Author: Abiodun Adewale Adeniyi | Founder & Editor, Beyond the Final Whistle
Date: September 20, 2026
Raphinha has responded to being left off the 2026 Ballon d'Or shortlist in perhaps the most convincing way possible: by becoming almost impossible to stop.
The Barcelona captain scored all three goals as Hansi Flick's side came from behind to beat Sevilla 3-1 at the Ramón Sánchez-Pizjuán on September 19, preserving Barcelona's perfect start to the La Liga season.
Youssouf Fofana gave Sevilla the lead after 18 minutes, but Raphinha equalised four minutes later before scoring twice in the second half to complete another remarkable hat-trick. The Brazilian now has 12 goals in seven La Liga matches this season.
But perhaps the most interesting reaction came from the opposition manager.
Sevilla Coach Questions Raphinha's Ballon d'Or Absence
After watching Raphinha dismantle his team, Sevilla coach Luis García Plaza questioned how the Barcelona forward had failed to make the Ballon d'Or shortlist.
García Plaza described Barcelona as operating at an extremely high level before highlighting Raphinha's influence and criticising his absence from the nominees.
The frustration is understandable.
UEFA's official 2026 Ballon d'Or nominee list contains 30 players, including Lamine Yamal, Kylian Mbappé, Harry Kane, Erling Haaland, Jude Bellingham and Vinícius Júnior.
Raphinha isn't among them.
His current performances are making that absence an increasingly fascinating talking point.
Another Hat-Trick, Another Barcelona Comeback
Barcelona didn't have everything their own way in Seville.
The hosts started aggressively and Fofana's header gave them a deserved early advantage.
Raphinha's response was immediate.
He raced onto Andreas Christensen's pass and calmly finished to make it 1-1. After the break, the Brazilian headed Barcelona in front before completing his hat-trick in the 69th minute.
Barcelona's official match report described it as a perfect hat-trick and confirmed that it was Raphinha's second consecutive treble.
The numbers are becoming extraordinary.
Raphinha has now scored 12 league goals in seven matches and 14 times in eight appearances across all competitions this season.
From Winger to Barcelona's Main Goal Threat
Raphinha's transformation is about more than finishing.
His movement has become one of the most dangerous components of Flick's attack.
Rather than remaining permanently on the wing, Raphinha can move centrally, attack behind defenders, drift into space and arrive inside the penalty area at exactly the right moment.
That unpredictability makes him extremely difficult to mark.
His partnership with Lamine Yamal adds another problem for opponents.
Focus too much attention on Yamal and Raphinha attacks the space elsewhere. Follow Raphinha closely and Barcelona's other attackers suddenly have additional room.
Against Sevilla, that combination was decisive again.
And this isn't simply a one-match hot streak. Raphinha was already named La Liga Player of the Month for August after scoring five goals and providing an assist during Barcelona's perfect opening month. The official Barcelona announcement underlined just how influential he has been since the campaign began.
But Why Isn't Raphinha Nominated for the Ballon d'Or?
This is where an important distinction needs to be made.
Raphinha's incredible 2026/27 form came after the period being assessed for the 2026 award. His 12 league goals this season therefore shouldn't simply be used to argue that voters ignored what he is doing right now.
The current Ballon d'Or race is based primarily on what the nominees achieved before this new campaign began.
At Beyond the Final Whistle, we have already analysed Harry Kane, Lamine Yamal, Kylian Mbappé and the other major candidates in our complete breakdown of the 2026 Ballon d'Or race and its leading contenders.
That race will culminate at the London Palladium on October 26, when the 2026 winner is announced.
Raphinha won't win it because he isn't among the nominees.
But what he's doing now could have major implications for what comes next.
Raphinha Is Already Building His Next Ballon d'Or Case
Individual awards are rarely decided by a few weeks of football.
Raphinha will need to maintain an elite level over a much longer period.
There will be Champions League knockout matches, domestic trophies and Brazil's international fixtures to come before another Ballon d'Or campaign can be properly assessed.
But the foundation is already being built.
Twelve La Liga goals.
Fourteen goals across all competitions.
Two consecutive hat-tricks.
La Liga Player of the Month for August.
And a central role in a Barcelona side that has opened the campaign with eight consecutive competitive victories, including seven from seven in La Liga.
If Raphinha continues anywhere close to this pace, the conversation will inevitably change from “Why wasn't he nominated?” to “Can he win the next one?”
García Plaza May Not Be the Last Manager Asking the Question
Perhaps the biggest compliment Raphinha received in Seville came from the man who had spent the match trying to stop him.
García Plaza saw first-hand how difficult the Brazilian has become to contain.
Sevilla competed.
They scored first.
They made Barcelona uncomfortable.
Then Raphinha took control.
That's why the Sevilla coach's comments have resonated.
Raphinha cannot change the 2026 Ballon d'Or shortlist. But every goal he scores from this point forward strengthens his case for the next individual honours available to him.
And right now, few players in European football are making a louder statement on the pitch.
Beyond the Final Whistle, Raphinha's response to his Ballon d'Or omission couldn't be more emphatic. The Barcelona captain has started the new season at a breathtaking pace, and his hat-trick against Sevilla showed exactly why Luis García Plaza was left questioning his absence from the shortlist. The 2026 nominees are already decided, but if Raphinha maintains anything close to this level, leaving him out of the next Ballon d'Or conversation could become considerably more difficult.
If Raphinha continues scoring at this extraordinary rate, can Barcelona's captain force his way into the very centre of the next Ballon d'Or race? Join the conversation on Beyond the Final Whistle.
