Raphinha didn't hesitate when naming the Premier League player who inspired him as a child
El Clasico sensation Raphinha is heading towards a second La Liga title and a famous double with Barcelona.
The Blaugrana moved seven points clear at the top of the table with a win against Real Madrid and Raphinha's first-half brace put them right on track for what was ultimately a 4-3 victory.
Former Sporting CP and Rennes forward Raphinha cut his teeth with Leeds United in the Premier League and was inspired as a youngster by one of the finest players to grace England's top flight in the modern era.
Now 28, the Porto Alegre-born Brazilian international is gracing the very same turf as the legendary player who made him want to play football as a kid.
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Thierry Henry was playing in England throughout Raphinha's formative football years in Brazil and there haven't been many better from whom to take a steer.
"I’d be watching the Prem with my dad on the free-to-air channels," Raphinha told The Players' Tribune.
"Henry was flying, man. The runs, the finishes, it was crazy.
"I also remember that the stadiums were always full. The songs, the shouts. The noise.
"I can’t remember the details, but I was probably sitting in a run-down bar somewhere in Restinga when I made the vow. One day I’m going to play there."
Raphinha moved to Leeds from Lisbon in 2020, joining Marcelo Bielsa's beloved side after they won the Championship.
He played at the Emirates Stadium for the first time in a 4-2 defeat in February 2021 when the stands stood empty due to coronavirus restrictions.
The Brazilian left Leeds for Barcelona in the summer of 2022, netting the West Yorkshire club a handsome transfer fee in the region of £50 million and stepping into the role once occupied by Henry.
World Cup winner Henry won the treble with Barcelona in 2008-09, adding the Champions League to success in La Liga and a Copa del Rey win.
Raphinha is on the cusp of a double at the Nou Camp and has been firing on all cylinders this season, scoring the crucial goals against Barcelona's title rivals on Sunday.
Kylian Mbappe's hat-trick for Real Madrid wasn't enough to stop Barca stretching their lead and putting the title within reach.
Topics: Raphinha, FC Barcelona
Chris Nee