Raphinha is set to make history. ESPN Brasil’s Bruno Andrade reports he will officially be named the first captain of FC Barcelona for the 2026/27 season, a move that will make him the first-ever Brazilian footballer to wear the first captain’s armband for the Catalan club. Can you believe it? After all the talk earlier this summer, this is a massive moment for the attacker and the club.
Captaincy Chaos Leads to a New Leader
This hasn’t been a quiet summer for Barcelona, especially regarding their leadership group. Heading into the offseason, Marc-Andre ter Stegen was the first captain, followed by Ronald Araujo, Frenkie de Jong, Raphinha, and Pedri in the pecking order. But things changed fast. Ter Stegen and Araujo are both gone, joining Ajax and Liverpool respectively on loan. That’s a huge void right there. On top of that, Frenkie de Jong has been sidelined with an injury and is looking at an extended period out of action. Suddenly, Barcelona had major vacancies at the top of their captaincy hierarchy. The report points to Raphinha as the natural choice to step up and lead the team.
Raphinha’s Journey to the Armband
If this news holds true, it’s a totally deserved reward for Raphinha. The guy has consistently been one of Barça’s most important players over the last couple of seasons under manager Hansi Flick. He’s practically an extension of Flick on the field, setting the tone for his teammates with his incredible hard work, commitment, and raw intensity. Remember that spectacular 2024/25 campaign? He was even in the conversation for the Ballon d’Or! Last season, though, was tough; recurring hamstring injuries hampered his 29-year-old attacker and stopped him from hitting his peak form. Those injuries even bothered him during the World Cup with Brazil. Now, with the coaching staff fully focused on getting him back to his 2024/25 heights, this added responsibility of the first captaincy is just going to light an even bigger fire under him. He was linked with a move to Saudi Arabia earlier in the summer, and now look at him. What a turnaround!
With multiple leadership spots opening up, Eric Garcia has also emerged as a strong contender for one of the other captaincy positions. The new season is less than a week away, and Barcelona is clearly looking for new voices to lead the charge. Get ready to see Raphinha step up, Seattle.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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