Raphinha, the fifth R: Brazilian joins rank of legends who played for Barça

The history of Brazilians and Barcelona is a love story. Many have left their indelible mark in Catalonia and that goes down from fathers to sons, grandfathers to grandkids and generation after generation. Four of these footballers all of them who had a special aura were called Romario, Ronaldo, Rivaldo and Ronaldinho. All of them share the letter R at the start of their name like Raphinha who has just arrived to wear the Barcelona shirt, from Leeds United. He too has an R at the start of his name and on his neck a pendant that shines at the same level as his football. “Now my moment has come,” said Raphinha in an interview with SPORT on Barça‘s tour of the United States. “Each of those has their own story, a very beautiful one. Now I hope to be able to make a story as beautiful as theirs.”

He grew up knowing what Barça means because there is no other club in Europe that has the rich tradition of Brazilian football history that Barcelona have.

Raphinha has the magic of Romario, the determination of Ronaldo, the shot of Rivaldo, and the contagious smile of Ronaldinho who is a close friend of his father, with whom he shares a taste in music.

Raphinha’s pendant is made of some brilliant material - for this ignorant journalist, silver - but it could be white gold. It shines in the light. It’s not the only R that Raphinha shows publicly, because on his left arm he has, tattooed with the same typography, the same letter. Nothing is coincidence in this life. 

He looks very promising, with two assists and a goal against Inter Miami and then a screamer in the Clasico to win the game. One of those goals that gets remembered, like Ronaldinho’s on is debut at Camp Nou against Sevilla, or Romario’s hat-trick against Real Sociedad. Footballers touched by a magic wand, that when combined with Barcelona’s colours, grow exponentially and leave an indelible mark in Cule imagination. It’s early, but Raphinha is looking capable of doing the same.