For years, Barcelona’s greatest attacking records have been reserved for the likes of Lionel Messi, Neymar, and Ronaldo Nazario. However, Raphinha’s stunning Champions League performance against Benfica has propelled him into that elite company, etching his name into Brazilian soccer history.
For years, Barcelona’s greatest attacking records have been reserved for the likes of Lionel Messi, Neymar, and Ronaldo Nazario. However, Raphinha’s stunning Champions League performance against Benfica has propelled him into that elite company, etching his name into Brazilian soccer history.
Once viewed as a solid but unspectacular winger at Leeds, the 28-year-old is now leading Barcelona’s charge in Europe, producing numbers reminiscent of the club’s golden era. With his brace in a 3-1 victory over Benfica, he shattered a Brazilian record in the UEFA Champions League, equaled Ronaldo Nazario’s Barcelona tally, and set his sights on surpassing Messi’s legendary mark.
Tuesday’s match against Benfica at the Montjuic Stadium was more than just another step toward the Blaugrana’s Champions League quarterfinal berth—it was a defining night for Raphinha. The Brazilian winger scored twice in the first half, helping his side take a commanding 4-1 aggregate lead in the tie.
While Brazil has produced many elite forwards, none have done so in the Champions League as Raphinha has achieved this season. His two goals against the Portuguese giant took his tally to 11 in the competition this campaign, breaking Neymar’s record for the most goals scored by a Brazilian in a single Champions League season.
Before this, Neymar had set the benchmark in the 2014-15 season, when he netted ten goals to help Barcelona win a historic treble alongside Messi and Luis Suarez. With at least two more matches to play in the competition, Raphinha has an opportunity to extend his record further—and, perhaps, match or even surpass Messi’s club-record 14-goal haul from the 2011-12 Champions League season.
Matching Ronaldo’s Barcelona goal tally
Adding to his historic night, Raphinha’s brace brought his total Barcelona goal tally to 48, placing him level with Ronaldo Nazario. The Brazilian icon scored 47 goals in 49 games during his sensational one-season spell at Camp Nou in 1996-97. Raphinha needed 128 appearances to reach the same tally, but the significance of this feat cannot be understated.
Just a year ago, his future in Catalonia was uncertain. With rumors of an exit, few could have predicted his transformation into one of Europe’s most prolific wingers. Now, he stands side by side with one of the greatest forwards of all time in Barcelona’s record books.
Can Raphinha catch Lionel Messi?
While matching Ronaldo Nazario’s tally and surpassing Neymar’s Champions League record are remarkable milestones, Raphinha now has Lionel Messi in his sights. Messi remains the only Barcelona player to have scored more than 11 goals in a single Champions League campaign. The Argentine maestro set the record during the 2011-12 season, scoring 14 goals as he led the Blaugrana to the semifinals.
With Barcelona advancing to the quarter-finals, Raphinha has at least two more games to close the gap. If Barcelona reach the final, he could have up to five more matches—enough time to surpass Messi’s mark and even challenge Cristiano Ronaldo’s all-time record of 17 goals in a single Champions League season (2013-14).
