'I'm not Raphinha, I'm a woman!' - Barcelona star in mistaken identity blunder

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FT Desk

Barcelona forward Kerolin, who features for the women's team, was left extremely confused after an incident with a fan outside the club's training centre.

The Brazilian was making her way out of the centre when a fan approached her car, initially complaining that the player did not greet the group of supporters gathered.

The group were chanting the name of Barcelona captain Raphinha, and it was then that Kerolin realised she had been mistaken for her male counterpart.

One fan even approached Kerolin's car and started complaining about Raphinha not coming out to embrace the group, thinking the male forward was inside. "What's so hard about stopping for two minutes," the female fan said.

A centroavante Kerolin, da Seleção Brasileira e do Barcelona, passou por uma situação constrangedora após deixar o treino do Barça nesta quinta-feira (3).

A jogadora foi confundida com Raphinha e teve o carro cercado por diversos torcedores, que gritavam o nome do atacante… pic.twitter.com/HT2Q5eL9fJ

— LIBERTA DEPRE (@liberta___depre) September 3, 2026

Kerolin then lowered the glass of her driver's window and clarified the situation, saying: "I'm not Raphinha; I'm a woman."

The 26-year-old began her career in her native Brazil, playing for Valinhos, Ponte Preta, Audax and Palmeiras.

After a spell with Madrid CFF in Spain, Kerolin moved to the United States and became a standout player for North Carolina Courage. She joined Manchester City in January 2025 and enjoyed further success in England, winning the FA Cup and Women's Super League, before signing for Barcelona last month.

As for Raphinha, he has emerged as one of Barcelona's most important players despite trepidation from some sections of fans after his transfer from Leeds in 2022.

His real breakthrough came in 2024-25 under Hansi Flick. He produced an outstanding season, scoring 34 goals and providing 22 assists in 57 matches, while helping Barcelona win La Liga, the Copa del Rey and the Spanish Super Cup.

Overall, he's won three La Liga titles, three Spanish Super Cups and a Copa del Rey with the Blaugrana.