In the second part of his appearance on Sofascore’s video series A Guest and a Half, Raphinha opens up in a long, unfiltered conversation about the personalities inside the Brazilian national team, his own competitive mindset, memorable stories from Barcelona, and the influence of Marcelo Bielsa during his years in England.

From emotional reflections on his first goals for Brazil to behind-the-scenes details about Neymar, Vinicius Jr., Lamine Yamal, and Gavi, this extended interview shows a more personal, spontaneous side of the Barcelona winger.

Teammates, Leaders, and Personalities

Sofascore:
He trains so hard, it’s absurd. He’s obsessed with his hair. Very obsessed.

Raphinha:
Gavi? Why?

Sofascore:
Because he forgets everything.

Raphinha:
When it comes to organising, he throws great parties.

Sofascore:
To me, Neymar is a leader not only on the pitch but also off it.

He is someone who always wants to know how everyone’s feeling, if they need anything, if everything’s OK at home, if they feel good on the pitch, how they’re doing mentally.
He’s always concerned about his teammates, and that’s what makes him one of the leaders in the national team.

He was already a leader when I first joined the national team. He was one of the guys who welcomed me with open arms, so for me he is a leader.

Sofascore:
And Lewandowski, what’s he like? A good guy?

Raphinha:
Yes, a good guy. Not only that, but he also has a hunger for victory, for achievements.
He’s incredible despite his age. He’s someone who works very hard to be at his best.

Read more: Raphinha in exclusive interview: “With the season I had, I should have won the Ballon d’Or”

“Guess Who?” Game Begins

Sofascore:
Is it Bielsa?

Raphinha:
Yes! You got it right!
Man, there are so many stories. Stories that may or may not be true.

They say that once he woke up in the middle of the night after dreaming of a tactic and he made the staff stand in the garden like the players in his dream to see if that would work.
Absurd. No, football is the only thing on his mind.

Sofascore:
Now it’s “Guess Who?”
I’m going to give you a hint. You’re going to hold the tablet.
Man, I think this is too easy.

There are three little things.
This is the first hint for the first guess. Here, look. Hint number one.

Raphinha:
OK, hold on, let me understand.

Sofascore:
It’s like this, Rapha. There are three hints.
This is the first one.
If you’re good, no pressure, you’ll get it off the first hint.

Raphinha:
OK, what are these numbers here?

Sofascore:
Coaches and matches they coached.
Then you have to guess what’s hidden under the question mark, which is the little photo.

Raphinha:
In this case, a coach is missing?

Sofascore:
That’s right.

Raphinha:
Come on, there’s no way.

Sofascore:
So, who do you think it is?
If you want, you can get a second hint.

Raphinha:
No, I won’t take the second hint.

Sofascore:
The worst thing about Raphael is that he’s very competitive.
I told him: if he’s good, he’ll guess it off the first hint. I was just kidding!

Raphinha:
No, I think…

Sofascore:
Say the names of these coaches.

Raphinha:
Xavi, 87 matches. Pedro Martins, 87 matches. Hansi Flick, 66 matches.
Question mark, 56 matches. And Julien Stéphan, 36 matches.

Sofascore:
What do they have in common?

Raphinha:
This is the number of matches I played under them.

Sofascore:
That’s it. All of them trained you, right?

Raphinha:
They all trained me, exactly.

Sofascore:
Do you remember how many coaches you’ve had? A lot, right?

Raphinha:
Let me see, I had… Counting…

Sofascore:
Counting the academy or just professional?

Raphinha:
No, just professional.

Sofascore:
Really? Does the Vitória B team count?

Raphinha:
It does.
I had one coach in the Vitória B team. I had three coaches in Vitória’s first team.
I had two coaches at Sporting.

Sofascore:
OK, give me hint number two.

Raphinha:
No, hold on.
No, it’s not that… It’s not that obvious. In my head…
But there’s not a lot of coaches under whom I played over 50 matches.

Sofascore:
So you easily had more than 10 coaches in your career?

Raphinha:
I did have more than 10 coaches.

Sofascore:
Come on, think. Under which coaches did you play such a high number of matches?

Raphinha:
That’s quite a lot.
Like, that’s more than a season.
I had 36 with Stéphan, it was a whole season.

(silence / thinking pause)

Sofascore:
Come on, stop being stubborn.
Wanna take the second hint?

Raphinha:
Is it Bielsa?

Sofascore:
Yes! You got it right!

Raphinha:
It was escaping my mind.

Sofascore:
Really?

Raphinha:
Yeah.

Sofascore:
Were you also considering someone else?

Raphinha:
No, I was trying to remember how many matches I played for the Vitória B team and how many matches I played at Sporting.
But I got injured at Sporting. I was out for two months, it didn’t add up.

Sofascore:
Wow, you’re really good.
Now, just move on to hint number two.
I’m not cheating here, OK, guys?

Sofascore:
No, he’s not cheating. Raphael’s very competitive and he’s getting desperate.

Raphinha:
I think the little glasses here helped me.

Sofascore:
Really? Which glasses?

Raphinha:
Here, in the silhouette.

Sofascore:
Wow, you’re a genius.
Zoom in, because this is for someone who plays escape games.
Look at the detail. Zoom in, Raphael.

Guys, Raphael managed to spot the silhouette of Bielsa’s glasses, that’s crazy.
It could’ve just been a pointy ear.
You were brilliant.

Sofascore:
The second hint was… This one would definitely give it away:
“The only way I understand football is through constant pressure, playing in the opponent’s half and with ball possession.”
“I’m obsessed with attacking. I watch videos to learn how to attack, not defend.”

