Leeds United has had some truly memorable players over the last few years.
The Marcelo Bielsa era delivered some of the best times for a Leeds supporter in modern times, and as a result, there have been many players who have written themselves into Leeds mythology.
Unfortunately, it is almost ended as some of the team’s final remaining players prepare to say their goodbyes in the coming weeks.
Stuart Dallas announced his retirement on Wednesday after failing to recover from a two-year injury, and Luke Ayling and Liam Cooper are expected to follow suit this summer.
Perhaps not the most gifted, but those three players formed the foundation of Bielsa’s team for many years, with a sprinkle of stardust added by Pablo Hernandez, Kalvin Phillips, and Raphinha in separate seasons.
According to Richards, Raphinha always looked like a ‘superstar’ while at Leeds.
Many younger Leeds fans consider Hernandez to be the best player they have seen at the club due of his longevity.
His numbers in both Championship seasons under Bielsa were amazing, and during the Covid period when Leeds were promoted, he was simply unplayable.
At the same time, Raphinha is possibly the best player this club has seen since it last competed in the Premier League.
He spent two years at Elland Road before moving on to bigger and better things with Barcelona, where he made 67 appearances, scored 17 goals, and assisted 12 times.
The 27-year-old has clearly struggled at Barcelona, but he had probably the best night of his career in the Champions League on Wednesday, scoring twice in a 3-2 victory over PSG.
Micah Richards, speaking on the current episode of the Rest is Football Podcast, said Raphinha frequently ‘flatters to deceive’ at Barcelona after looking like a ‘superstar’ at Leeds, but was impressed by his performance in midweek.
He said, “Fair play, Raphinha. We looked at Barcelona and watched him at Leeds, and he appeared to be a future superstar. You know, when you went, he was playing with better players at Barcelona, no disrespect to Leeds, but every time you watch him, he kind of, I don’t want to say, flatters to deceive, but yesterday he was really, very excellent – he was incredible. “He had everything.
Leeds gave Raphinha a platform to shine.
Raphinha will always remember his time at Leeds as the period that propelled his career to the next level, and it’s apparent he hasn’t forgotten about Elland Road.
He wrote a message to Dallas shortly after his performance in Paris, wishing him all the best in his retirement.
He has also been spotted wearing Leeds apparel and greeting a fan who came out to see him in Barcelona.
Leeds fans will be eternally thankful for the opportunity to watch someone like him at the club, but the Brazilian has a lot to thank the Whites for as well.
