Raphinha
Barcelona · Coupe de la Ligue · Attacker · #11 · Brazil · 29 yrs
Raphinha news
Brazil legend Ronaldo Nazario weighs in on Neymar Jr.’s international future: ‘No one needs to decide anything right now’
Following Brazil's disappointing elimination, Neymar Jr.'s future with the national team has come under serious doubt, as he was deeply affected by the result. In response, Brazilian legend Ronaldo Nazário decided to support the veteran forward by offering him a clear piece of advice. Brazil arrived at the 2026 World Cup as a favorite, as Carlo Ancelotti had been implementing a great style of play. However, they were eliminated by Norway in the Round of 16. After this, Neymar Jr.’s future with the national team is full of doubts, as he was deeply affected. In the midst of this, Brazilian legend Ronaldo Nazário decided to support the veteran player, giving him advice about his international future. “Don’t put any pressure on yourself and don’t decide anything right now. There’s no need. No one needs to decide anything out right now… We cannot forget that he is coming off two years of serious injury, He arrived as a sacrifice for this World Cup. He will catch the rhythm again. He will play 10, 15 games in a row. He will get back to scoring goals, he will regain his confidence,” said Ronaldo Nazario, via TNT Sports Brazil. Neymar Jr. played a completely marginal role for Brazil in the 2026 World Cup. He only played in two matches, coming off the bench in both, and scored just one goal, which came from the penalty spot. Far from his limited involvement being due to physical reasons, he revealed that he was in full physical condition, meaning it was purely a tactical decision by Ancelotti. Despite the fact that Neymar was clearly affected, he has reportedly not made a decision yet regarding his international retirement. Instead, he has decided to take a break, spending time at poker tournaments and purchasing a yacht. The 34-year-old star still has plenty of time to decide his international future, as he first needs to return to Santos and secure a new contract extension with solid performances. Neymar Jr #10 of Brazil is consoled by Raphinha #11. Neymar Jr. faces an uncertain future in Brazil under Ancelotti Throughout Carlo Ancelotti’s tenure, Neymar Jr. has not even been a secondary player, but rather a marginal one. While he was called up for the 2026 World Cup, Lucas Paquetá and Matheus Cunha established as the preferred options in the attacking midfield. With Ancelotti under contract until 2030, it appears that the 34-year-old star will not change his status within the national team. If Neymar Jr. decides to continue with Brazil, he would have the same role: The third option in the rotation. As the national team’s all-time leading scorer, he could decide not to force his return unless he is able to compete on equal terms for a starting spot. To achieve that, the 34-year-old star needs to shine again at Santos, while regaining physical consistency and rediscovering his goalscoring form. At 34 years old, Neymar may no longer be aiming for the 2030 World Cup, but rather for the 2028 Copa América. Therefore, he still has several months to regain his motivation and earn a starting spot through his performances. To do so, he needs to arrive at the next call-up free of physical problems, something he was unable to achieve at the current World Cup. Even so, the task of convincing Ancelotti appears to be a difficult one.
‘Give me another medal!’: meet the hair stylist who has taken over the World Cup
Jayèma on working with England stars, a new look for Raphinha and forging a friendship with Lamine Yamal’s family Jayèma has had a World Cup like no other. Who else but the London hair stylist has worked with footballers from England, Brazil, the United States and Canada, and hung out with Lamine Yamal and his family, while having no idea who Lionel Messi is until recently?Who else but Jayèma has been to her first game of men’s football and left before the end of a tumultuous match between Mexico and England at the Azteca Stadium because the atmosphere was too “rowdy”? Who else has made so many footballers feel especially good about their hair and themselves, but the hardest-working stylist and male groomer in elite sport? Continue reading...
Ancelotti confirms Raphinha will return for Brazil vs Norway: ‘Not quite at 100%, but he’s available’
Brazil head coach Carlo Ancelotti has confirmed that Barcelona winger Raphinha will be available for tonigh’s World Cup Round-of-16 clash against Norway after recovering from a muscle injury, althou...
Why isn’t Raphinha starting for Brazil against Norway at the 2026 World Cup?
In the important match at the 2026 World Cup between Brazil and Norway, Raphinha is not going to start. A huge Round of 16 match at the 2026 World Cup is expected to feature many of the game’s biggest stars, but Raphinha will not be in Brazil‘s starting lineup against Norway. The reason Raphinha is not starting against Norway is that he is still recovering from the muscle injury he suffered during Brazil’s second group-stage match, a 3-0 victory over Haiti in which he was unable to finish the game. The left-footed player injured his hamstring in the 40th minute before being substituted. Raphinha then missed Brazil’s final group-stage match against Scotland and was also unavailable for the Round of 32 victory over Japan. Carlo Ancelotti on Raphinha Having Raphinha available would be a major boost for Brazil in such an important knockout match even if Carlo Ancelotti has decided not to rush his return while he continues to recover. Raphinha left the field when Brazil beat Haiti (Dan Mullan/Getty Images) The manager did provide encouraging news in his pre-match press conference, revealing that Raphinha could still play a role after initially being expected to miss even more time. Ancelotti said: “Raphinha might be on the bench to play a few minutes, so we might be able to use him, but he is recovering very fast and we are very happy. That’s because he is a very important player for our team.” The next match With how tight the matches have been in this competition, no team can afford to take a day off because every mistake can be decisive. However, the bracket has already been set for those looking ahead, as the winner will play against the winner of the match between Mexico and England in the quarterfinals.