Why Every Player Needs A Psychologist – Raphinha

Barcelona forward, Raphinha, has said working with a psychologist is essential for anyone navigating a career as a professional footballer and not let the sport “destroy you.”

Raphinha has kicked off the season in impressive style, scoring a hat trick in Saturday’s 7-0 win against Real Valladolid, but his time at Barça has not always been easy.

Since joining from Leeds United in 2022 for €55 million ($60.7m), he has struggled to adapt to the club, seen his performances criticised and been regularly linked with a transfer elsewhere.

When asked if he if he had ever considered leaving Barça, Raphinha told RAC1, “Yes, in my first six months here. They were complicated for me and my family. I improved after the [Qatar] World Cup and ended the season well, but the adaption was a struggle.

“I thought about leaving at times, but those thoughts passed quickly. This is Barça. The club is huge; it’s normal that it’s hard.

“If you work hard and want to have a football career, you can’t give up. I have had many reasons to give up, leave football and continue with my life. It’s a profession that destroys you.

“There have been moments when I have got home and not known if I would get up the next morning to train again. I have cried, here [at Barça] as well.

“There have been moments when I have got home and not known if I would get up the next morning to train again. I have cried, here [at Barça] as well.

“I do psychological work because I have seen how important it is. Everyone should do it because it helps a lot.

“If you don’t take care of yourself, football destroys you. It’s very easy to enter depression and give up on everything.”

Even this summer, following an impressive season that saw Raphinha contribute 10 goals and 13 assists across all competitions, he was linked with a potential departure from Barça, attracting interest from clubs in England and Saudi Arabia.

Meanwhile, Barça was eager to acquire a left winger, with both Nico Williams and Federico Chiesa identified as targets to fill a position that has traditionally belonged to Raphinha, especially since the emergence of Lamine Yamal on the right.

“It’s annoying to see [the stories], even if it’s normal,” he added of the constant transfer speculation.

“Every day there is something, that I am going here or there. It ends up annoying you, of course, but my head has always been here. I have received a lot of offers but the best thing for me is to be at Barça.”

Raphinha, who is one of the club’s captains this season, has not been called up by Brazil during the September international break despite his impressive start to the season under new coach Hansi Flick, with Barça winning all four of their opening games.