FC Barcelona had a brilliant 2024/25 season, winning the domestic treble. They fell short in the Champions League only because of a last-minute Inter Milan miracle, but that does not take away from the campaign they enjoyed.
Among the protagonists was Raphinha. The Brazilian, who almost left the club last summer, stayed and became a vital cog under Hansi Flick. He ended up having an outstanding season across all fronts.
Despite this, the South American star finished only fifth in the Ballon d’Or rankings, behind team-mate Lamine Yamal, [who finished second](https://semprebarca.com/why-barcelona-star-lamine-yamals-ballon-dor-runner-up-finish-feels-like-just-the-beginning-opinion/), and Ousmane Dembele, who took the trophy. It did not feel right that Raphinha did not finish higher.
When asked about it in an interview, as quoted by [SPORT](https://www.sport.es/es/noticias/barca/raphinha-no-ganar-balon-oro-decepcion-personal-123354519), Raphinha shared the same sentiment, revealing that he felt disappointed with the result. Here is what he said:
**“It was a personal disappointment. When you give everything, work every day, and feel that you’ve had an incredible season, you naturally expect to be among the very best. Finishing fifth was an honor, of course, but my expectations were higher.”**
Raphinha had a stellar league campaign, but it was his UEFA Champions League run that blew everyone’s minds. He was the joint top scorer in Europe’s elite competition and produced numerous clutch goals for Barcelona.
However, the Brazilian winger was not recognised enough, sadly, even by his own fans. All the attention went to Lamine Yamal, who was the flavour of the season, and Barcelona supporters are partly to blame for letting Raphinha slip through the cracks.
Hansi Flick will be hoping that Raphinha returns to action sooner rather than later. Let’s wait and see whether he can replicate his stellar season this time around and, if he does, there will be no stopping him from winning the next Ballon d’Or.