at a spectacular level, as if they’ve been playing all their lives,” he concluded.