Raphinha reflects on hardship behind rise to Barcelona star

Barcelona forward Raphinha Dias has spoken about the difficult journey that led him to the top of football, saying: “I have seen people break, but I never lost my way.”

The 29-year-old Brazil international did not enjoy a straightforward route to success. He took time to establish himself at the highest level and spent his childhood in conditions of extreme poverty.

Despite those challenges, Raphinha continued to pursue his ambitions in football. His resilience has now been matched by his form for the Catalan club.

The forward has scored 14 goals and provided three assists in 10 appearances for Barcelona this season.