Bielsa Stories Continue

Sofascore:
OK, now another hint.
These are your stats while he was your coach.

Raphinha:
Six goals? No way, are you crazy?

Sofascore:
Were there more?

Raphinha:
Of course!

Sofascore:
Tell us.

Raphinha:
That’s wrong. This is from just one season.

Sofascore:
Yeah, it has to be that.
It must be. From the second season even.
It could be. That’s probably it.
Or from the first season.
Because you got a score of 7.14 from one season.
This here was just the first season.

Raphinha:
I think so.

Sofascore:
No way.
This is not during his entire tenure, but just one season.

Raphinha:
OK, fair enough.
I think that’s it.
It could be.
It has to be.

Sofascore:
And about Bielsa…
Man, there are so many stories. Stories that may or may not be true.

Is there one you could tell us now?

Raphinha:
The thing about him is that he lives and breathes football.

Sofascore:
OK, but what does it mean to truly live for football?

Raphinha:
He doesn’t drive because he’s preparing for training, so he has a driver who drives him around.
He’s constantly preparing for matches.
He’d watch our previous match on the bus while going to the next one.
All 90 minutes, unedited. He’d watch the whole thing.

They say that once he woke up in the middle of the night after dreaming of a tactic and he made the staff stand in the garden like the players in his dream to see if that would work.
So they say.

One day he’ll confirm it for us.

I’m not sure.
And they also say that he painted a line through the streets from his house to the training centre — he had the streets painted from his house to a café, from the café to the training centre — because he didn’t want to think about the path he had to follow.
He had to think about what he was going to do in training, so he just followed the painted line.

Sofascore:
That’s crazy.

Raphinha:
It is. No, his mind is always focused on football.

What He Learned from Bielsa

Sofascore:
Was it nice working with him? Did you learn a lot?

Raphinha:
Oh yeah, it was great.
I think that, obviously, the intensity was already something I had in me, I brought it from the start.
But he managed to draw more out of me than I was delivering, I can say as much.
Both physically and technically.
I think physically, with him, I was at an absurd level.
He’s a unique guy indeed.

Second “Guess Who?” Game

Sofascore:
Right, now you have to guess what it is.
It can be a coach, ex-player, club, anything. So, go on, Raphinha.

Raphinha:
What do you mean?

Sofascore:
This is hint number one.

Raphinha:
No, under no coach did I have only 11 goals and 3 assists. This is already crossed off.

Sofascore:
So you cross off the coaches, OK.
What was the other thing you mentioned?

Raphinha:
No, I mean… The hints come through the cards.
I think I already know, let me do a quick calculation.

Sofascore:
No need to use the hint?

Raphinha:
Can I guess?

Sofascore:
Sure.

Raphinha:
I think it was against Real Madrid.

Sofascore:
Yes! Wow, look at that!
Swipe so you can see the second hint. The third one was super easy.

Raphinha:
Do you know why I got it right?

Sofascore:
Why?

Raphinha:
Because of the celebration and the shirt.
Well, and the goals too, of course.
I wasn’t sure about the assists. I couldn’t remember how many I had.

Sofascore:
Wow, everyone.
These goals are all from last season.

Raphinha:
Yeah, that’s what I thought.
Looking at the number, it didn’t seem right. Lots of matches. 11 matches already, man.

Sofascore:
“What do these two Brazilian players have in common?”
No, check the third hint.

Sofascore:
The third hint is so easy.
If I were the one guessing, I think I’d only get it off the third hint.
I’d be really upset if I had to use the third one.
Hang in there, wait for the next one.

Talking Real Madrid & El Clásico

Sofascore:
Let’s talk a bit about Real Madrid.
This season you couldn’t play, right?
And that was when Barça lost to Real.
In the previous season, you were playing lights out.
The team missed you.
No need for modesty, let’s put it aside.

Raphinha:
I think we were going through a rough patch at that point.

Sofascore:
When you lost?

Raphinha:
Yeah.
Important players were injured, and we weren’t at a level we’re used to.
So I think it has more to do with that than me not playing.

We were going through a complicated situation.
Last year, it was around November or December, and I think this year there was a slump around October.
Our level dropped considerably.

Sofascore:
And it’s different playing against Real Madrid. I imagine that, since it’s a derby, the preparation, the butterflies in your stomach must be something else, right?

Raphinha:
I believe that a derby is always a derby, regardless of each team’s form.
For example, the Grêmio–Internacional derby in Brazil.
Internacional might be fighting for the title, while Grêmio is stuck to the bottom of the table, but when the big day arrives, it’ll be a very even, balanced match.

So I think all derbies are like that, no matter what the teams are going through.
On that day there’s no good or bad momentum. It’s a level playing field.
It’s like the universe freezes and there we are. Let’s do this.
And everyone is watching.

Sofascore:
So it’s cool, I like it.
I imagine it changes the atmosphere in the club. People enter a different state of mind.

Raphinha:
Definitely. It’s a tense week, let’s say.
Especially for the locals, right?
Those who were born into the fandom, who live for their club.
Not that the people who come later don’t love their clubs, they love them greatly as well.
But El Clásico has a special vibe. That week is different.

Final Quiz Question

Sofascore:
Now it’s time to answer the last question.

Sofascore:
OK, “Who was the top scorer of the 22/23 season?”

Raphinha:
Yes. 22/23, was that the season I arrived?
Messi won a lot.
Was it the season I arrived?

Sofascore:
I think it was, right? No, you arrived…
During the World Cup you were already here, weren’t you at Barcelona? No.
The World Cup was in 2022. November, December.

