They say your partner is always your biggest supporter, and Raphinha’s better half, Natalia Rodrigues, definitely proved that on Tuesday, by posting a stinging rebuttal to FIFA’s decision of omitting the Barcelona star from their Best XI of the year.
According to the British newspaper, The Daily Mail, in a now deleted Instagram story with the image of the 11 players selected in the background, Rodrigues wrote: “Is Raphinha a basketball player? Injustice.”
The Barcelona star had a stellar campaign last season, scoring 34 goals and notching up 26 assists in all competitions, as he propelled his team to the La Liga title. He even finished fifth in the Ballon D’Or list. The Brazilian winger’s spot on the left was taken up by his club teammate Pedri, who is normally a midfielder. The rest of FIFA’s Best XI included: Gianluigi Donnarumma (PSG), Nuno Mendes (PSG), Willian Pacho (PSG), Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool), Achraf Hakimi (PSG), Vitinha (PSG), Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid), Cole Palmer (Chelsea), Ousmane Dembele (PSG), and Lamine Yamal.
Raphinha and Natalia have known each other since 2013 and tied the knot in 2022. They have a three-year-old son, Gael.
