Raphinha Religion

What religion is Raphinha?

Raphinha is a professional footballer from Brazil who is a devout Christian and is widely believed to follow the Catholic faith. Raphinha walked across the entire football pitch on his knees while praying; this happened during his time at Leeds United after they avoided relegation in 2022. This act is being practiced by many South American Christians when they believe God has answered their prayers. He later repeated the same gesture after winning trophies with Barcelona. Raphinha is best known for playing as a central winger or forward for the La Liga club Barcelona. He has also played for the Brazilian national team, including the 2022 FIFA World Cup and the 2024 Copa América. There, in his first Copa América match, Raphinha scored his only goal of the tournament against Colombia in their third group-phase game, in a 1–1 draw.

Salary and contract

Raphinha signed a five-year contract with Barcelona in July 2022 for a transfer fee of €58 million (£50 million), more than tripling his previous salary at Leeds United in the process and agreeing to terms worth more than €240,000 per week. After his remarkable 2024–25 season, Raphinha signed a new three-year contract extension with Barcelona on 22 May 2025, running until June 2028. His base salary under the new deal stands at €16.7 million per year, or €320,000 per week, with the potential to earn an additional €5 million annually through performance bonuses, bringing the total contract value to €65.1 million over three years.

Early life

Raphinha was born Raphael Dias Belloli on December 14, 1996, in Porto Alegre, Brazil, and grew up in Restinga. He was born to a Brazilian mother and an Italian father. Raphinha attended Ronaldinho’s birthday party at the age of seven, thanks to his father’s relationship to the football icon, and the two have since become friends. He was rejected by both Internacional and Grêmio due to his small physique before joining Avaí’s academy in 2014, where he trained alongside a young Gabriel Magalhães. In 2016, former Portuguese playmaker Deco discovered Raphinha during the Copa São Paulo de Futebol Júnior, signed him to his agency, and arranged his transfer to Vitória de Guimarães.

Avaí & Vitória de Guimarães

After being rejected by Internacional and Grêmio for being too small, Raphinha joined Avaí’s academy in 2014. In February 2016, he signed for Portuguese side Vitória de Guimarães after being scouted at the Copa São Paulo de Futebol Júnior by former player Deco. He made his debut on 13 March 2016 against Paços de Ferreira. He won the Vitória Guimarães Breakthrough Player of the Year award in 2017 and scored 19 goals in 65 appearances across all competitions in the 2016–18 season.

Sporting CP

In May 2018, Raphinha joined the Portuguese club Sporting CP. A muscle injury hampered his progress, limiting him to four goals and four assists, but he was part of the side that won the 2018–19 Taça da Liga and Taça de Portugal, scoring a penalty in the shootout victory against Porto.

Rennes

Raphinha signed for Ligue 1 club Rennes in 2019 for around €21 million, a club record fee at the time. He scored eight goals and provided seven assists, helping Rennes finish third and qualify for the UEFA Champions League for the first time in their history.

Leeds United

On 5 October 2020, Raphinha joined Premier League club Leeds United on a four-year contract for a reported £17 million. He scored his first goal in a 1–0 win at Everton in November 2020, Leeds’ first league win at Goodison Park since 1990. He finished his final season at Leeds as the club’s top scorer with 11 goals, including a penalty in a 2–1 win at Brentford on the last day of the season that saved Leeds from relegation. Chelsea had agreed to a fee of £55 million to sign him, but Raphinha held out for Barcelona despite their financial difficulties at the time.

Barcelona

On 15 July 2022, Raphinha signed for Barcelona on a five-year contract for an initial fee of £50 million, potentially rising to £55 million. Chelsea and Arsenal both showed interest, but he made clear Barcelona was his only destination. After a difficult debut season, he found his footing and helped Barcelona win La Liga and the Supercopa de España in 2022–23. His 2024–25 season was the finest of his career; he was integral to Barcelona winning a domestic treble of La Liga, the Copa del Rey, and the Supercopa de España, finishing as the UEFA Champions League’s top scorer with 13 goals in the competition. In the current 2025–26 season, he has recorded 11 goals and finished the domestic season strong by scoring a brace in the final match against Real Betis, helping Barcelona win the 2025–26 La Liga title.

International career

Raphinha made his senior debut for Brazil on 7 October 2021 against Venezuela, coming on at half-time and creating two assists. He scored his first two international goals days later against Uruguay in a World Cup qualifier. He was part of Brazil’s squad at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, featuring in every match before they were eliminated by Croatia in the quarter-finals on penalties. At the 2024 Copa América, he scored against Colombia and was named in the Team of the Tournament. He was also named Brazil captain ahead of the 2026 World Cup cycle.

Personal life

In late 2022, Raphinha married Brazilian digital creator Natalia Rodrigues Belloli. In May 2023, they welcomed their first child.

Following devastating floods in Rio Grande do Sul in May 2024, he publicly urged donations and made a personal contribution to aid affected communities in his home state. In December 2024, he and Natalia organised a charity event in Brazil ahead of Christmas, distributing gifts and essentials to underprivileged families in Porto Alegre.