Brazil winger Raphinha has sustained a muscle injury to the back of his right thigh, the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) confirmed on Saturday, June 21. The injury occurred during Brazil’s 3-0 victory over Haiti in their FIFA World Cup 2026 Group stage match on Friday.
Raphinha limped off the pitch after suffering the injury, which adds to a series of recent fitness concerns for the player. The CBF stated, “On Saturday, Raphinha underwent an imaging exam that confirmed a muscle injury in the back of his right thigh.” The diagnosis followed an examination conducted earlier on the day.
This marks the fourth hamstring issue for Raphinha in the past year. He also missed 23 matches for Barcelona last season due to similar problems. Earlier in the year, during a friendly against France in the March international break, he sustained a comparable injury that sidelined him for over a month.
The CBF added that Raphinha will now undergo an intensive rehabilitation program under the care of the Brazil national team’s medical staff. “The player will follow an intensive treatment protocol, monitored by the Brazilian national team’s medical staff, with the aim of facilitating his recovery and return to action as soon as possible,” the federation stated.
In the match against Haiti, Brazil recovered strongly after their opening 1-1 draw against Morocco. Carlo Ancelotti’s team initially had a Raphinha goal disallowed for offside but soon took control. Matheus Cunha opened the scoring by converting a rebound after Vinicius Junior’s shot was saved, then added a second goal following an assist from Vinicius.
Vinicius Junior scored a third before half-time with a composed finish after breaking through Haiti’s high defensive line. However, Brazil faced a setback when Raphinha was forced off injured in the first half.
In the second half, Haiti increased their attacking efforts and came close through Ricardo Ade’s header, which was well saved by Alisson Becker. Brazil, largely dominant, had a fourth goal by Endrick disallowed for offside.
The victory puts Brazil on four points from two matches, level with Morocco but ahead on goal difference, placing them in a favorable position to qualify for the Round of 32.
Comments are closed.