Brazil forward Raphinha has matched a notable scoring feat achieved by Lionel Messi after surpassing Cristiano Ronaldo’s record for goals scored in the opening four matches of a season.
Raphinha scored in Barcelona’s emphatic La Liga victory over Valencia on Saturday, taking his tally to six goals in the first four matches of the campaign. His latest strike came in the 50th minute, when he converted a cross from Fermin Lopez to further underline his impressive start to the season.
The goal placed Raphinha in distinguished company. Ronaldo had previously scored five goals across the opening four matches of a season for three different clubs. By reaching six, Raphinha has moved beyond that benchmark.
His achievement is particularly significant at Barcelona, where Messi established an extraordinary standard during his career. The Argentine great scored six goals in each of his first four league matches in two separate campaigns, in 2012-13 and 2013-14. Raphinha has now matched that six-goal mark after four matches, putting his name alongside one of the club’s most prolific forwards.
The Brazilian’s early-season form has given Barcelona an important attacking outlet. Scoring regularly at the beginning of a campaign can have a considerable influence on a team’s momentum, particularly when a forward is able to contribute in decisive moments. Against Valencia, Raphinha’s goal arrived shortly after half-time and helped Barcelona strengthen their position in a match they ultimately won comfortably.
There is now another record within Raphinha’s reach. Barcelona’s history includes only two players who have scored in five consecutive matches during a season. Cesar Rodriguez achieved the feat in the 1950-51 campaign, scoring eight goals across those five matches. Decades later, Zlatan Ibrahimovic matched the sequence during the 2009-10 season, scoring five times in five consecutive games.
Raphinha therefore has the opportunity to add another significant entry to Barcelona’s record books in his next appearance. If he finds the net again, he would join Rodriguez and Ibrahimovic as players to have scored in five successive matches for the club.
The comparison with Messi and Ronaldo also highlights the scale of Raphinha’s start. Both former stars have set remarkable scoring standards across European football, making any early-season achievement measured against their records particularly noteworthy.
For Raphinha, however, the immediate challenge is maintaining his momentum rather than simply matching historical figures. A long domestic season demands consistency, and Barcelona will look to their attacking players to continue producing goals as the campaign develops.
With six goals already after four matches, Raphinha has made an emphatic statement at the start of the season. His next match could provide another chance to turn an impressive run into a piece of Barcelona history.
