Barcelona captain Raphinha has been named the EA SPORTS La Liga Player of the Month for August 2026 after scoring five goals and providing one assist in his first three league appearances.
Raphinha has been rewarded for his outstanding start to the 2026/27 campaign after being officially named La Liga Player of the Month for August.
The Brazilian winger produced six goal contributions across Barcelona's first three league matches of the season, scoring five goals and providing one assist as the Catalan club maintained a perfect start to their title campaign. La Liga officially confirmed the award on Friday, September 11.
The award comes just weeks after Raphinha was appointed Barcelona's first captain and underlines his importance to Hansi Flick's team.
Five goals in three matches
Raphinha's August was defined by remarkable consistency in front of goal.
He began the campaign with a spectacular performance against Elche, scoring twice and providing an assist as Barcelona got their league season off to a winning start.
The Brazilian then found the net against Athletic Club, before producing another two-goal performance against Rayo Vallecano in Barcelona's 5-2 victory on August 31.
That gave Raphinha five goals and one assist from Barcelona's first three league games — six direct goal contributions in total.
His performances helped Barcelona win all three of their August fixtures and establish themselves at the top end of the early La Liga standings.
Raphinha beats strong competition
Raphinha won the award after coming through a final vote that included several other high-profile players.
His competitors were Jude Bellingham of Real Madrid, Álex Baena of Atlético Madrid, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang of Deportivo de La Coruña and Nahuel Tenaglia of Deportivo Alavés.
The result gives Raphinha another individual recognition following his increasingly influential role at Barcelona.
It is also his second La Liga Player of the Month award, having previously won the prize in August 2024.
A perfect start for Barcelona
Raphinha's individual form has coincided with an excellent opening to Barcelona's domestic campaign.
La Liga noted that Barcelona had won all four of their league matches by the time the award was announced. Raphinha's contributions were central to that run, with the Brazilian scoring in each of the first three matches.
His performances have also provided an important attacking outlet for Flick.
The Barcelona winger has combined direct running and finishing with the ability to create opportunities for teammates. His two goals and assist against Elche immediately demonstrated that he could influence matches in multiple ways.
Against Rayo Vallecano, he again proved decisive, scoring twice as Barcelona eventually secured a 5-2 victory at Spotify Camp Nou.
Captaincy adds another dimension
Raphinha's award comes during a significant period in his Barcelona career.
The 29-year-old was recently named the club's first captain, placing additional responsibility on his shoulders both on and off the pitch.
His response has been emphatic.
Rather than allowing the additional pressure to affect his performances, Raphinha has started the season as one of Barcelona's most productive players. His five goals and one assist in August made him the standout performer in La Liga's opening month.
His leadership will be particularly important as Barcelona attempt to compete on several fronts this season.
Raphinha keeps scoring in September
Although the Player of the Month award covers August, Raphinha's goalscoring form has continued into September.
He scored again against Valencia, taking his league tally to six goals and one assist after four matches. La Liga's official player statistics list him with six goals and one assist from four appearances.
That means Raphinha has remained directly involved in Barcelona's attacking production even after the month covered by the award ended.
His start has also put him among the early leaders in the race for the Pichichi, La Liga's top-scorer award.
Historic start for the Brazilian
Raphinha's goalscoring run has placed him in notable Barcelona company.
According to Barcelona, scoring in each of the club's first four La Liga matches of the season made him only the sixth Barcelona player in history to achieve that feat.
The previous players to accomplish it were César Rodríguez, László Kubala, Cayetano Ré, Zlatan Ibrahimović and Cesc Fàbregas.
That statistic illustrates just how strong Raphinha's opening to the campaign has been.
The Brazilian is no longer simply an important attacking player in Flick's system. With the captaincy and his current goalscoring form, he has emerged as one of the central figures in Barcelona's push for domestic success.
Second Player of the Month award
Raphinha's latest honour also adds to an impressive list of individual achievements since joining Barcelona.
His first La Liga Player of the Month award came in August 2024, when he scored three goals and provided two assists during another strong start to the season.
Two years later, he has repeated the achievement with even better goalscoring numbers.
His five goals and one assist in August 2026 gave him six direct goal contributions in only three matches.
Barcelona have also dominated the history of the monthly award. According to the club, the Catalan side has now collected the honour 24 times through eight different players, with Lionel Messi leading Barcelona's individual winners with eight awards.
Barcelona will expect more
The challenge for Raphinha now is to maintain his extraordinary opening form throughout a much longer season.
Barcelona face domestic competition alongside their European commitments, meaning Flick will need his captain to remain productive while managing a demanding schedule.
For now, however, Raphinha has made an emphatic statement.
Five goals and one assist in three August league matches have earned him the Player of the Month award, while his continued scoring in September suggests that his strong start is not simply a short-lived run of form.
With Raphinha leading from the front, Barcelona have another major attacking weapon as they pursue trophies during the 2026/27 campaign.
