“Raphinha has deserved the Ballon d’Or for some time,” Cafu told MARCA. “This year, even more so, because of his numbers and everything he’s done—not just in LaLiga, but also in the Champions League.”

Raphinha’s numbers are nothing short of spectacular. Across 44 matches in all competitions—including LaLiga, the Champions League, and the Spanish Super Cup—the Brazilian has tallied 29 goals and 17 assists. With Barcelona already in the semifinals of the Champions League and still in contention for a historic treble, Cafu’s endorsement feels more credible by the day.

The road to individual glory for Raphinha may still go through Kylian Mbappé in the Copa del Rey final, or even Salah—should Barcelona suffer an unexpected exit. But right now, Raphinha is firmly in the conversation.

Cafu on Ancelotti and Brazil’s future

Cafu also spoke about Carlo Ancelotti’s rumored appointment as head coach of the Brazilian national team. With the Selecão in search of an identity reset and aiming to recapture the joy of “jogo bonito,” the former AC Milan star believes Ancelotti could be the man to restore Brazil’s magical way of playing soccer.

“I had the opportunity to work with Ancelotti for five years at Milan, so I know exactly what he can bring to Brazil,” Cafu said. “He’s a top-class coach. If the CBF decides to appoint him, it would be fantastic. Hopefully, our leaders can make that decision soon.”

Cafu on Real Madrid’s resilience

Despite Real Madrid’s recent Champions League elimination, Cafu isn’t writing off the Spanish giants. “They’re still Real Madrid—always a feared and respected team,” he noted. “Yes, they were knocked out of the Champions League, but this is a club that always comes back strong. Next season, you can expect them to be back at full strength.”

“For nearly 14 years, we depended on one player,” Cafu remarked in an interview with Globoesporte. “And we know that relying on a single player won’t lead to a World Cup victory. It’s impossible. We spent 14 years depending on Neymar.”

The former AC Milan defender’s insight is informed by a wealth of experience. Having played for Brazil for 17 years, he won two World Cups (1994 and 2002), two Copa Americas, and captained the national team for much of his career.

While Cafu acknowledged that relying on Neymar alone was insufficient for global dominance, he spoke highly of the 32-year-old forward. “Neymar was our best player, our biggest idol,” he said. “But after him, who is the national idol? After Neymar, we had no one. He was the last one.”

Cafu expresses optimism for Brazil’s future

Despite his critique of Brazil’s past reliance on Neymar, Cafu expressed optimism about the team’s future. He believes the current squad benefits from a different dynamic, with several players stepping up and giving their best to help the team.

“Today, I see the leadership more spread out. We have Rodrygo, a player who takes responsibility, as well as Vinicius and Raphinha,” Cafu said, making it clear that the team no longer seems to rely on just one player, as there are several stars who can share the weight.

Vinícius’ performances with Brazil

Cafu’s observations ring true when looking at Brazil’s recent evolution. While Neymar was long the undisputed star, the emergence of players like Rodrygo, Raphinha, and especially Vinicius has given the team a more dynamic, well-rounded roster.

Vini, in particular, has become one of the most influential players in Europe, playing a pivotal role at Real Madrid. His performances earned him the prestigious FIFA The Best award, highlighting his immense impact on the global stage.

However, despite his success in Europe, Vinicius has yet to replicate that form for Brazil. At 24 years old, he has made 29 appearances for his country, scoring just three goals and providing four assists—statistics that fall short of his world-class reputation. In comparison, Neymar had already played 60 games and registered 42 goals and 25 assists by the time he was 24, underscoring the difference in their international careers.

As Brazil move forward, the question of leadership within the team remains crucial. Neymar’s absence from the spotlight has opened the door for a new generation of players to take charge, with Vinicius Junior leading the charge.

Besides resilience and persistence, the former right-back also stood out for his winning career, considered one of the stars of the position in the history of the game. Cafu has stints in São Paulo, Real Zaragoza, Juventude, Palmeiras, Roma, and Milan, and the his trajectory has drawn attention for him to be chosen as an Ambassador of the Supreme Committee for the Delivery and Legacy of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

In an exclusive interview with Bolavip Brasil, the legendary right back, who is also the official ambassador of Qatar 2022, gave a complete list of which, in his opinion, are the national teams that have the advantage to win the next World Cup.

Cafu’s candidates to win the 2022 World Cup in Qatar

“Well, there are great teams that can win this World Cup in Qatar. Without a doubt, Brazil is one of the favorites. Then there are the great teams like Portugal, Italy that will play the WCQ playoff to see who qualifies; England, the Netherlands, France, Spain, Argentina, Belgium are teams that really can make a great World Cup,” said the two-time world champion.

And as he gave the Scratch as a candidate, he was questioned about the lack of competition against opponents from Europe: “The fact that Brazil has not faced great teams in the world, especially European teams, does not mean that Brazil will have difficulties in the World Cup because all our players who are starters play in European soccer, so they are already used to it.”

Cafu about the Club World Cup

Cafu also took the opportunity to mention the Club World Cup, which will take place at the beginning of February next year. Palmeiras, a team in which he played and which will represent Conmebol as the new champion of the Copa Libertadores 2021, will participate in the competition.

“Palmeiras is fully capable of beating Chelsea in the Club World Cup, as other big Brazilian clubs have already shown against big European teams,” said the 51-year-old former soccer player.

Who was the best player for Cafu?

There is no doubt that Cafu has faced many soccer stars during his successful career. Not only at club level, but also playing withthe Brazilian national team. However, he did not hesitate to choose the best one.

Cafu was full of praise for a fellow countryman, whom he considers the most outstanding in two aspects: “The best player I played with was Ronaldinho Gaucho, and the best player I played against was also Ronaldinho.”

Watch the full exclusive interview with Cafu