Raphinha:
Yes, it’s the season I arrived. Lewandowski.

Sofascore:
Ah! Stop! OK, go to hint number 2.
Guys, Raphinha is really good at this.

Raphinha:
It ended up being easy, man.
He scored 5 goals in a bizarre game, in less than 10 minutes.
This was bizarre, this was absurd. 22nd of September…

Sofascore:
Hint number 3 was super difficult.

Sofascore:
Except it wasn’t! 136 games played together.

Raphinha:
Wow, so many?
With Jules Koundé there are more, right?
Two goals from Raphinha with his assist.

Sofascore:
Yeah, he really needs to give me more assists.

Raphinha:
He needs to pass the ball more to the side. This isn’t balanced.
Twelve of his goals with Raphinha’s assist, five trophies won. Five trophies won.

Sofascore:
OK, so, this was very easy for you.
And Lewandowski, what’s he like? Is he a good guy?

Lewandowski’s Personality

Raphinha:
Yeah, a good guy.

Sofascore:
Or is he more reserved?

Raphinha:
Ah, he has a bit of a Polish way about him, that’s just how he is. They are more…
There are good days and bad days, actually.
Some days he is more reserved, and some days he is very playful.
In the first year, being with him, you find him a bit strange, but then you get used to him.
He’s a great guy with a hunger for victory, for achievements.
He’s incredible despite his age.
He’s someone who works very hard to be at his best.

Sofascore:
Mentally tough, right?

Raphinha:
Mentally strong. Everything he has achieved… and what he hasn’t been able to achieve…
You know, that one individual award…

Sofascore:
Yes.

Raphinha:
All of that is…

Sofascore:
Wow, it’s like Voldemort.
You can’t say the name. But we know what it is.

Raphinha:
You know. But everything he’s achieved, it was due to his hard work, his dedication
and I think it was all very well deserved.

“Stroke of Genius” Video Reactions

Sofascore:
Nice. Now let’s go to the “Stroke of Genius” segment.
Rapha will watch some videos and react to them.
We’ve selected videos of special moments in his career. I chose these three.
So I hope he likes it.

Raphinha:
Only three? Wow, for a 10-year career.

Sofascore:
Well what do you want me to do?
I don’t know. It’s difficult, isn’t it? OK, I already know.
Calm down, calm down. This is no longer a competition.
It’s not like you have to guess.
Now it’s about you reacting, relaxing, you understand? Relive the moment.

His First Brazil Goals

Raphinha:
What a crazy match.
Half the stadium didn’t know my name, I’m sure of it. October 14th, 2021.

Raphinha:
Wow, I was so young. Not that I’m old now, right?

Sofascore:
Yeah, you’re presenting yourself like a retiree in this interview, old man.

Raphinha:
No, I mean…

Sofascore:
“During my peak”… You just had a historic season!

Raphinha:
Physical peak.

Sofascore:
It was your first goal for the Brazilian national team.
Actually, in this game, Rapha, you scored two goals.
You had already debuted with an assist, but this was the game where you scored.
What memories come to your mind while watching this video?

Raphinha:
Man…
It’s hard to describe in words what I felt, not just in this match, but in this call-up itself.
My first time wearing the national team shirt, with the first match being very important,
with the assists, for us to be able to turn the game around, and then in my first match as a starter.
A very difficult game, in my opinion. Against one of the toughest national teams.
To be able to score two goals. It was something, like…
Very crazy, a very crazy feeling.
A mix of happiness, with… I don’t know.

Sofascore:
Euphoria?

Raphinha:
Euphoria.

Sofascore:
You said that the fans probably didn’t know your name then.
Well, after this match they found out, right?

Raphinha:
They had to go search for it, there was no other way. It was really cool.
It was a very special moment for you, I imagine.

Raphinha:
It was the beginning of a dream.
It was. It was very crazy.
Scoring a goal in the national team shirt is already very special, especially since it was my first call-up.
It’s very crazy. Everyone there is welcoming you, hugging you. So happy.
Happy to have scored the goal.

Perfect 10 Match (Barcelona vs Valladolid)

Sofascore:
I chose this game because of the perfect 10 rating that you received from Sofascore.

Raphinha:
Was it a 10?

Sofascore:
It was. It was the fourth round of La Liga, right?
Right at the beginning.
I wrote it down. Barcelona versus Valladolid.
Three goals and a perfect 10 rating.
Let’s talk about Sofascore. Give them some feedback.
Or do you think you didn’t deserve the 10 rating?
Are you going to say you deserved more?

Raphinha:
No, but if they gave me anything below 10, that would’ve been madness! I’m just joking.

Sofascore:
I’ve seen people score three goals and get a score below 10.

Raphinha:
It’s because they lose points in other aspects?

Sofascore:
OK, what do you remember about this one?
Scoring a 10 out of 10.

Raphinha:
Yes, it was very… I don’t know.

Sofascore:
Very easy?

Raphinha:
No, no. Quite the opposite.
It was a very complicated match until the first goal.
If I’m not mistaken, we started off winning…
Yes.
We scored the first goal. I scored the first goal in the 19th minute.
And even so, it remained a very complicated game.
And, if I’m not mistaken, we scored the second and third, I think, after the 35th minute.
The third goal, I know, happened in the last play of the first half.
And the second one was right at the end of the first half.
So, it was a very difficult match, very complicated.

Sofascore:
And when you left the pitch, did you do a quick self-assessment, thinking “I was amazing today”?
Did you feel like a 10?

Raphinha:
In this case, yes. This was one of those matches.

