Raphinha, FC Barcelona’s Brazilian winger, was spotted removing his boot and massaging his foot after a recent match, visibly uncomfortable in a moment that will worry both football fans and the crypto brands that have hitched their wagons to his star power.
The 29-year-old has become a familiar face in digital asset marketing. He’s featured in a Bitget ad campaign linking football skills to trading strategies and appears in Panini’s LaLiga Select NFT trading card collection.
A season defined by hamstring trouble
This isn’t an isolated scare. Raphinha has dealt with three hamstring-related issues during the 2025-26 season alone. The most serious came on March 26, 2026, during a Brazil friendly against France at Gillette Stadium, where he was substituted at halftime after reporting discomfort in his right leg.
Medical assessments confirmed a biceps femoris strain, the exact same injury that had already sidelined him for two months earlier in the campaign. Barcelona coach Hansi Flick acknowledged the substitution was prompted by “slight discomfort in his right leg” and gave Raphinha time to recover in Brazil.
