FC Barcelona captain Raphinha gave an interview to Catalan radio station RAC1. In the second part of this exclusive interview, Raphinha discussed not making the Ballon d'Or 30-man shortlist, his goal-scoring targets and trophy ambitions for the new season, and his support for Lamine Yamal for the 2026 Ballon d'Or, among other topics.

Interviewer: Did you know you've already broken Lionel Messi's season-opening record? That is, in the early stages of La Liga and the Champions League, your stats are better than Messi's were at that time.

Raphinha: Yes, people told me about it.

Interviewer: What do you think about that?

Raphinha: It sounds incredible, doesn't it? Ultimately, you're breaking the record of one of the greatest players in football history—both in the club's history and in world football. Being able to break Messi's record is truly something to be proud of. But Messi is Messi, and in my opinion, he's a player unlike any other.

Interviewer: Have you set yourself goal targets for this season? Can you tell us?

Raphinha: Yes, but I'm not saying anything. (laughs)

Interviewer: You won't tell us!

Marta: You don't want to say.

Raphinha: I won't tell you, but I've written it down.

Interviewer: Okay.

Raphinha: Some people on the team know.

Interviewer: You've actually written down your goal target?

Raphinha: Yes.

Interviewer: Is it the total number of goals for the entire season, right? All competitions combined: Champions League, La Liga, Copa del Rey, everything?

Raphinha: All competitions combined.

Interviewer: Alright, alright. If you hit that target, will there be any bets, challenges, or celebrations?

Raphinha: No, nothing at all. It's purely a personal goal for me.

Interviewer: I understand. Would you say you're in the best form of your career right now?

Raphinha: Yes, right now, yes I am.

Interviewer: That's definitely true right now. What about Hansi Flick? You've said he changed your life. Why would you say that? Is it because of these changes, or are there other reasons?

Raphinha: Yes, because he completely changed my mindset, and he also changed my situation at the club. As I've always said, after Copa América and before the coach arrived, I had plans to leave the club. I had made that decision. But the coach's arrival played a crucial role in convincing me to stay.

Interviewer: If Julián Álvarez had joined, you might not have had a chance to play.

Raphinha: Maybe, maybe not. It's hard to say.

Interviewer: Do you understand Atlético Madrid's approach? Do you get it all?

Raphinha: To be honest, I don't really understand it. Because from my personal perspective, if you're not happy or comfortable somewhere, things usually don't work out well. Of course, things can still go well. I'm not saying he'd definitely struggle. But when you're not settled, it's hard to put down roots and work peacefully. And he has shown clearly and repeatedly that he wants to leave and come here to fight alongside us. Of course, I understand that the club doesn't want to let such a talented player go, but I think their approach is rather odd.

Interviewer: I have two more questions, and then Gérard and Marta also have questions for you. Are you disappointed you didn't make the Ballon d'Or 30-man shortlist? Does it feel bad to miss out?

Raphinha: Do I feel bad? No, not at all.

Interviewer: Don't you think it's unfair? I'll speak for you—um, what do you think?

Raphinha: No, I think it's quite unfair. Not just for me, but for Pedri as well. I believe Pedri absolutely deserves to be on that list. Ultimately, here's what I think: from what I've observed, this award measures individual statistics, team honors like trophies, standout moments, exceptional performances in competitions, and so on. From this perspective, I think there is some injustice—not just for me, but for Pedri too, and certainly for other players I can't recall right now who faced similar injustice. That said, many past selections have also been unjust. So honestly, I don't really care.

Interviewer: If you keep up this momentum, maybe they'll give you the Ballon d'Or next year instead. You know? Just give it to you next year. If you keep scoring like this, it's inevitable.

Raphinha: To be frank, my personal goal is to win the Champions League with the club and La Liga again. If I achieve that, it would be... sorry, it would be incredible. (laughs) If I win the Champions League, contribute to winning the Champions League, and then win La Liga again to secure back-to-back titles, that would be the most amazing thing I could ever experience with this club, without a doubt. If we can maintain our current form, we have every ability to compete for these honors with strong competitive capability.

Interviewer: If all of that happens and Raphinha keeps scoring, then the 2027 Ballon d'Or would be yours. But who will get the 2026 Ballon d'Or? I remember you posted "My Ballon d'Or winner" on social media, right? You posted a picture of Lamine with the caption "My Ballon d'Or." You're quite confident it has to be Lamine this year, right?

Raphinha: Without a doubt. I'm very confident. As I just said, since this award usually goes to players with outstanding individual statistics and team honors, Lamine's stats are excellent. Lamine won the trophy with the club, and he won the World Cup too...

Interviewer: Some people say...

Raphinha: People would pay any price to watch Lamine play live. And I would buy a ticket to watch him play too. But now I play alongside him, so I can enjoy his football up close. So for me, it's clear that Lamine has to win this award. There's no other way. I apologize, but even though I respect the other nominees, Lamine is far ahead, and this award is undoubtedly his.

Interviewer: I apologize for interrupting you earlier. I was going to mention the World Cup. Some people say he didn't play well, even though he won. His performances were just ordinary, so this shouldn't give him such a high score...

Raphinha: The one who played poorly was me. I played badly. I played only half a game. (laughs) We were eliminated in the quarterfinals, and I don't want to think about it now because the loss is too painful. But how could someone win the World Cup while playing very badly? I don't understand that argument at all. Hmm, many others have also said that to win the Ballon d'Or, you need to win a specific trophy. Doesn't winning three titles seem convincing enough?

Interviewer: And his on-pitch performance...

Raphinha: His performances don't need further explanation because he demonstrates remarkable ability in nearly every match. So for me, there's no one else. There's a Brazilian saying that describes how watching certain players makes you "light up inside." When I was a kid, watching Ronaldinho play made my eyes sparkle like that. And now Lamine makes people feel the same way. And he brings so much more. He displays endless magic on the pitch. He brings goals, assists, and trophies. Don't you think that's enough? If that's not enough, I honestly don't know what else he needs to do. If it were a fair award, I would definitely vote for Lamine.

Interviewer: Kylian Mbappé publicly stated that he believes he deserves the Ballon d'Or, even without winning a major trophy with his team. What do you think about that?

Raphinha: I can only say that my Ballon d'Or winner is Lamine.

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