Sofascore:
Do you think everything came together?
Did the whole team come together to give their best?
Because I imagine you always go onto the pitch wanting to be a 10, right? But sometimes it doesn’t happen.
What happened in this game?

Raphinha:
I think everyone was a 10 that day.

Sofascore:
OK.

Raphinha:
And when everyone is a 10, it becomes very easy.
The stars aligned.

Sofascore:
Yes, you understand? Obviously, everyone wants to give their best in every match, but there are days when it just doesn’t happen.
And I think in this match everyone was locked in, and that makes it easier.
And then the first hat-trick in my career. In my career, right?

Sofascore:
Was it in your career?

Raphinha:
Wow, then it’s even more special.
It’s even more special. I don’t know, it’s very…

Sofascore:
You took the ball, right? Signed?

Raphinha:
Obviously! Everyone signed.

Sofascore:
What’s it like to score a hat-trick? First hat-trick.

Raphinha:
Can’t explain it, there are no words.

Sofascore:
You did it later in the Champions League, right?

Raphinha:
I did it in the Champions League.

Sofascore:
It must be even more awesome.

Raphinha:
I had the opportunity to do it in the El Clásico, but I missed.
It’ll have to wait for next time.

Sofascore:
It’ll happen next time.
Real Madrid, be careful.

Final Video: Leeds’ Survival Match

Sofascore:
OK, so look, scoring a 10.
It was fair.
Now, the last video that we prepared for you.
I find it crazy.
May I?

Raphinha:
You may. Turn up the sound.

(video plays)

Raphinha:
Wow.
Wow, what? I can’t see.
I was tackled hard there.

Sofascore:
OK, but it’s not about that.

Raphinha:
Wow, that match was really crazy. Really crazy.

Sofascore:
Tell me, what do you remember?

Raphinha:
Man, this match here. If I’m not mistaken…
We had to win and hope for Burnley to draw or lose.
We had to win the match.
We spent the whole season in the relegation zone, fighting not to go down.
And we went into this match knowing it was all or nothing, we had to win.
And then, halfway through the first half, there was this penalty where I was lucky to score the goal.
Right after that, they equalised.
They were controlling the game as if they were the ones playing at home.
Then there was the incident that we just saw, where the guy fouls me and gets sent off.
And then we took control again. At the end of the match, we took a corner that the defender cleared, then Jack scored the goal.
And that was the end. The match was over, I believe.
That’s how we secured our place in the Premier League.

Sofascore:
And then you went over to the fans, you threw yourself into the stands, right?

Raphinha:
Yeah, I went up there. I think Rodrigo was with me, I told him, “I’m going up!”
“I’m going up to them!”
A totally spontaneous decision. I simply went up.

Sofascore:
We see now, it’s the end of the Brasileirão, we see how big of a fight it was last round, it’s really crazy, man.
Imagine being in those circumstances, being able to save your team, it must be a…
It’s almost like winning a title, right? That feeling of euphoria.

Raphinha:
I’m staying in the first division, I’m staying in the Premier League.
I think our situation this year was somewhat similar to the situation that Internacional faced.
They needed to win and hope for other results.
And everything worked out, in both cases.
Both teams had their own moment.

Internacional’s Survival

Sofascore:
By the way, do you want to say a few words about Internacional staying in the first division?

Raphinha:
Oh man, it was a difficult season.
It became difficult halfway through the season. The second half was especially complicated.
But I think that, within what could be done, the team delivered what was expected.
As supporters, we always want much more, we want to be fighting for titles, we want to be there in the Libertadores, but we cannot forget that fighting against relegation is also a very difficult task.
The Brazilian first division is very complicated and being able to save the team is a great achievement. I take this match here from Leeds, which was what saved us from relegation, as an achievement and I think what happened this year with Inter should also be seen as an achievement.
And there is time to prepare for the next season and I am sure it will be much better, much better indeed than this past season.

“It’s a Match” Game Begins

Sofascore:
Well, now it’s the “It’s a Match” segment!
Let me open this, let’s reveal it.
Open it there, Rapha.

Raphinha:
How does it work…

Sofascore:
We have here Vinicius Júnior, Xavi, Neymar and Yamal.
And then, one by one, we will put them here and Rapha will choose these phrases and assign them to each of them.
Who do you want to start with? Xavi, Vini…

Raphinha:
Let’s go with Xavi, then.

Sofascore:
There are various things here.
Some, obviously, won’t fit, right? So, take a look.
What do you think would work for him?
Just to pass on to the people, what we have here…

Sofascore (reading the list):
Party pooper, obsessed with his hair, mirror mirror on the wall, vainest of all, captain skills, worst hairstyle, gossiper, speaks the loudest, can’t lose, addicted to perfumes, in short, boldest.

Sofascore:
Well, looking at it like this, what do you think could be included?

Raphinha:
It’s that I knew Xavi as a coach.

Sofascore:
Coach and friend?

Raphinha:
Yeah, I would put, I don’t know.

Sofascore:
Did you start to know him as a player?

Raphinha:
I didn’t know him as a player, I knew him as a coach.
No, like, I started working with him as a coach.
As a coach. I didn’t know him as a player, only saw him play.

Sofascore:
Yes, exactly.

Raphinha:
I don’t know, I will put this one here. Can we put both?

Sofascore:
Yes, you can put more, see if there are any others that… No?

Sofascore:
Don’t you want this one I made?

Raphinha:
No, there isn’t.

Sofascore:
Right, I will read some.

Raphinha:
It’s just that I don’t know, there’s no way to say, well, he was…

Sofascore:
No, no, obviously, obviously. Most of them here…

Raphinha:
I knew him as a coach, so I can’t say because he was the coach.

