Brazilian football star Raphinha rose to notoriety after a string of explosive performances for Leeds United in the Premier League. When the gifted forward first arrived in 2020 from Rennes he was not widely known to audiences in England, but soon helped keep Leeds in the top flight and became one of the most coveted players in the Premier League, bewitching fans with his remarkable skills and scoring a total of 17 goals. Tottenham, Arsenal and Chelsea all showed interest in signing the rising football star, but it was Barcelona who secured the Brazilian’s signature in one of the most exciting signings of 2022.

Raphinha has also been a standout player for Brazil since he was first called up to represent his country for the team’s World Cup qualifiers against Argentina, Peru and Chile in August 2021. His performance against Venezuela in October 2021 won high praise from fans and pundits alike, his quality shining through as he won a penalty and assisted two goals in 45 minutes on the pitch after coming on as a substitute. The forward didn’t wait long for his first international goals, scoring twice in his third appearance and first start against Uruguay. After his impressive performances in the Premier League and in qualifying matches, it was little surprise when he was named in the squad for the 2022 FIFA World Cup.