Raphinha has wasted absolutely no time reminding everyone why he remains one of Barcelona’s most dangerous attacking weapons.
The Brazilian has started the 2026/27 LaLiga campaign in sensational fashion, finding the net in each of Barcelona’s opening four league matches and reaching an astonishing six goals already. His latest strike came in the emphatic 5-0 victory over Valencia, taking his league tally to six and putting him at the top of the early Pichichi race.
What makes the achievement even more special is the company Raphinha has joined.
He has become only the second player in the 21st century to score six goals across his opening four LaLiga matches of a campaign, matching the extraordinary feat previously achieved by Barcelona icon Lionel Messi. Messi managed the same six-goal start on two occasions, underlining just how rare Raphinha’s current scoring explosion really is.
Raphinha’s goals have arrived consistently rather than through one huge performance. He opened the campaign with a brace against Elche, followed that with a goal against Athletic Club, scored twice more against Rayo Vallecano and then completed his six-goal haul against Valencia.
The numbers tell only part of the story.
Barcelona have won all four of their league matches and currently sit perfect at the top of the table, while Raphinha has emerged as one of the biggest reasons behind their explosive attacking start. The Catalan giants have already scored 17 goals in four league games, with Raphinha, Lamine Yamal and Fermin Lopez playing major roles in that remarkable attacking output.
There is also something particularly impressive about Raphinha’s consistency. Barcelona’s official statistics confirm that he has scored in every one of their first four league fixtures, a feat achieved by only a handful of players in the club’s history. Before him, the list included legendary names such as Kubala, Cayetano Ré and Cesc Fàbregas.
And now Raphinha has another piece of history within touching distance.
If he scores in Barcelona’s next LaLiga match, he would extend his scoring run to five consecutive league games. Only César Rodríguez and Zlatan Ibrahimović have previously scored in each of Barcelona’s first five LaLiga matches of a season.
The Brazilian’s form is becoming impossible to ignore. He is not simply scoring goals; he is setting the pace for Barcelona’s attack while putting his name alongside one of the greatest players football has ever seen.
Messi set the benchmark.
Raphinha has now matched it.
The big question is whether he can go beyond it.
