Vini Jr and Raphinha shine in Spain on the eve of the World Cup squad

The attackers Raphinha and Vinicius Junior had leading performances in the Barcelona and Real Madrid clashes this Sunday, the day before the official announcement of the Brazilian team’s squad list for the Copa of the 2026 Mundo. Estados Unidos, México and Canadá. The two players are confirmed in the preliminary list of 55 names sent to Fifa and arrive motivated by their performance in the penultimate round of Campeonato Espanhol.

The performance of the athletes on the European continent raises expectations for the final call from the Confederação Brasileira technical committee of Futebol. Ambos appear as pillars of Brasil’s offensive sector in the current cycle. The Sunday day served to consolidate the positive moment of the country’s main names in international football before the Copa of the Mundo.

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— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) May 17, 2026

Raphinha scores twice on Camp Nou in Barcelona’s victory

Barcelona beat Betis by a score of 3 to 1 in a match held at Camp Nou in the 37th round of the national competition. Striker Raphinha led the Catalan team’s triumph with two goals scored throughout the match. The first came out in the initial stage with a free kick that went beyond the opponent’s wall. In the second half, the player took advantage of a failure in the rival defensive system to find the net again.

The Brazilian athlete reached impressive numbers in his recent career at the Spanish club with this weekend’s goals. Raphinha has accumulated 21 goals and seven assists in the 33 matches played for Barcelona this European season. The performance deserved public praise from the team commander after the end of the duel at Camp Nou.

• The striker scored a free kick in the first half against Betis
• The Brazilian’s second goal took advantage of an error by the opposing defense
• Raphinha ends the season with 21 goals scored for the club
• Coach Hansi Flick highlighted the importance of the athlete in the squad
• The match was part of the penultimate round of the national tournament

German coach Hansi Flick held a press conference shortly after the victory and highlighted the qualities of the Brazilian coach. The commander explained that the group missed the player in previous commitments and celebrated his return at a high level in the final stretch of the championship. Barcelona secured the three points at home thanks to the striker’s protagonism.

Vinicius Junior decides away match for Real Madrid

Real Madrid also entered the field in the Campeonato Espanhol round and beat Sevilla 1-0 away from home. The goal that guaranteed the Madrid club’s victory was scored by Vinicius Junior in an individual play in the attacking field. The athlete rocked the opposing nets and maintained the strong rhythm of the squad led by Carlo Ancelotti. The triumph kept the team in a comfortable position in the league table before the league ended.

Real Madrid’s number 7 reached the mark of 22 goals in the current European season after finding the net for Sevilla. Vinicius Junior accumulated this statistic over 53 matches played in all of the Spanish club’s official competitions. The attacker consolidates himself as one of the main offensive weapons for the Copa of the 2026 Mundo.

The consistency shown by the Real Madrid player on the Europa pitch reinforces his status as an absolute starter in the team’s tactical scheme. The decisive goal occurred at a moment of maximum pressure on Espanha. The athlete arrives at the training period for the world tournament with numbers that place him among the main names in international football.

Matheus Cunha scores for Manchester United at Premier League

Striker Matheus Cunha also enjoyed a Sunday of celebration in Inglaterra football for Premier League. The player scored one of the goals in Manchester United’s victory over Nottingham Forest by a score of 3-2 at the Old Trafford stadium. The goal scored in front of the fans in Manchester represented an important milestone in the athlete’s recent career.

The Paraíba native scored for the tenth time in his first season wearing the English club’s shirt after his recent transfer. Matheus Cunha has been gaining ground in British football with regular appearances in United’s attacking sector. The team’s coach has been using the Brazilian frequently in the starting lineup in local league commitments.

The striker’s good form in the most competitive Europa league appears as another option for commanding the Brazilian team. The player is looking for a place in the final group that will compete in the world cup starting next month. The display on Old Trafford puts the athlete’s name in the spotlight on the day of the official call-up.

Casemiro says goodbye to the fans in Old Trafford to applause

Manchester United’s clash against Nottingham Forest was also marked by the official farewell of midfielder Casemiro to the British fans. The experienced Brazilian midfielder was substituted during the second half and received recognition from the local public. The fans present at the stadium gave the player a standing ovation in his last home performance.

The athlete will leave the English club permanently at the end of the current European season without renewing his contract. The departure comes even after the midfielder recorded unprecedented offensive numbers throughout the recent period at Inglaterra. Casemiro scored nine times in the season, establishing the highest scoring year of his entire professional football career.

The midfielder now awaits the definition of the Brazilian team’s technical committee regarding his presence in the group that goes to Copa from Mundo. The player has a successful history with the yellow shirt and is looking to add another World Cup appearance to his resume. The definition of his future at clubs will take place after the national team tournament.