photo

Raphinha

Brazilian footballer
Date of Birth : 14 December, 1996 (Age 28)
Place of Birth : Porto Alegre, State of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
Profession : Footballer
Nationality : Brazilian, Italian
Social Profiles :
Instagram
Raphael Dias Belloli, known as Raphinha, is a Brazilian professional footballer who plays as a forward for La Liga club Barcelona and the Brazil national team.

Raphinha began his career with Brazilian club Avaí, before signing for the Portuguese Vitória de Guimarães in 2016, where he made his professional debut. In 2018, he joined fellow Primeira Liga club Sporting CP, winning the double of the Taça de Portugal and Taça da Liga in 2019. After having spells for Rennes and Leeds United, he signed for Spanish club Barcelona in 2022 for a transfer worth €58 million (£50 million).

Early life

Raphinha was born in Porto Alegre, Brazil where he grew up in Restinga, a favela far from the city centre. His father is of Italian descent and his mother is mixed-race Brazilian. His father was a jobbing musician. He had a difficult upbringing where he describes sharing a bedroom with his parents, younger brother and pets; struggling to pay travel costs and at points having to beg for food.

At age seven, he attended Ronaldinho's birthday party due to his father and uncle's relationship with the player and have since become friends.

International career

Prior to UEFA Euro 2020, the Italian Football Federation attempted to call up Raphinha for the Italian national team, for whom Raphinha was eligible due to his father's heritage. Raphinha has stated that he was close to representing Italy, but did not receive an Italian passport in time to represent them at the tournament.

In August 2021, Raphinha was selected to represent Brazil for the team's World Cup qualifiers against Chile, Argentina and Peru. On 7 October, Raphinha made his full debut for the national side, coming on as a substitute at half time in a 3–1 comeback win against Venezuela. He assisted two goals and won a penalty in 45 minutes on the pitch, receiving praise from sports pundits and fans. On 15 October, he scored his first two international goals in a qualifying match against Uruguay.

Style of play

Raphinha is a versatile winger known for his technical ability, agility, pace and defensive work rate. Primarily operating on the right-wing, he uses his left foot to cut inside, creating goal-scoring opportunities or delivering passes into dangerous areas. His dribbling, characterized by close control, rapid changes of direction, and a blend of speed and creativity, allows him to beat defenders in one-on-one situations. A proficient passer, Raphinha delivers accurate crosses and threads passes into the box, stretching opposition defenses while also operating effectively in tight spaces. Defensively, he plays an important role in counter-pressing, regaining possession by tracking back to support full-backs or disrupting opposition build-up play.

Quotes

Total 0 Quotes
Quotes not found.