‘A joke’ – Sevilla boss baffled by Raphinha Ballon d’Or snub after Barcelona star bags hat-trick

Sevilla manager Luis García has criticized the decision to exclude Barcelona captain Raphinha from the 2026 Ballon d'Or nominees, calling the omission "a joke." García made the comments after Raphinha scored a hat-trick to lead Barcelona to a 3-1 victory over Sevilla at the Estadio Ramón Sánchez-Pizjuán.

The hat-trick brings Raphinha's goal tally to 14 in all competitions this season, helping Barcelona maintain their perfect start to the LaLiga campaign. Following the match, Raphinha is scheduled to join the Brazil national team for international friendlies against Australia and India.