Barcelona forward Raphinha has publicly called out Disneyland Paris, accusing the theme park of racism after his young son was allegedly ignored by a mascot while other children were happily embraced.
The incident has sent shockwaves across social media, drawing attention to the treatment of children in public spaces.
Heartbreaking Footage Shared Online
Currently away on international duty with Brazil, Raphinha took to Instagram to express his anger after videos surfaced from the resort showing his two-year-old son, Gael, seemingly being overlooked.
The clips show several children being hugged by a costumed mascot, while Gael is left standing off to the side.
In one clip, Gael gestures toward the mascot as if asking for a hug.
Later, an unidentified adult even tried carrying him over to the mascot, but the attempt was unsuccessful, leaving the boy without the attention he sought.
Raphinha’s Scathing Response
Raphinha did not hold back in his social media posts. “Your employees are disgraceful,” he wrote.
“You shouldn’t treat people like this, especially a CHILD. You’re supposed to make children happy, not ignore a child.
I prefer to say ‘ignore,’ rather than anything else. You’re a disgrace.”
He went further, suggesting the mascot deliberately ignored Gael because of his skin color.
“I understand the fatigue of those who work with this, but why did all the white children get hugs and not my son? I hate you, Disneyland.
He just wanted a hello and a hug. Lucky for you, he doesn’t get it. That employee is terrible.”
Disneyland’s Silence
As of now, Disneyland Paris has not issued an official response to Raphinha’s accusations.
Daily Mail Sport has reached out to the resort for comment.
Raphinha Juggles International Duty
At the time of the incident, Raphinha was thousands of miles away, playing for Brazil in a 3-0 World Cup qualifying win over Chile at the Maracana.
He is expected to feature in Brazil’s upcoming match against Bolivia in El Alto before returning to Barcelona for their clash with Valencia.
Speaking Out Against Racism in Football
This is not the first time Raphinha has confronted racism publicly.
In 2023, following a game against Real Valladolid, he revealed an undershirt that read: “Whilst the colour of skin is more important than the colour of eyes, there will be war.”
The message was a show of solidarity with his compatriot, Real Madrid star Vinicius Junior, who has faced racial abuse repeatedly.
In November 2024, Raphinha and Barcelona teammate Lamine Yamal were also victims of racial abuse during a 4-0 victory over Real Madrid.
Spanish police later confirmed three arrests related to “racist insults aimed at two footballers,” while both clubs and LaLiga condemned the abuse.