Brazil’s Raphinha (thigh) WCup return uncertain

June 20, 2026 No Comments

Brazil confirm Raphinha hamstring injury; World Cup return uncertainplayWill Brazil top Group C after victory vs. Haiti? (1:23)ESPN News ServicesMultiple AuthorsJun 20, 2026, 05:18 PM ET

Brazil forward Raphinha will undergo treatment on a hamstring injury with the hope of him returning to the World Cup, the country’s national team reported Saturday.

Raphinha was replaced by Rayan late in the first half of the team’s 3-0 win over Haiti on Friday in Philadelphia after receiving medical attention.

The Brazilian soccer federation (CBF) reported in the aftermath of the match that the 29-year-old felt a problem in his right thigh and would undergo further tests.

Those tests validated an injury but not one that has seen the CBF rule him out of the tournament, like defender Wesley was before Brazil’s opener against Morocco, and he will remain with the team in the United States to recover.

Raphinha is set to go through an intensive treatment protocol with the aim of resuming normal activities “as quickly as possible,” the CBF reported.

Raphinha was substituted in the 40th minute of Brazil’s World Cup win over Haiti. Victor Monteiro/PxImages/Icon Sportswire via Getty ImagesThe Barcelona forward’s injury is the newest for coach Carlo Ancelotti to navigate as he attempts to deliver Brazil’s sixth World Cup triumph and their first since 2002.

Real Madrid attacker Rodrygo suffered a serious knee injury in March and was unable to bring his Real Madrid partnership with Vinícius Júnior to the World Cup, while rising star Estêvão tore his hamstring while playing for Chelsea against Manchester United in April.

At the back, Éder Militão is missing the World Cup with a hamstring injury of his own.

Ancelotti reported that Brazil legend Neymar, who missed the country’s first two games with a calf injury, “will be available” for Brazil’s next match.

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Brazil, who bounced back from a disappointing 1-1 draw with Morocco in their World Cup opener, moved to the top of Group C with the comfortable win over Haiti.

They play Scotland on Wednesday in Miami Gardens, Florida, in their final group game.

Information from the Associated Press and ESPN’s Cadu Fonseca, Matheus Henrique, Murilo Borges and Pedro Ivo Almeida contributed to this story.