Sofascore:
Yeah, because he was a party pooper.
Imagine, you’ve never been to a party with him, right? Yeah, I don’t know.
The leader, difficult to work with, the most forgetful.

Raphinha:
This “art lover” like… is like this, likes art, who is a more, I don’t know, cultured person, perhaps.
But then I would have to have more personal contact with him.

Sofascore:
Yes.

Raphinha:
There’s no way to know.

Sofascore:
So it will stay like this?

Raphinha:
For now, yes. If I remember anything, I will add it.

Sofascore:
No, because we will have to take him out and put the next one.

Raphinha:
OK.

Sofascore:
So, is there any phrase that isn’t here that you could add for him?

Raphinha:
I don’t know, because most of them here are really for players, but I don’t know.

Sofascore:
Know it all?
Do you find him a bit ironic, I don’t know.

Raphinha:
He is ironic.
But I wouldn’t put it, you know?

Sofascore:
OK. Or one that isn’t there, but that you would add? Think of Xavi the coach, right? Not a friend, because he was just a coach.

Raphinha:
Or he was a friend too.
No, he was more of a coach, there was a more professional contact.
He doesn’t know how to lose.

Sofascore:
And is there anything else that comes to your mind? Any phrase? No?

Raphinha:
OK, but then develop this here.

Sofascore:
Just to have some context about Xavi.

Raphinha:
I don’t know, I have no idea.
Yeah, few ideas.
No, because we didn’t have a lot of contact. There was contact between coach and player, it’s hard to… OK.
At the moment there’s no way to develop, but we had a very professional contact, so there’s no way to add anything more or not.

Sofascore:
Fair enough, that’s it. There are two plaques to show how much intensity they had in the one-on-one there, Rapha and Xavi, that’s it.
Xavi goes to the bench and we… Wow, difficult.

Lamine Yamal’s Personality

Sofascore:
Come on, you have long nails and you can’t take it off?

Raphinha:
I’ll take this one off then, because there’s no more coach.

Sofascore:
OK, there’s no more coach. OK.
There’s none here, OK.

Raphinha:
Given his age, he’s always on the phone, it’s normal.
The current generation is always on their phones.
TikTok, Instagram, WhatsApp, music, always on the phone, always wearing headphones.
In the morning he’s always sleepy because I think he goes to bed late.
Not because he parties every day, but because spending so much time on the phone makes you go to bed late, and sometimes I go to bed late because I spend time on my phone, too.
When there’s a party or something the team does, he’s the one who enjoys it the most.
He represents.
He represents. And when it comes to organising, he knows how to throw a party.
I wouldn’t say he’s always late because he’s managing to control that, but almost always.
So there was an “almost” missing here… obsessed with his hair.
These days I would say he’s much more obsessed with his hair than before.
He spends hours before matches, before training, fixing his hair.
And the so-called king of the nutmeg.
Well, I apologise if it’s not something invented, if it’s something that really is an expression in Rio, but he’s a guy who does a lot of nutmegs.

Sofascore:
No, I didn’t know that.

Raphinha:
I didn’t know this expression for nutmeg.

Sofascore:
I’m laughing because I had the same reaction.

Raphinha:
So, king of the nutmeg, king of the nutmeg.
I’m going to ask about this, I have to ask.

Sofascore:
Me too, I didn’t understand at first.
This is Lamine.

Sofascore:
Alright, done. Did you guys like it?
What did you think of this behind-the-scenes glimpse of Lamine via Raphinha? I liked it.

Raphinha:
Yeah, it was cool.

Sofascore:
I liked it. OK, let’s take this off and move on.

Vinicius Jr.

Sofascore:
Now he chose phrases for Vini Jr.
Let’s go, he’ll keep adding and commenting.
This segment is really cool.

Raphinha:
It is, isn’t it?

Sofascore:
You’ll buy it for your house.
We really enjoy gossip in the changing room.
Always talking about someone’s life.
That was something that couldn’t be left out.
He’s addicted to perfume.
I think almost everyone on the national team has a perfume addiction.
There’s always quite a scent in the mixed zone.
They come out of the game, it takes ages.
He is very vain. I see something related to vanity here.
Here it is, “mirror, mirror on the wall.” Vainest.

Raphinha:
I wouldn’t say he’s the vainest, but he is quite vain.
Alright, you can put it there and explain.
Yes, it’s the same thing as…
Likes to dress up.
He’s concerned with his looks.
With aesthetics.
Trains a lot. He really trains a lot. Absurd.
Obsessed with his hair. Very obsessed.

Sofascore:
That, too?

Raphinha:
Yeah. This generation is always on the phone.
But at home, I don’t know.
This is just what I’ve seen, more or less.
That he hangs out with.
Yes.
The party animal. Not now, because now he’s committed.
He can’t, but he also enjoys a party. Everyone does, right?
What Brazilian person doesn’t like a party?

Sofascore:
Does he know how to host? Like Yamal?
Does he throw a good party?

Raphinha:
I’ve never been to a party thrown by Vini, no.
I was supposed to go to his birthday twice.
The first one, I don’t remember what happened.
The second one, my son got sick.
And then it didn’t happen.
But I believe that yes, since he also had a good teacher.

Sofascore:
Who is the teacher?

Raphinha:
I don’t know.

Sofascore:
His smirk gives it away.

Raphinha:
I think that’s it.

Sofascore:
Is that it?

Raphinha:
He knows how to throw a good party, he’s the king of banter.

Sofascore:
The gossip got me.

Raphinha:
The gossip?

Sofascore:
Actually, I discovered that men love gossip.

Raphinha:
I like it a lot.

