Raphinha’s cousin has denied claims the Barcelona winger is desperate to leave the club for Al-Hilal, pushing back at fresh speculation around the Brazil international’s future during the 2026 World Cup.
The claim came after former Brazil international Vampeta suggested on a podcast that Raphinha wanted the Saudi move because of personal and financial family issues. Igor Padilha, identified as Raphinha’s cousin, rejected that version of events in blunt terms, according to Barca Blaugranes’ report on the Al-Hilal claims.
Barcelona Still Need Clarity On Raphinha
The denial matters because Raphinha is already a major talking point for Barcelona supporters. The 29-year-old has been linked with Al-Hilal in a potential big-money deal, while his immediate focus has also been disrupted by injury at the World Cup.
Raphinha has been ruled out of Brazil’s final group match against Scotland, leaving both club and country waiting to see how quickly he can recover. For Barcelona, the key point is that the latest public response from the player’s camp does not support the idea that he is actively pushing to quit Camp Nou.
That does not end the transfer noise, particularly while Saudi interest remains in the background. But it does give Barcelona a firmer answer to one of the more dramatic claims around Raphinha’s future: his family side is calling it false.
