Barcelona forward Raphinha has won the inaugural edition of the La Liga Player of the Month Award for August.
The Brazilian attacking sensation added the prestigious individual honour to his shelf after a sensational outing with the Catalans in the month.
He was handed the award before the start of Barcelona’s La Liga match against Getafe on Wednesday, September 25, 2024.
The 27-year-old dedicated the award to the fans and supporters after receiving it.
Raphinha’s performances for Barcelona in August 2024
Raphinha was a starter in all Barcelona matches in August. And not only that; he played a crucial role as the team ace through all their fixtures to maintain their perfect start to the season.
Notably, the forward had a not-so-stellar start for the Catalans. He blanked in the club’s opening 2-1 victory over Valencia with no goal or assist.
He also blanked in the club’s 2-1 win over Athletic Bilbao in the second match on August 14, 2024. In the third match against Rayo Vallecano, he provided the assist that saw Pedri score the equalizer in the 60th minute before Dani Olmo completed the comeback in the 82nd minute.
His most impressive performance in the month was during the club’s 7-0 mauling of Real Valladolid on August 31, 2024
The Brazilian winger scored a hat-trick, finding the back of the net in the 20th, 64th, and 72nd minute as the team steamrollered to a thumping La Liga victory.
He also assisted Robert Lewandowski’s 85th-minute goal in the game to contribute to four of the seven goals.
The terrific performance undoubtedly saw him come out top against rivals to clinch the award.
Raphinha appointed Barcelona captain
Raphinha’s La Liga August Player of The Month Award caps the player’s gradual rise in his club career. The award comes a few weeks after he was appointed among Barcelona’s first-team captains for the 2024-25 season.
In a procedure which was voted by Barcelona players themselves, Raphinha was named the club’s fourth-choice captain below Ter Stegen (Ist), Ronald Araujo (2nd), and Frenkie de Jong (3rd). He is followed by Pedri in that order.
With Ter Stegen set for a lengthy injury layoff, Raphinha will wear the club’s captain armband if Ronald Araujo and Frenkie de Jong are not on the field.
Raphinha’s Barcelona career
Raphinha joined Barcelona in 2022 from Leeds United for €59m with €7m add-ons. He has been an integral part of the since arriving on the Spanish top flight. On his debut La Liga campaign, Raphinha made 14 goal contributions, comprising seven goals plus seven assists in 36 appearances, helping the club win the Spanish top-flight title.
He made 26 La Liga appearances in his second season, scoring six goals plus nine assists. This season, he has racked up five goals with two assists in seven matches for the club.
The La Liga August Player of the Month Award for 2024 is his first individual award in the Spanish Championship.
Raphinha Barcelona contract and salary
Raphinha has a contract with Barcelona until 2027. With three years left on his deal, he is expected to play a crucial role in the team. He is the fifth highest-paid footballer at the club with a weekly wage of €240,000 and an annual estimated earning of €12,500,000.
The Brazilian is among the club’s valuable assets. According to Transfermarkt, the footballer’s estimated market value is €50m.