Sofascore:
Why do you take so long to leave the game?
Do you guys hang around gossiping after the game?

Raphinha:
Also…

Sofascore:
No, that’s not why.

Raphinha:
It’s about recovering after the match. It’s like, ice water, sometimes there’s sauna or physio.
It’s more because of that, not because of the gossip, but there is some gossiping.

Sofascore:
Intense.

Raphinha:
It happens.

Sofascore:
Who initiates the gossip?

Raphinha:
It’s more in training.
Someone always comes up with a topic….
The topic changes and turns into something someone’s been waiting to talk about.
But sometimes it’s about a player who’s there, right?
And then you guys are looking at each other.
Damn, should we bring this up?
Let’s have some fun, shall we?

Sofascore:
That probably happens too, right?

Raphinha:
Sometimes it happens, sometimes when it’s more…
I wouldn’t say more serious. Not controversial, but like…
More personal, we don’t talk about that.
But, when it’s more relaxed, we get into it easily. Especially because we talk generally, very openly.

Sofascore:
No filter, right?

Raphinha:
Yeah. When we can’t talk, we say, “Oh, I’d rather not talk about that” and so on.
Yeah.
But, come on, we also like a bit of gossip.

Sofascore:
I liked this.

Raphinha:
I, personally, really like it.
If I had my photo here, I would definitely put it with gossip.

Raphinha’s Own Label

Sofascore:
So, I wanted to, by the way, taking advantage of this, let’s, before we do the next one.
Do mine?
What would yours be? There is no photo for you, but we can add it in the edit.

Raphinha:
Alright, go on and comment, because like this…

Sofascore:
There are some things I’m in doubt about.
Difficult to work with, why?
But keep going,
I’ll just keep doing my thing.

Raphinha:
No, you’re going to ask me.

Sofascore:
OK, why aren’t you someone to joke around with?
You’re one of those guys that gets upset because you lost, or something. Really? Grumpy face?

Raphinha:
What? I get very angry, I don’t know how to play around.
For example, when we play foosball at my place.
Usually, it’s me and Natália against two friends.
Sometimes we win, sometimes we don’t.
But when we lose, the boys start mocking us.

Sofascore:
And that gets to you?

Raphinha:
Yeah, it gets to me.
I get very angry, very stressed.

Sofascore:
This also happens in football, I can imagine?

Raphinha:
Everything, everything. Anything I do, I don’t know how to lose.
I either do it to win or I don’t do it.

Raphinha:
I try to be easygoing but it’s hard.

Sofascore:
Why are you difficult to work with?
What feedback have you gotten from the team?
Why do you think you’re difficult to work with?

Raphinha:
I haven’t gotten feedback from anyone, but I know when I’m being annoying.
I’m a very demanding person.
Maybe being a captain makes you demand more from the team.
Sometimes, especially on the field, I can be pretty tough.
And sometimes I use heavier words than I probably should.
Obviously, I talk to the team afterwards, I apologise.
And everyone knows this is how I am.
I say, look, I’m like this.
Sometimes I’ll get your attention in a certain way, but don’t take it personally.
Because on the pitch, I transform. For me, demanding…
Sometimes I go over the limits, but don’t take it badly.
So everyone understands me.
But I am very demanding.
So, the fact that I am very demanding, I would say that I… And there you go.

Sofascore:
That’s what we also attribute to the leader, right?
Difficult to work with.

Raphinha:
Yes, and I think the leader is linked to that.
Because you want to be a leader.

Sofascore:
Yes, you’re a natural leader.

Raphinha:
And because of that, you might end up losing a bit of touch due to your standards, right?
To always be the best.

Sofascore:
Yeah, because of that.

Raphinha:
But it turns out that afterwards, I’m a person who is very playful.
Most already understand that there’s a time for fun and a time for serious work.
But I see myself as a very difficult person to work with.

Sofascore:
Good one.

Raphinha:
Even at home, right? Like, the work I’m going to do…
Some marketing, something like that… I’m very annoying. Very annoying.

Sofascore:
Perfectionist, right? That’s more like it.
Daring while driving. What is that, Raphael? How do you drive?

Raphinha:
Sometimes a dangerous kind of driving.

Sofascore:
But in what way? Do you accelerate?

Raphinha:
I really enjoy speed.

Sofascore:
It’s mostly about speed?

Raphinha:
Not for, I don’t know, going the wrong way, stopping in a place where you can’t stop?
No, it’s more for speed.
Sometimes I think I’m a Formula 1 driver.

Sofascore:
So can this also be considered a hobby?
Would you like to have, maybe… I don’t know if you can at your job, right?
I don’t know, contract wise.
But could you take a driving course, or something like that?

Raphinha:
So, I don’t know if I can.
I don’t know if I can.
But it’s something that I could be interested in.
I’m very addicted to Formula 1.
And I have a simulator at home and everything.
I like things related to speed.
Yes, a driving course, I don’t know. Maybe take a lesson. It must be cool.

Sofascore:
OK, I think the rest has already been somewhat discussed.
TV shows, what are you currently watching?

Raphinha:
Right now I’m watching The Rookie.

Sofascore:
Is it good?

Raphinha:
It’s a police drama. I liked it.
But it’s more for passing the time.

Sofascore:
But what was the best show you’ve seen recently?

Raphinha:
Rulers of Fortune.

Sofascore:
Did you like it?

Raphinha:
I did. But I liked the documentary more, right?
Which is more like real life.

Sofascore:
Ah, me too. Vale o escrito?

Raphinha:
Yes, Vale o escrito.
It’s really good. It is.
But Rulers of Fortune is at the top.
It’s in the top 5 there, of these shows.

