2026 World Cup / Brazil - Norway: devastating news, Raphinha ruled out!

05.07.26 FT World Cup

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Brazil will have to do without Raphinha for their round of 16 clash against Norway, as the FC Barcelona winger hasn't recovered in time from his muscle injury.

Bad news for Carlo Ancelotti ahead of the round of 16 showdown with Norway, set for Sunday at 10pm at MetLife Stadium. According to Spanish outlet Sport, Raphinha will not take part, with the staff officially ruling him out after a muscle injury that prevented him from recovering in time.

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Although the Barcelona winger had started individual training sessions on the pitch in recent days, he was never able to rejoin full team practice. As a result, the Seleção decided to take no chances with a relapse, especially since the player had already suffered a similar injury to the same hamstring back in March.

In his absence, Carlo Ancelotti is expected to stick with the attacking trio used in recent matches: Rayan on the right wing, Vinícius Júnior on the left, and Matheus Cunha leading the line. In midfield, Danilo Santos is likely to step in for Lucas Paquetá, who is also ruled out for the remainder of the tournament.

If Brazil advance to the quarter-finals, a return for Raphinha is not out of the question: the forward could be back on the pitch on July 11 in Miami, facing the winner of the high-stakes showdown between Mexico and England. Until then, he'll continue his rehab under the watchful eye of the Brazilian medical staff.

Mahdi Zakaria LAZRI |

Editor

Football web writer creating digital sports content with a focus on news, analysis and stories that reflect passion, accuracy and objectivity.

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