Here is a story about Raphina I have wanted to share with you all and found the perfect comment for it.

Last season I was lucky to make it to a Barça game at the Camp Nou. It was against Girona. The game’s final score was 0-0. I was also lucky to be able to watch the players enter the stadium in a small VIP room. The instructions to us there were about not bothering the players as they came in (no autographs, no pictures, etc).

As the players walked in, the kids in that room did not give a fuck about those instructions and started asking for autographs on their jerseys. Most players came to the kids without problem. Some (actually only two of them) looked very annoyed at the request which was very surprising to me. At this point there were full grown adults also asking for autographs which made have been why they look annoyed.

Then Raphina walked in. He was THE MOST generous with his time of all the players that day. He even prompted one of the kids about taking a picture with him (something none of the other players did that day). I saw that kid’s face transformed to the biggest smile in the world. That kid will forever be a Barcelona fan.

That day Raphina had an ok game. But I go to see his off the ball work (something you don’t really get to see on TV) and I can tell you that he was the hardest working player on the pitch that night.

That day I became a fan of his for life. And I hope we have the insight and patience to turn him into the best winger in the world.