Raphinha Returns to Training as Brazil Weighs World Cup Decision
Brazil’s World Cup training camp in New Jersey finally had the sight they’d been waiting for. Raphinha, boots on, ball at his feet, back on the grass.
The Barcelona winger completed his first individual session on the pitch on Tuesday, a significant step in his recovery from the right thigh injury that ruled him out of the group stage. No teammates, no full drills, but for Brazil it marked a turning point in a delicate race against time.
At 29, Raphinha has thrown himself into the work. While the rest of the squad enjoyed a scheduled break until Wednesday afternoon, he stayed behind at the training base, pushing through an intensive rehabilitation program with the Selecao medical staff. The message from the player is clear: he wants to be ready when the tournament truly sharpens.
Caution around a fragile thigh
Brazil’s coaches have welcomed his return to the pitch, yet they know the risks too well. Lucas Paqueta is now in the treatment room with his own thigh problem picked up against Japan, and that fresh blow has only reinforced the need for prudence with another key attacking piece.
Raphinha’s case is especially sensitive. This latest issue is the fifth time he has suffered a problem in the same area during the 2025–26 season. Barcelona have already lost him for stretches, and the national team have had to adjust on multiple occasions because of recurring muscular strains and knocks. One wrong step now could cost him far more than a round-of-16 appearance.
The injury struck during Brazil’s 3–0 win over Haiti in Philadelphia. Raphinha left the pitch in the first half, clearly distraught, haunted by the thought that his World Cup might be over before it had really begun. The scans brought relief: a muscle strain, not a tear. The door stayed open, but only if his body tolerates a steadily increasing workload this week.
That is where the daily data comes in. According to ESPN, the medical team are monitoring every session, every reaction, feeding information to Carlo Ancelotti. The head coach is expected to delay his decision for as long as possible before Norway in the round of 16, weighing whether to include the former Leeds United winger in the matchday squad or hold him back for a potential quarter-final, should Brazil progress.
Depth buys Brazil time
The key factor allowing Brazil to hesitate is the depth that surrounds him. Inside the camp there is a firm belief they can handle the first knockout hurdle without forcing their star wide man back onto the pitch too soon.
In his absence, young talent Rayan has seized the opportunity, stepping into the starting XI and offering a different threat on the flank in Ancelotti’s system. Where Raphinha brings relentless pressing and sharp diagonal runs, Rayan has injected his own brand of energy and unpredictability, enough to convince the staff that Brazil can survive without rushing a recovery.
So the equation is simple, even if the decision is not. Brazil want Raphinha at 100 per cent for the deeper stages, not at 70 per cent for Norway and then gone for the rest of the tournament.
The sight of him gliding across the New Jersey turf again will lift spirits across the Selecao camp. The real test comes next: does Brazil dare to roll the dice now, or will they keep one of their most dangerous weapons holstered for when the stakes climb even higher?
