Who Could Ancelotti Play in Place of Raphinha?

Brazil's commanding 3-0 victory over Haiti in Philadelphia was severely dampened by a major injury setback. Barcelona forward Raphinha was forced off during the first half with a right hamstring issue, leaving Seleção boss Carlo Ancelotti with a significant tactical puzzle to solve ahead of their final Group C clash against Scotland on Wednesday.

While the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) confirmed that the winger immediately began treatment at the stadium, there is a genuine risk that he will miss the match in Miami. Although Brazil has already secured passage to the next stage, the fixture remains crucial for determining group leadership.

In Hansi Flick’s tactical setup at Barcelona over the last two seasons, Raphinha thrived by moving between a central attacking midfield role and his traditional place out wide on the right flank. Ancelotti will now look at two distinct profiles within his squad to fill that void.

Option 1: Rayan’s Direct Introduction

Against Haiti, Ancelotti immediately turned to Rayan as a direct replacement. The 19-year-old Bournemouth forward—who progressed through Vasco da Gama's academy—offered a completely different style on the right flank.

While Raphinha focused on explosive pace to exploit the space behind Haiti's high defensive line, Rayan brought a calculated, ball-retaining quality to the pitch. Though he was less explosive than the tandem of Vinicius Junior and Matheus Cunha, his composure and ability to hold up play in advanced areas helped Brazil safely control the tempo of the match once the scoreline was secure.

Option 2: Unleashing Endrick on the Flank

Another viable option for the right attacking midfield role is Endrick. The Real Madrid forward frequently operated in wide-right roles during his stint with Lyon. It was this positional versatility that originally compelled Ancelotti to include him in the national squads back in March and May.

Against Haiti, Endrick was deployed centrally in the second half as an alternative to Cunha, operating as a traditional target man close to the penalty box. However, with Vinicius and Cunha establishing themselves as near-certainties in the starting lineup following their goalscoring displays, moving Endrick out to the right flank remains a highly plausible adjustment.

Heading into the final training sessions of the week, Rayan holds a slight tactical edge over Endrick to make the starting eleven against Scotland due to his natural tendency to preserve width. However, Ancelotti will use the upcoming sessions in Miami to evaluate which player best complements Brazil's attacking trident.