Brazil’s medical staff have confirmed Raphinha sustained a muscle injury in the posterior region of his right thigh during the win over Haiti at the 2026 World Cup. Full injury update, recovery timeline and what it means for Brazil
FIFA World Cup 2026 | Brazil Injury News | Group C
Published: June 14, 2026 | Author: Hemim SK
Brazil have officially confirmed what fans had feared since Friday night in Philadelphia: Raphinha is injured, and the timeline to get him fit again is now working against the calendar rather than with it.
The Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) released a statement confirming the Barcelona winger has sustained a muscle injury in the posterior region of his right thigh — medical language for a hamstring problem, the same muscle group that has repeatedly troubled him over the past year.
What Injury Does Raphinha Have? The Official Diagnosis
According to the CBF statement, imaging tests carried out on Saturday confirmed the injury. “On Saturday, athlete Raphinha underwent an imaging exam that confirmed a muscle injury in the posterior region of his right thigh,” the federation said. “The player will follow an intensive treatment protocol, monitored by the Brazilian National Team’s medical team, aiming for his recovery and return to activities as quickly as possible.”
In plain terms: Raphinha has a confirmed hamstring injury, and Brazil’s medical staff are now managing his recovery on an accelerated timeline given the tournament’s compressed schedule.
How the Injury Happened
The injury occurred during Brazil’s Group C victory over Haiti, a match in which Matheus Cunha had given the Seleção a 2-0 first-half lead. Around the 39th minute, Raphinha was seen grimacing on the pitch and received treatment from Brazil’s medical staff before eventually being withdrawn before half-time.
He walked off the Lincoln Financial Field pitch with his head down, clearly aware of what the issue likely was, while teammates including Gabriel Magalhães offered words of encouragement. He was replaced by 18-year-old Bournemouth forward Rayan, the youngest player in Brazil’s World Cup squad.
Speaking immediately after the match, before scans had confirmed the full extent of the issue, Brazil’s federation gave an initial, more cautious update: “Raphinha felt pain in his right hamstring during the first half of the match against Haiti. The player has begun treatment and will be re-evaluated.”
Head coach Carlo Ancelotti was similarly guarded in his post-match comments. “We will evaluate Raphinha tomorrow,” he said. “Right now we’re not sure what happened.”
Is Raphinha Out for the World Cup?
This is the question every Brazil supporter wants answered, and the honest answer right now is: not necessarily, but it’s genuinely uncertain.
The CBF’s official statement did not place a firm timeline on his return, but multiple reports have offered a clearer picture of what to expect. According to AS, the injury will keep Raphinha out of Brazil’s final group game against Scotland at the very least. Crucially, though, the same report adds that his participation in the tournament overall is in doubt, but he is not expected to be dropped from the squad entirely.
There’s a significant reason for that distinction, and it isn’t just medical. Brazil are operating under strict FIFA tournament regulations — once the group stage begins, no national team can make changes to their squad list for the remainder of the tournament, with the only exception being goalkeepers. The roster change deadline passed 24 hours before Brazil’s opening fixture against Morocco. In practical terms, this means even if Raphinha can’t recover in time for the round of 16, Brazil cannot simply call up a replacement. He stays on the squad list whether he’s fit or not.
That regulation puts considerable pressure on Brazil’s medical department to manage his recovery carefully rather than rush him back prematurely, since there is no safety net if setbacks occur.
Has Raphinha Had This Injury Before?
Unfortunately, yes — and that history is part of why this latest setback is being treated with such caution by Brazil’s medical staff.
Raphinha has dealt with recurring muscular issues throughout the past year at Barcelona. He returned in late November from a previous hamstring problem after two months out, only to suffer another muscular injury at the end of January. He came back again in February but sustained yet another setback in March while on international duty with Brazil — that incident forced him to miss the decisive stages of Barcelona’s Champions League campaign.
Despite the interruptions, his underlying numbers remain elite. In 33 appearances for Barcelona this past season, Raphinha scored 21 goals and registered seven assists — output that places him firmly in the Ballon d’Or conversation when fit and available.
What This Means for Brazil
Carlo Ancelotti now faces a genuine selection headache heading into the decisive Scotland fixture. With Neymar also unavailable — the Brazilian superstar has not been included in the matchday squad for the second straight game as he continues rehabilitating a separate issue to his right calf — Brazil’s attacking options are being stretched thin at exactly the wrong moment of the tournament.
Rayan, who replaced Raphinha against Haiti, offers a markedly different profile. Ancelotti himself acknowledged the contrast after the match: “[I put Rayan in the game because] he has good qualities and he has a different profile than Raphinha. In the end, it’s small details that determine who comes on and who doesn’t.”
Brazil currently sit top of Group C following the win over Haiti, giving Ancelotti at least some breathing room to manage Raphinha’s recovery cautiously rather than risk him in a match that isn’t strictly must-win. But with the knockout rounds approaching fast, every day of this “intensive treatment protocol” the CBF described will be watched extremely closely back home.
Need To Know
Q: What injury does Raphinha have?
A: A confirmed muscle injury in the posterior region of his right thigh — effectively a hamstring injury — sustained during Brazil’s win over Haiti at the 2026 World Cup.
Q: Is Raphinha injured right now?
A: Yes, the injury has been officially confirmed by Brazil’s football confederation (CBF) following imaging tests conducted on Saturday.
Q: Will Raphinha play against Scotland?
A: According to reports, he is expected to miss Brazil’s final group match against Scotland at the very least.
Q: Is Raphinha out of the World Cup completely?
A: Not necessarily. While his participation in the rest of the tournament is in doubt, current reporting suggests he is not expected to be removed from the squad and could return for the knockout stages if recovery goes well.
Q: Why can’t Brazil replace Raphinha if he can’t recover?
A: FIFA regulations prohibit squad changes once the group stage has begun, except for goalkeepers. Brazil’s roster is locked in regardless of Raphinha’s fitness.
Q: Has Raphinha had hamstring problems before?
A: Yes, he has suffered recurring muscular injuries over the past year at Barcelona, including multiple hamstring-related setbacks.
Q: Who replaced Raphinha against Haiti?
A: 18-year-old Bournemouth forward Rayan, the youngest player in Brazil’s World Cup squad, came on in his place.
Q: Is Neymar also injured for Brazil?
A: Yes, Neymar has missed Brazil’s last two World Cup matches while recovering from a separate injury to his right calf.