Sofascore:
Alright. Any others?

Raphinha:
At the moment, no.
Blacklist, Prison Break.
More or less in that direction.

Sofascore:
I liked the ranking that Raphinha made for himself. Really, there’s much more.
It’s just easier to talk about yourself, right?

Raphinha:
You can complicate things too, because it’s you. You’re answering for yourself.
Everyone has been something. For example, ending the party.

Sofascore:
I’ve never ended the party.
And who has ended it?

Raphinha:
I don’t know anyone who has ended a party.

Sofascore:
That type that’s like: we’ve had enough, it’s late, things to do tomorrow, let’s go.
Or end the party because you get too drunk, right?

Raphinha:
Because… Ah, there are several of those.
But it doesn’t really end the party, right?

Sofascore:
Well, I’ve ended it, so…

Raphinha:
No, I didn’t end the party, but I got too drunk before it even started.

Sofascore:
What is this, he was very young, he was still in Brazil…

Raphinha:
Yeah, I really was.

Sofascore:
Were you really?

Raphinha:
I was.

Sofascore:
But you were of legal age, I hope.

Raphinha:
Of course I was.

Sofascore:
Looking here, before we go to Neymar, is there anything that catches your eye, that we haven’t talked about and you think matches someone?

Raphinha:
I don’t know, the one who forgets the most. Is there anyone?

Sofascore:
If it’s been forgotten, then there’s no way to remember.

Raphinha:
No, silly!
Like a player who always forgets something, I don’t know.

Sofascore:
Who forgets their passport?

Raphinha:
Ah, the forgetful one?
Gavi.

Sofascore:
Gavi? Why?

Raphinha:
He forgets everything.
Wasn’t it Lamine who forgot his passport?
Yeah, but he isn’t the most, it’s Gavi 100%.
Passport, phone, backpack…

Sofascore:
Forget what?

Raphinha:
At the hotel? On the bus, at the hotel, in the changing room, everywhere.

Sofascore:
So everyone has to stop to look for it? What is it like?

Raphinha:
Usually in the changing room, the kit men do a thorough search there and find something.
On the bus, too.
Now on the bus, since I sit at the back, I look at the seats so I don’t forget anything.
Plane ticket.

Sofascore:
Oh really? Very forgetful.

Raphinha:
Oh, forget it.

Sofascore:
And this one here, the butcher, that name isn’t great.
But it would be the tough guy, like.

Raphinha:
Casemiro.
But in training, he really goes in hard. Casemiro.
Yes, a tough guy. Araújo as well.
Araújo.
Yes, both of them.

Sofascore:
Worst musical taste? Is there someone who reminds you of that? My God!

Raphinha:
Thank God, no.

Sofascore:
No?

Raphinha:
Mostly because they must know they have bad taste in music, so they don’t even play their music.
No, usually those who play music in the changing rooms, they are good at…
OK, so there isn’t any.

Sofascore:
So who has the best taste in music?

Raphinha:
For me? Well, for me it’s me, but…

Sofascore:
No, other than you.

Raphinha:
No, for me it’s me because I listen to the music I like, right?

Sofascore:
No, that’s fine, but just as you said.

Raphinha:
But, like, Lamine, Ney, Vini…

Sofascore:
Really?

Raphinha:
OK.

Sofascore:
Alright, cool, I think that was it.
OK, now Raphinha will explain what he has set up for Neymar.
The leader, king of banter, doesn’t know how to lose, mirror-mirror, somewhat vain, the party animal, gossiper, addicted to perfumes, addicted to training, king of the nutmeg, 100% professional, obsessed with his hair and always on his phone. Right, let’s go.
Addicted to training, I like that. What’s that about?

Raphinha:
Well, he is addicted to training, no matter how much people…
They can’t imagine.
Think that he doesn’t like to train or that he isn’t at his best in training.
Being there daily with him in the national team, every time I had contact with him, I saw that he is a guy who takes great care of himself and is addicted to his work.
Ah, that’s for sure. It’s just that the issue isn’t only the training with the ball, sometimes it’s the weight training part.
Weight training, recovery, it’s all training.

Sofascore:
Right, but there are players who don’t like this part of weight training.

Raphinha:
I personally am not a big fan.

Sofascore:
Yeah, you obviously prefer the part with the ball.

Raphinha:
Obviously, but… Right, but cool.
It’s important, those parts are important.

Sofascore:
Right, and addicted to perfume?
Does Ney smell good?

Raphinha:
Yes, Ney smells good.

Sofascore:
That came out wrong.

Raphinha:
That came out wrong. Sorry, Bruna.

Sofascore:
But who smells the best?

Raphinha:
Everyone has their personal taste, some like one perfume, some like another perfume, everyone has their own taste, but all, or almost all, are very addicted to perfume.
We have two or three different perfumes, right?
There’s a lot of vanity.

Sofascore:
Right, you’re obsessed with your hair, are you more obsessed now, or… Not you, I mean Neymar.
I know you said that Neymar now is more obsessed than he’s ever been.

Raphinha:
It’s just that I think Neymar has always been, right?
Yeah, you understand?
He has always been.
He was always doing something different.
Ever since the mohawk.
He has always taken great care of his hair, too.
Mostly because of that.

Sofascore:
What else? King of the nutmeg.

Raphinha:
There is no way.

Sofascore:
Now the gossiping is the same.
If I keep explaining, I’ll ruin it.
Alright, gossipers will also go.
Who sits at your gossip table?

Raphinha:
You say that, now the gossip is going to be intense.
You, Vini, Neymar.

