Ousmane Dembele lifted the most prestigious individual prize in world soccer, Lamine Yamal stood proudly beside him on the podium, and Raphinha watched from further down the list — officially fifth in the 2025 Ballon d’Or standings. On paper, the ranking looked settled. In reality, the debate was only beginning.
Months after the ceremony, the Barcelona star has made it clear that the wound never fully healed. Raphinha, who delivered one of the most productive attacking seasons in Europe, believes the story of the Ballon d’Or was written with selective memory. And now, speaking openly, he has reignited the conversation — one that subtly sidelines both Dembele and Yamal in the process.
The numbers alone placed the Brazilian star among the elite. He finished the season with 34 goals and 22 assists, becoming one of the most decisive players across Europe’s top competitions. Only Mohamed Salah recorded more direct goal involvements in all competitions. With the club, Raphinha was instrumental in a domestic treble, lifting the league title, the national cup, and the super cup. In continental competition, he emerged as joint top scorer, breaking records along the way and delivering consistently against elite opposition.
Yet when the Ballon d’Or shortlist narrowed, his name was conspicuously absent from the top three. Instead, the award went to Dembele after a Champions League-driven campaign, with Yamal finishing second and Vitinha third. Salah placed fourth. Raphinha finished fifth — a result that surprised many analysts and infuriated the player himself.
In an interview with SofaScore, Raphinha did not hide his frustration. “I was upset. I expected more. I expected to be in the top 3 at least. I knew winning would be difficult because the Champions League weighs a lot. So I was upset with the position I ended in,” he admitted. Despite acknowledging factors outside his control, the Brazilian made it clear that the ranking felt unjust. “I understand it involves many things I cannot control. Many things that are complicated to keep highlighting. What I can say is that I’m very satisfied with the season I had — and no individual award will erase what I did last season.”
Why Raphinha thinks he should have won 2025 Ballon d’Or
When asked directly who should have won the Ballon d’Or, Raphinha did not hesitate — and this is where the mystery finally dissolves. “Myself, personally, I would place myself first. I would place myself in first place!” he said. Then came the 10-word explanation that has since echoed across soccer circles: “An individual award cannot be based on a single competition.”
With that sentence, Raphinha laid bare his core argument. For him, the Ballon d’Or has drifted away from evaluating an entire season and become overly dependent on Champions League success. “Based on that, I think I deserved to be first for what I delivered during the season, for the titles I won, for the numbers I achieved, and for everything I contributed on the pitch,” he explained. “I think I deserved to win.”
Where Dembele and Yamal fit into Raphinha’s logic
Interestingly, Raphinha was careful not to diminish the seasons enjoyed by his rivals — even as he effectively excluded them from his personal podium. “As it is an award that is practically based on a single competition, Dembele deserved to win, especially since he also had a spectacular season. Lamine also had a spectacular season,” he said.
But when reshaping the rankings based on his own criteria, the Brazilian made a striking choice. Raphinha placed himself first, followed by Lamine Yamal and Pedri, with Dembele pushed down to fourth. That ordering quietly underscored his belief that season-long consistency, not isolated peaks, should define soccer’s biggest individual prize.
