Andalusian Coach Criticizes the Ridiculous Omission of Raphinha from Ballon d'Or
Brazilian forward Raphinha netted a hat‑trick against Sevilla, leading Barcelona to a 3‑1 victory in the seventh round of La Liga. The performance took his tally to 15 goals in seven matches for the 2026/2027 season.
Sevilla Coach's Remarks
Sevilla manager Luis Garcia expressed disbelief that Raphinha was omitted from the Ballon d’Or shortlist, calling it "ridiculous." He praised the Brazilian as a decisive player who doesn’t place much faith in such awards.
Background
The Ballon d’Or honors the world’s best player each year, typically based on club and international performances. Despite Raphinha’s strong league form, his name was absent from this year’s nominees.
It remains to be seen whether this exclusion will affect Raphinha’s future individual accolades.
Related Articles
Lamine Yamal Claims He Deserves 2026 Ballon d'Or, Names Mbappe as Sole Rival
Lamine Yamal, star of Barcelona and Spain, has asserted his worthiness for the 2026 Ballon d'Or, identifying Kylian Mbappe as his sole worthy rival. Yamal bases his claim on his impressive statistics with Barcelona, scoring 24 goals and providing 18 assists, despite being dissatisfied with his World Cup performance due to injury. Conversely, Mbappe leads all-time World Cup scorers and netted 42 goals for Real Madrid last season. Yamal aims to enhance his performance in upcoming tournaments to solidify his status as one of the world's best players.
Ballon d'Or 2026: Messi, Mbappé and Yamal Lead the Race Based on Three Criteria
The 2026 Ballon d'Or will be decided on three criteria: individual performance, collective achievements and fair play. Messi remains consistent, Mbappé shines individually, and Yamal emerges as a rising star. Kevin adds German team titles, while PSG players have limited chances.
Yasser El-Zabiri scores for Barcelona against Racing Santander
Yasser El-Zabiri, the young Moroccan striker, scored for Racing Santander in a 2-7 loss to Barcelona at Camp Nou, emerging as a top scorer in La Liga despite limited minutes, and is expected to be called up for the national team’s AFCON qualifiers.