Seven records Raphinha could take from Lionel Messi this season
The Brazilian has been prolific this season.
Raphinha has begun the 2026-27 season in a way that has brought him within touching distance of some of Lionel Messi’s incredible records at FC Barcelona.
The Brazil international is prospering as a No. 9 after Barcelona lost Ferran Torres and Robert Lewandowski and failed to sign Julian Alvarez in the summer. He has scored 15 goals in 10 LaLiga games and two more in the UEFA Champions League.
After Raphinha’s incredible start to the season, we’ve compiled a list of seven absurd Messi records that he may attempt to shatter.
Messi’s records Raphinha can break at Barcelona
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7. Longest goalscoring streak in a league campaign
When Messi scored in 21 consecutive games during the 2012-13 season, he surpassed the previous LaLiga record of 10 consecutive games, set by Ronaldo Nazario in 1996-97.
If Raphinha hadn’t given Yamal a penalty against Levante, he may have scored in six straight games. Although the Brazilian provided two assists, his goalscoring run came to an end.
He then scored in the defeat to Real Madrid and followed it up with a brace against Alaves, taking his scoring streak to two consecutive games. It will only take 20 more to surpass Messi’s record.
6. Most goals for Barcelona in a Champions League campaign
Lionel Messi ranks second in the all-time UEFA Champions League goalscoring standings, having scored well over 100 goals. His best return in a single campaign was 14 goals in 2011-12, which ranks joint-seventh in the competition’s history.
Raphinha scored two goals in Barcelona’s 2026-27 UCL opener against Feyenoord, although he was sidelined by injury throughout the team’s triumph against Galatasaray and did not score in the 4-2 loss to PSG.
With five league-phase games remaining before the knockout stages, he already has two goals from two outings. He still has plenty of time to catch up.
5. Highest WhoScored rating for a league season
For each campaign between 2009-10 and 2020-21, Messi’s average rating from WhoScored’s statistical system was higher than 8.00. Twelve years of absurdity.
A standout individual campaign would require Raphinha to maintain the standards needed to challenge Messi’s highest-ever WhoScored average rating (8.88 in 2011-12).
Raphinha’s current rating of 8.50 in the 2026-27 campaign is not too far off. He needs to maintain – or even slightly improve – that rating over his next 27 games. Not a huge deal.
4. Most goals in a La Liga season
The big one. During the 2011-12 LaLiga season, Messi scored an incredible 50 goals, a record for a single season across Europe’s top five leagues.
Raphinha has had a strong start and currently tops Europe’s goalscoring charts with 15 goals in just 10 league appearances. Of course, it’s an absurd expectation for him to get close to that total.
If he maintained his average of 1.5 goals per game over 38 matches, the Brazilian would finish the LaLiga season with 57 goals.
3. Most hat tricks in a single season
Given that Messi scored 50 goals in 2011-12, it is hardly surprising that he regularly scored in abundance. In LaLiga, he scored eight hat-tricks that year, setting a record that is still shared by his former rival Cristiano Ronaldo, who did the same at Real Madrid in 2014-15.
The Brazilian has already scored two incredible hat-tricks against Racing Santander and Sevilla. After just 11 league games, Raphinha has already registered two hat-tricks. He needs six more to equal Messi’s record.
2. Most LaLiga matches scored in during a season
Messi set a record by netting 27 goals in 38 LaLiga games.
Having scored against Elche, Athletic Club, Rayo Vallecano, Valencia, Racing Santander, Sevilla, Real Madrid and Alaves, Raphinha has now scored in eight of his ten LaLiga games.
In order to tie Messi’s record, he must score in 19 of Barcelona’s last 27 league games.
1. Most goals in a season
Messi scored 73 goals across all competitions in the 2011-12 season, including 50 in LaLiga.
Raphinha has scored 17 goals in 12 appearances across all competitions so far. Despite his recent injury setback, he is averaging 1.42 goals per appearance.
He would reach Messi’s territory if he maintained that scoring rate over approximately 52 appearances. The challenge is that he must maintain his fitness, continue scoring at this extraordinary rate and hope Barcelona advance deep into the Champions League.
How many LaLiga goals has Raphinha scored this season?
He has 15 goals in the league this season.
How many goals has Raphinha scored in the Champions League this season?
He has two goals in the competition this season.
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