The Brazilian national team is without its leader ahead of a crucial match
The Brazilian national team will not be able to count on Raphinha for their 2026 World Cup Round of 16 match against Norway. The Barcelona player has not yet recovered from a thigh injury he sustained during the group stage of the tournament.
The coaching staff does not want to risk the health of one of the team’s key players. If Brazil advances to the quarterfinals, Raphinha could return for the next match.
The Brazilian national team will play its World Cup round of 16 match without one of its most important players. According to Globo, Barcelona winger Raphinha will not be fit in time for the match against Norway, which is scheduled for July 5.
The player suffered a hamstring injury during the group stage of the tournament. As a result, he has already missed two of his team’s matches—against Scotland, which ended in a 3-0 victory for Brazil, and against Japan, where Brazil won 2-1.
Return Postponed
According to Brazilian journalists, the national team’s medical staff does not plan to rush the player’s recovery. The team hopes that Rafinha will be ready to play in the quarterfinals.
However, for that to happen, Brazil must first get past Norway and advance to the next round. For now, Ryan is replacing Rafinha on the right wing. He has been in the starting lineup for the team’s most recent matches.
How the World Cup Playoffs Are Going
The 2026 World Cup playoffs began on June 28. The first teams to advance to the next round have already been determined. Among them are Canada, Brazil, Paraguay, Morocco, Norway, France, Mexico, England, Belgium, the United States, Spain, Portugal, and Switzerland.
Three more spots in the Round of 16 will be decided by the matches between Australia and Egypt, Argentina and Cape Verde, and Colombia and Ghana. The match between Brazil and Norway will take place on July 5. That’s when we’ll find out whether the “Seleção” can continue its title run and whether Raphinha will have a chance to return to the field as early as the quarterfinals. Globo reports this.
In Toronto, World Cup match broadcasts were canceled due to extreme heat.
In Spain, 1,028 deaths directly linked to extreme weather conditions were recorded in June.
In Ukraine, the heat continues, with rain and thunderstorms possible in some areas.
