Barcelona coach Hansi Flick expressed strong disappointment over Raphinha's exclusion from the 2025 FIFA Best Men's XI, calling the decision 'a joke' and 'not fair.' Despite Raphinha's standout performance in the 2024-25 season, which helped Barcelona secure a domestic treble, only teammates Lamine Yamal and Pedri made the team. Flick highlighted Raphinha's incredible influence, including top goal contributions in the Champions League.
Hansi Flick, Barcelona's head coach, did not mince words during his pre-match press conference on December 20, 2025, ahead of the team's La Liga clash with Villarreal. He criticized FIFA's selection for the 2025 Best Men's XI, announced earlier that week at a ceremony in Qatar, for overlooking Raphinha. 'This FIFA Best XI players is a joke, really a joke,' Flick said. 'When I see there is no Raphinha in the side, it's unbelievable.'
Raphinha, the Brazilian winger formerly with Leeds United, had a career-best season in 2024-25 under Flick, contributing 34 goals and 22 assists across 57 appearances. These efforts were pivotal in Barcelona's triumphs in La Liga, the Copa del Rey, and the Supercopa de Espana, as well as their run to the UEFA Champions League semi-finals, where they fell to Inter Milan. In the Champions League, Raphinha recorded 21 goal contributions, tying for the top scorer with 13 goals and leading in assists with seven. Despite this, players like Chelsea's Cole Palmer, Real Madrid's Jude Bellingham, and Paris Saint-Germain's Ousmane Dembele were selected instead.
Flick emphasized Raphinha's broader impact: 'When you see the matches he played, how many goals he scored, assists he has, it's unbelievable. More, it's influence on the team. This is really not fair to him.' Barcelona's Lamine Yamal and Pedri were included in the XI, which was dominated by six Paris Saint-Germain players, including Dembele, the Ballon d'Or winner.
The snub follows similar oversights, including Raphinha's fifth-place finish in the Ballon d'Or rankings. Meanwhile, Flick addressed Pedri's absence for the Villarreal match due to a hamstring injury, noting a high risk of a two-month layoff if forced to play. 'He's not available, I'm not happy about this but it's part of football,' Flick said. Pedri is expected back for the January 3 derby against Espanyol. Barcelona lead La Liga by four points over Real Madrid entering the final fixtures of 2025.
