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The Brazilian winger’s changing routines and calm decision-making have turned him into a reliable penalty taker.
Raphinha Dias scores a penalty during the match between FC Barcelona and Sevilla FC, corresponding to week 28 of LaLiga EA Sports, at the Spotify Camp Nou in Barcelona, Spain, on March 15, 2026. (Photo by Joan Valls/Urbanandsport/NurPhoto via Getty Images) | NurPhoto via Getty Images Raphinha scored two penalties, and walked away with the match ball after FC Barcelona beat Sevilla FC 5-2 on Sunday, a hat-trick that kept the Catalan side four points clear of Real Madrid in La Liga. After the game, still holding the ball, he offered a quick explanation for the contrast between the two kicks.
“You have to change things a little because the goalkeepers already expect what you’re going to do. ” The first one came early, as João Cancelo went down in the box and Raphinha stepped up in the ninth minute, lifting a delicate “Panenka” shot past Odysseas Vlachodimos. Sevilla barely had time to reset before Cancelo earned another penalty.
This time the Brazilian drove it low to the goalkeeper’s right. Vlachodimos guessed the direction and got a touch, but it still slipped in. Raphinha has now scored 18 of the 19 penalties he has taken in senior football, spread across spells in Portugal, France, England, and Spain.
And he’s always varied his approach. At Stade Rennais he started using a short hop before striking the ball, something that is known as Robert Lewandowski’s signature move. During his time at Leeds United, he tended to switch sides from one penalty to the next, left on one attempt, right on the following.