Raphinha has been named LaLiga EA Sports Player of the Month for September 2026 after producing seven goals and two assists across Barcelona’s four league matches during the month.
LaLiga confirmed the award on October 2, with the Barcelona captain finishing ahead of Kylian Mbappé, Jonathan David, Sergio Camello and Fer Niño in the final vote. It is Raphinha’s second straight monthly award after he also won in August.
For the complete season-by-season tracker, see our LaLiga Player of the Month 2026/27 winners and nominees page.
Raphinha’s September 2026 numbers
Raphinha’s award was built on one of the most productive months by any player in LaLiga this season. Barcelona played four league matches in September and won all four, while their captain delivered nine direct goal contributions.
| September 2026 | Raphinha |
|---|---|
| LaLiga matches | 4 |
| Goals | 7 |
| Assists | 2 |
| Goal contributions | 9 |
| Hat-tricks | 2 |
| Team record | 4 wins |
At the time the award was announced, Raphinha had reached 12 LaLiga goals and three assists for the season, putting him at the front of the early Pichichi race.
How Raphinha won September’s LaLiga Player of the Month award
The month started with Raphinha scoring in Barcelona’s 5-0 victory over Valencia. He then played his part as Barça continued their perfect league run before producing the performances that effectively defined his month.
Against Racing Santander, Raphinha scored a hat-trick in Barcelona’s 7-2 win. He followed that immediately with another three-goal performance as Barça beat Sevilla 3-1.
That meant back-to-back LaLiga hat-tricks before the international break, giving him six goals across two matches and seven for September overall.
Those performances also featured prominently in our LaLiga Matchday 6 highlights and Matchday 7 highlights. The Sevilla hat-trick is also covered in our September 19 LaLiga results.
A new role under Hansi Flick is making Raphinha even more dangerous
One of the biggest reasons behind Raphinha’s scoring surge is how Hansi Flick has used him. LaLiga noted when announcing the award that the Brazilian, traditionally a winger, has increasingly been used as a centre-forward.
That role brings him closer to goal and gives him more opportunities to attack the penalty area rather than receiving possession almost exclusively near the touchline. His movement still allows him to drift wide, but he can also arrive between centre-backs and finish moves from central positions.
The result has been a player contributing like both a creator and a No. 9. Seven goals in a single league month would already make a strong Player of the Month case; adding two assists made his September even harder to overlook.
Raphinha wins back-to-back LaLiga POTM awards
September’s award is especially notable because Raphinha had already been named LaLiga Player of the Month for August 2026.
His August award came after a strong opening month in which he helped Barcelona begin the season with four wins from four. Winning again in September means Raphinha has taken the first two Player of the Month awards of the 2026/27 campaign.
According to FC Barcelona, this is the third LaLiga Player of the Month award of Raphinha’s career. His first came in August 2024.
That gives him the following LaLiga POTM wins:
- August 2024
- August 2026
- September 2026
You can follow each monthly winner as the season continues on our LaLiga POTM tracker.
Who did Raphinha beat in the September vote?
Raphinha was selected ahead of four other finalists representing four different LaLiga clubs:
- Kylian Mbappé — Real Madrid
- Jonathan David — Atlético Madrid
- Sergio Camello — Rayo Vallecano
- Fer Niño — Elche
The final field shows how competitive the opening months of the season have been, but Raphinha’s combination of scoring volume, assists and Barcelona’s perfect September gave him the strongest overall case.
What Raphinha’s award means for the Pichichi race
The Player of the Month award also underlines Raphinha’s position in the early battle to finish as LaLiga’s leading scorer.
When the September award was announced, Raphinha led the scoring chart with 12 league goals, five ahead of Lamine Yamal, Kylian Mbappé and Sergio Camello on seven.
That is a significant early advantage, although the season remains young. Our LaLiga Stats 2026/27 page tracks the latest player leaders, while our guide to the Pichichi Trophy explains how Spain’s top-scorer award works.
If Raphinha continues receiving significant minutes through the middle, his goal volume may remain higher than in seasons when he operated more consistently from wide areas.
Barcelona’s September dominance went beyond Raphinha
Raphinha was not Barcelona’s only monthly award winner. Hansi Flick was named Coach of the Month after overseeing another perfect league run, while João Cancelo won LaLiga Goal of the Month for his strike against Racing Santander.
That sweep reflects Barcelona’s broader start to the campaign. At the time Raphinha’s award was announced, Barça remained unbeaten and sat top of the league.
For the current picture, see the latest LaLiga standings.
Raphinha’s September POTM win at a glance
Winner: Raphinha
Club: Barcelona
Award: LaLiga EA Sports Player of the Month
Month: September 2026
September goals: 7
September assists: 2
Previous 2026/27 POTM: Raphinha, August 2026
Career LaLiga POTM awards: 3
LaLiga announced the result on October 2, 2026. The league’s official announcement can be read on LaLiga.com.
Frequently asked questions
Raphinha of Barcelona won the LaLiga EA Sports Player of the Month award for September 2026.
Raphinha scored seven LaLiga goals during September and also provided two assists.
The other finalists were Kylian Mbappé, Jonathan David, Sergio Camello and Fer Niño.
September 2026 was the third LaLiga Player of the Month award of his career, following wins in August 2024 and August 2026.
Raphinha also won the August 2026 award, making him the winner in each of the first two months of the 2026/27 season.
