As the debate over this season’s Ballon d’Or heats up, two familiar names—Mohamed Salah and Vinicius Jr.—are no longer leading the conversation. With Salah’s Liverpool crashing out of the UEFA Champions League and Vinicius underwhelming performance throughout the campaign, Brazilian legend Cafu has turned attention elsewhere. His pick? FC Barcelona winger Raphinha.
“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.
Raphinha of FC Barcelona celebrates scoring his team’s fourth goal during the La Liga match between FC Barcelona and Real Valladolid CF at Camp Nou on August 31, 2024 in Barcelona, Spain.
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.
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“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.”
