Raphinha Injury Update: When Could He Return?

Brazil’s commanding 3-0 Group C victory over Haiti at the 2026 World Cup has been significantly overshadowed by an injury to winger Raphinha. The Barcelona forward was forced to exit the pitch in the 40th minute of Friday's encounter in Philadelphia, raising immediate concerns over his availability for the remainder of the tournament.

The Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) later released an official statement confirming that subsequent imaging scans revealed a muscle injury to the posterior of his right thigh. The 29-year-old has been placed on an aggressive, short-term rehabilitation program in a bid to keep his World Cup campaign alive.

While the medical staff has refrained from offering an exact recovery timeline, Raphinha has been officially ruled out of Brazil's final Group C fixture against Scotland this Wednesday in Miami. The team's immediate priority is to guide the winger back to full fitness ahead of the knockout phase.

Local Brazilian media outlets report that the national team’s medical department is quietly optimistic about a potential return for the Round of 16 in roughly two weeks, provided Carlo Ancelotti’s side secures qualification. Unlike defender Wesley, who was entirely dropped from the squad due to a pre-tournament injury, Raphinha will remain with the team in the United States to continue his treatment.

The diagnosis represents a highly frustrating, recurring setback for the forward. This is the fifth time Raphinha has aggravated the exact same area of his right thigh over the course of the current football season.

The persistent hamstring issue previously forced him to sit out a total of 23 matches for Barcelona, causing him to miss a critical UEFA Champions League clash against Atlético Madrid as well as the decisive final stretch of the club's La Liga title campaign. He had previously suffered a torn biceps femoris in the same leg during an international friendly against France in March, which sidelined him for over a month.

With Raphinha sidelined, head coach Carlo Ancelotti will be forced to shuffle his attacking options for the Scotland clash, potentially leaning on younger stars like Endrick, Rayan, or Arsenal's Gabriel Martinelli.

However, the Seleção have received a massive boost on the fitness front. Ancelotti confirmed that superstar forward Neymar is expected to return to the matchday squad against Scotland after recovering from a calf injury that kept him out of the opening two fixtures. The manager intends to hand Neymar his first competitive minutes on the pitch since October 2023 to test his match fitness as Brazil looks to officially secure their spot in the Round of 32.