Amid the absence of Neymar, who continues to recover with no plans to return to the pitch, coach Carlo Ancelotti is pinning his hopes on talents from major European teams to boost the Brazilian team on its way to the World Cup.
One of the names highlighted is Vinicius Jr., who has already demonstrated his value by avoiding a bigger defeat in the 1-1 draw against Morocco in his debut. Another player who needs a turnaround is Raphinha, looking to overcome a long period without scoring for the national team.
The end of a long period without goals for Raphinha in the Seleção
The Barcelona forward has not found the net for the green and yellow shirt since March 20, 2025. On that occasion, he scored the first goal in the 2-1 victory over Colombia, during the qualifiers. This long period of time highlights a transition in technical command, as the coach was Dorival Júnior, currently at São Paulo.
In fact, Raphinha has not managed to score a single goal since Ancelotti took charge of the national team. There were seven matches under the direction of the Italian, who publicly reinforced his confidence in the athlete just hours before the clash against Haiti, scheduled for this Friday (19), in Philadelphia.
“He has the complete trust of the football world, as he is one of the best players on the planet,” said Ancelotti. The Italian coach has been looking for different tactical roles in the attack to help Raphinha rediscover his best performance on the field.
“I believe that Raphinha has the ability to play in any position in the attacking sector, and his trajectory proves this. He started playing on the right under Bielsa at Leeds, then at Barcelona also on the right, and subsequently moved to the left, always demonstrating excellent performance. He will do the same here. We need to remain calm, be patient and provide him with the necessary support.”
Now, a new chance presents itself to Raphinha. At Lincoln Financial Field, the player will try to end his fast and ensure his stay in the national team, with Ancelotti’s full support and faith.
Broadcast details of the clash between Brazil and Haiti
The match between Brazil and Haiti, which will take place this Friday (19), starting at 9pm (Brasília time), will be broadcast exclusively and live on CazéTV, available for free on Disney+.