Raphinha’s hamstring injury clouds Brazil’s run into the World Cup knockouts

Brazil have a worry on their hands going into the business end of the World Cup. The CBF confirmed at the weekend that Raphinha picked up a hamstring injury in the win over Haiti, and while the forward has not been ruled out of the tournament, he is expected to miss Brazil’s final group game and could be absent well into the knockout rounds.

The Barcelona winger has been one of Brazil’s most important attackers under Carlo Ancelotti, so any spell on the sidelines is a blow at the worst possible time. He was taken off in the first half against Haiti after treatment, and the scan that followed pointed to a hamstring problem rather than anything that ends his summer there and then.

What Brazil have said

The federation’s line was cautious but not alarmist. Raphinha will stay with the squad in the United States and begin an intensive treatment programme, with the aim of getting him back on the pitch as soon as his body allows. There was no firm return date attached. The reading from those close to the camp is that he is likely to sit out the group finale against Scotland on Wednesday in Miami Gardens, and the round of 32 looks to have come too soon as well. A return later in the knockouts, if Brazil get that far, is the realistic hope.

An attack already patched together

What makes the timing awkward is that Brazil were already managing a long injury list before this. Rodrygo missed out on the squad altogether after a serious knee problem earlier in the year, Eder Militao is absent with his own hamstring issue, and the young Chelsea forward Estevao has been sidelined since tearing a hamstring in April. Lose Raphinha for any length of time and Ancelotti is leaning hard on Vinicius Junior and the players around him to carry the creative load.

There is at least one piece of better news. Neymar, who sat out the opening two games with a calf complaint, is in line to feature against Scotland, which softens the blow of losing Raphinha for the same fixture. Whether he is sharp enough to lead the line in a knockout is another question, but having him back in the picture gives Ancelotti options he did not have a week ago.

Still in a strong position

For all the injury noise, Brazil sit top of their group and are in control of their own destiny. Beating Haiti and drawing with Morocco has them well placed before the Scotland game, and a side with this much attacking depth can cover for one absentee. The concern is what happens if the absences keep stacking up. A World Cup is won in the second week as much as the first, and Brazil will want their best players fit for it. Right now they are crossing their fingers that Raphinha is one of them.

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