“I suffered a knee injury which prevents me from returning to compete at the highest level,” says Raphinha
Former Barcelona winger Rafinha Alcantara has announced his retirement from football at the age of 32.
The midfielder, who won the treble under Luis Enrique in the 2014-15 season, confirmed his decision on social media, citing persistent knee problems that have left him unable to continue at the level the game demands.
Rafinha comes from a family of footballing pedigree. He is the son of Brazil World Cup winner Mazinho and the younger brother of Thiago Alcantara, one of the greatest of his generation who also played for Barcelona, before joining Bayern Munich and then Liverpool.
The Brazilian made his Barcelona debut in 2011 at the age of 18 and spent nine seasons on the club’s books, although he struggled for game time. Injury problems did not help. He ultimately made 90 senior appearances before joining Paris Saint-Germain in 2020.
He featured regularly during the treble-winning campaign under Luis Enrique in 2014-15, playing 36 games. After spending a year at PSG when he made only 28 appearances for the club, he joined Real Sociedad on loan, before later moving to Al-Arabi in Qatar.
“After some time away from the pitch and following a long recovery, the time has come to make something important public. I have made the decision to retire,” Raphinha said.
“A little over a year ago, I suffered a knee injury which, unfortunately, prevents me from returning to compete at the highest level. It was hard to accept that I couldn’t continue. Thank you to my family for always being there, to everyone for the love and support. Thank you, football, for making me who I am. Goodbye.”
Barcelona said on X: “Thank you for your football and for defending these colors with pride and commitment. Good luck in this new stage.”
