Barcelona players select Raphinha and Pedri as captains over Rodri

Barcelona announced their captaincy for the 2026/27 season, with Raphinha and Pedri chosen as first and second captains, respectively. Despite Rodri's extensive experience and leadership credentials, he was not selected among the club's five captains. The decision stems from a player vote emphasizing seniority at the club rather than solely on age or past achievements. Eric Garcia, Frenkie de Jong, and Lamine Yamal round out the leadership group, with Yamal, at 19, being elected ahead of Rodri, who joined the club recently. This reflects Barcelona's tradition of building captaincy roles through internal relationships.

• 7:40 AMYahoo Sports — Why Rodri is not one of Barcelona’s captains despite his seniority – report