Setien says Brazilian Raphinha deserves the 2026 Ballon d’Or

The praise from former Barcelona coach Quique Setien, who says the Brazilian Raphinha deserves the Ballon d’Or 2026, reinforces the striker’s position as the main candidate despite not appearing on the final list, and highlights his prominence in the campaign that takes the club to the top of LaLiga.

Raphinha celebrates his second goal

On September 19, 2026, at the Ramón Sánchez Pizjuán Stadium in Seville, Spain, Raphinha of FC Barcelona scored the second goal against Sevilla FC in the LaLiga EA Sports 2026/27 matchday. The photo of his celebration, distributed by Getty Images, shows the Brazilian raising his arms.

After the match, Quique Setien told Cadena SER that Raphinha is, without doubt, the best player in the world right now. He quoted: “There’s no need to overthink it. I’d give it to Raphinha right now,” and added that he is the most efficient, the one who plays the most, runs, works and helps his team, describing him as an absolutely complete footballer.

Even with that backing, Raphinha does not appear on the final Ballon d’Or 2026 list, where the favorites are Harry Kane, Lamine Yamal and Kylian Mbappé. Setien’s vote underscores the difference between experts’ opinion and the jury’s decision.

Raphinha’s 2025‑26 campaign was interrupted by an injury, and Brazil only reached the round of 16 of the 2026 World Cup. In the current season, he has scored fourteen goals, propelling Barcelona to the top of the league.

With his performance and Setien’s support, the Brazilian will continue to be a key figure in the discussion of the next Ballon d’Or, while Barcelona maintains its leadership in LaLiga. The Brazilian’s leadership will be analyzed as the award voting approaches.