Sofascore:
Yes, of the gossipers I know?

Raphinha:
Yes, a good gossiper. Come with the good gossip.
Neymar, Bruno Guimarães, Paquetá, Militão, Marquinhos.

Sofascore:
Really?

Raphinha:
Yeah.

Sofascore:
Let’s launch a segment gossiping with players.
We launch a controversy and leave them there.

Raphinha:
I think we can set up a table with the 26 players of the national team.
Let’s make that happen.
I swear. The gossip is good.

Sofascore:
Taking advantage that Neymar is there.
So, Neymar in the World Cup, how is it going to be?
Have you had a chat?
Neymar in the World Cup, hashtag Neymar in the World Cup.
Because he just said that he will, after the holidays, have surgery, will take care of himself, and focus on the World Cup. And then?

Raphinha:
Look, I think his main objective is to win the World Cup.
Just like we also have that objective.
But he is a guy who has been there longer… pursuing this goal, let’s say, of being in all the cycles since he started, practically all the cycles.
So he has this personal goal of winning the World Cup and I think he considers that his last World Cup, so he wants to be there.
So in my opinion, the national team is about being at your best moment.
So if he is physically well, I think there shouldn’t be any doubt for anyone.
Because he has plenty of potential.
So, it’s more about the physical aspect.
If he is doing well physically, I would say he needs to be there 100%.

Sofascore:
And is there anything else that isn’t here in the segment, but that you would also include for Neymar?

Raphinha:
Party animal, he throws good parties, he’s already had good parties.
He enjoys a gathering too, right?
Is there anything else that comes to mind?

Sofascore:
Want to remind me of something?

Raphinha:
It’s just that maybe we don’t imagine, for example, addicted to training, it’s not that it surprised me, I know he is a professional person, that he does the training, but in this case, I can’t explain, but it surprised me, alright?
To be addicted to training.
He is addicted to training.
I found that to be pretty awesome.
Nowadays it is very difficult, no matter how much you dislike it, you have to be addicted to training, because…
Or take it very seriously.
Yes, football nowadays demands a lot.
From your body, from your mind…
If you don’t train, you won’t perform.
So, one way or another, you have to be addicted to training.
And I think that’s what keeps many players at a high level for so long.

Sofascore:
Right, I think we’ll comment on the leader, then, to finish.
Talk a little about this figure of leadership of Neymar?

Raphinha:
For me, Neymar is a leader not only on the pitch but also off it.
He is someone who always seeks to know how everyone is feeling, if they need anything or not, if they are well at home or not, if they are well on the pitch, if they are well mentally.
He is someone who is always concerned about knowing how his teammates are doing, so I think that makes him a leader, one of the leaders we have in the national team especially.
And in my opinion, he has been a leader since the day I met him.
When I arrived at the national team, he was one of the guys who welcomed me practically with open arms in the best possible way, so for me he is a leader.

Sofascore:
And he doesn’t know how to lose?

Raphinha:
He doesn’t. In this sense, he’s like me.

Sofascore:
Does he also get angry?

Raphinha:
Yes.

Sofascore:
Like, he frowns, I don’t know, if he is playing card games. Then…

Raphinha:
No, not in that sense.
Because otherwise, I would say he doesn’t know how to be playful.
He doesn’t know how to lose more in the sense… of the match.
On the pitch, like.
Whether in training or in the game.
He is someone who gets very angry if he loses.
It’s that everyone experiences defeat in their own way, right?

Sofascore:
Exactly.

Raphinha:
For example, I didn’t put Lamine down as someone who doesn’t know how to lose.
Because I think he experiences defeat in a different way than I do, for example, more lightly.
Not me, for me, defeat feels like the end of the world.

Sofascore:
You don’t want anyone talking to you.

Raphinha:
Exactly, you don’t want to talk to anyone.
You want to have a moment.
And he doesn’t, he is relaxed and so on.
Ney is more like you.
Ney is more like me, if he loses it’s headphones on and not a lot of chatting.
He needs his time like that.

Sofascore:
This is it. So, did you like it, Rapha? It’s over.

Sofascore:
Guys, we’ve reached the end of the interview. Thank you, Raphinha.
What’s the Sofascore rating for this interview?
On a scale of 3 to 10, because that’s how Sofascore’s rating works.
Let’s see if we’ll get a good score.

Raphinha:
I’ll give it 9.9 because the tablet failed to give me my final rating. So it’s a 9.9.

Sofascore:
Excellent.
Almost a perfect 10.
You only knocked off 0.1, that’s great.

Raphinha:
Yes, because the tablet failed.
You take points away from us, and I took points away from you.

Sofascore:
Oh man, Raphinha doesn’t forgive.
And now, can you send a final message to the fans, everyone that looks up to you, kids who want to be like Raphinha one day?

Raphinha:
Speaking on behalf of all the players, we are very thankful to be seen as an inspiration for so many people.
We know that football is something that unites the entire world, so being able to help in some way, both the younger and older generations, is important to us.
We’d like to be good role models off the pitch as well.
It’s very important for us to know that we are influencing people in a good way, all the people that look up to us.
So I just want to thank everyone for their affection. I hope I can continue inspiring all the people who follow us.

Sofascore:
Good! And now, just to ask everyone to subscribe, like this video, subscribe to the Sofascore channel and that’s it.

Raphinha:
That’s right, subscribe to the Sofascore channel and leave a comment here for them to give me a better rating this season, which has been tough.

Sofascore:
Thanks, Rapha. Teach me the hand gesture you did in the game yesterday. What was it?

Raphinha:
So let’s go. 1, 2, Wooo! Thanks!