“Proud to represent Brazil,” says Raphinha at Ballon d’Or event | OneFootball

Paris welcomes the cream of world football this Monday for the presentation of the 2025 Ballon d'Or, and Brazil is represented among the nominees. Besides Vinicius Júnior (16th) from Real Madrid, the forward Raphinha from Barcelona also appeared on the list of the 30 finalists and experienced a special night at the Théâtre du Châtelet, with high expectations.

This year's award has as favorites the Frenchman Ousmane Dembélé, Champions League winner with Paris Saint-Germain, the Spanish prodigy Lamine Yamal from Barcelona, and Raphinha, the Brazilian also from the Catalan club. Number 11 celebrated the chance to represent the country at one of the most prestigious ceremonies in world football.

“I am very happy to be representing our country. It's always important to elevate Brazil's name. Regardless of who wins, I think all the nominees had a deserving season,” the forward stated to TNT Sports, making a point to highlight the collective spirit within the Barça dressing room.

“Our desire is to bring the Ballon d'Or to Barcelona. If I win, he [Yamal] will be very happy. And if he wins, I will be very happy too.”

Among the highlights of the night, Raphinha also commented on the possibility of Ronaldinho Gaúcho presenting the trophy. For him, it would be a moment of symbolic significance for Brazilian football. “We know the importance Ronaldinho has. For his career and the person he is, seeing him deliver this award would be very special,” he said.

The ceremony takes place amid the anticipation of one of the most awaited matches of the season: Barcelona vs. Paris Saint-Germain, in the Champions League. Asked about the duel, the Brazilian preferred caution but emphasized confidence in the Catalan team's work.

“We are working game by game. At the moment, we are focused on the League commitment, but we are confident that the work is being done very well.”

Besides Raphinha and Vinicius Júnior, other Brazilians were also recognized in different categories of the award. Goalkeeper Alisson is competing among the best in his position, Marta is seeking her seventh Ballon d'Or in women's football, and the young Estêvão, formerly of Palmeiras and currently at Chelsea, appears among the candidates for the best under-21 player award.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.