Barcelona forward Rafinha set the fire on fire after accusing Disneyland Paris staff of racially motivated behavior towards his son during a family trip to the resort.
The Brazilian International, currently in World Cup qualifying duties, said he was “embarrassed” and “disgusted” after footage showed that his two-year-old son Gale appears to be ignored by the park’s mascot while the other children were warmly greeted.
The video shared on Raphinha’s Instagram Stories quickly became word-of-mouth. Among them, several children are seen receiving embraces and warnings from the characters, but Frog stands sideways and makes a gesture seeking the same approval. Even as adults brought him closer, the mascot seemed to turn his back.
“Your employees are dishonorable,” Rafina wrote. “You shouldn’t treat people, especially children like this. You’re supposed to make your child happy, not ignore them. I would say “ignoring them” more than anything else. You are dishonorable. ”
The 28-year-old went further in a follow-up post, wondering why in his view “all white children got a hug, not my son.” He ended with a furious message: “I hate you, Disneyland.”
The accusations hit nerves far beyond football, touching on years of debate about discrimination in public places.
Disneyland Paris has yet to release an official statement, but the allegations have already sparked heated online debate, weighing on fans, families and advocacy groups.
Some gathered behind the Brazilians to refer to the symbolic importance of their son Snub, while others urged restraint until more information came out. What cannot be denied, however, is that it has become a fierce claim that it has been significantly reduced to Disneyland’s long-standing image as “the happiest place on the planet.”
Rafina’s family was in France at the time, but the player himself was over 5,000 miles away, beating Chile at Malacan, Brazil, 3-0. He is expected to line up again with Bolivia in El Alto before returning to Lariga’s Barcelona duties.
History of Rafina’s remarks
For Rafina, Paris’ anger is not an isolated matter. Winger has been speaking out about racism throughout his career, both as a victim and an ally of his teammates.
In 2023, after being replaced by a match against the real Balladrid, he lifted his jersey and revealed a shirt that read, “While skin color is more important than eye color, there’s war.”
The gesture was in solidarity with Real Madrid’s Starvinisius Jr., who had repeatedly targeted Spain’s racist abuse.
Last season, both Rafinha and teenage teammate Ramin Yamal were exposed to racial provocation during Barcelona’s 4-0 victory over Real Madrid.
Spanish police later confirmed multiple arrests for “racist insults targeting two soccer players.” Both the club and Lariga issued strong criticism, but Rafinha at the time claimed that “nothing changes” and that “the important people need to take action.”
His latest comments from afar suggest that he sees the same patterns that appear elsewhere. This time it should be a sanctuary for children.
For Rafina, this is more than a result of the pitch. His anger at seeing him overlook his son resonate with his parents all over the world.
Whether Disneyland Paris fully describes the mascot’s actions as fatigue, misunderstanding, or something else, the damage can already be made in public opinion courts.
