Barça breaks tradition, appoints Raphinha as captain over De Jong

In a surprise announcement on the Ballon d'Or website, Barça confirmed that Niet Frenkie de Jong, but Raphinha, will wear the captain’s armband for the Catalan giants as they prepare for their season‑opening match at Elche on Sunday, despite the club’s traditional seniority rule.

Raphinha named first captain

Ronald Araújo moved to Liverpool and Marc ter Stegen joined Ajax, leaving De Jong as the longest‑serving player according to the old hierarchy. Volgens the club’s internal order, he should have become the new captain of Barça. The Uruguayan defender’s limited minutes also prompted the decision to let him depart.

The Ballon d'Or site says the 29‑year‑old Oranje‑international will serve as second captain of FC Barcelona. According to the same source, the club is expected to confirm the captaincy details before the Elche match. This marks a clear break from the usual seniority‑based selection.

De Jong demoted to second

Barça normally chooses its captain based on who has been continuously active the longest; after the departures, De Jong became that player. Last season he was already second captain behind Araújo, often wearing the armband when the Uruguayan played few minutes. During Araújo’s limited appearances, De Jong frequently led the side on the pitch.

Barcelona crowns Raphinha captain after Araujo, ter Stegen exits

The club cited his recurring injury problems as the primary reason for not granting him the first‑captain role. Consequently, De Jong will be the reserve captain rather than the primary leader. The decision reflects concerns over his fitness for the upcoming campaign.

Captain hierarchy reshuffled

Pedri will act as the third captain, with Gavi fourth and Eric García fifth, completing a five‑member leadership group. All five captains are expected to lead the squad in the upcoming match. This new order reshapes the traditional chain of command at Barça.

Barcelona’s displeasure stems from De Jong playing with a knee injury at the World Cup on advice from the Oranje staff, while the club believes he should have undergone surgery. The Catalan side feels the player’s choice jeopardised the team’s interests. Barcelona’s anger highlights a growing rift between the player and the club.

De Jong recently engaged in a heated discussion with journalist Gerard Romero on Barça’s official channels. The exchange underscored the tension surrounding his captaincy status. The conversation was described as a sharp rebuttal to media criticism.