Gen Z were finally given some ammunition with Raphinha. For 20 years, that crop of Leeds United fans has had to listen to stories about the glory years of Don Revie, Howard Wilkinson and David O’Leary.
They had no comeback, no dewy-eyed memories of watching the club’s best-ever players in the flesh. Whenever their parents or grandparents took them down the pub or rolled back the years at the dinner table, all they could offer was League One or Steve Evans.
Raphinha changed all that. The Brazilian is the best player to have pulled on a Leeds shirt in 20 years and symbolised the club’s return to the top flight.