Raphinha targets July 5 World Cup comeback for Brazil

Barcelona forward Raphinha suffered a right‑thigh muscle tear in the second half of Brazil’s 3‑0 win over Haiti at the 2026 World Cup, ruling him out of the final group match against Scotland and the first knockout game, but he targets a return for the Round of 16.

The injury occurred early in the second half of Brazil’s win over Haiti and was identified as a tear in the back of Raphinha’s right thigh. Medical examinations confirmed the severity, automatically ruling him out of the final group‑stage fixture against Scotland.

The diagnosis means Raphinha will miss Brazil’s next two World Cup matches. Both the group match versus Scotland and the first knockout game are now unavailable to him.

Recovery is expected to take at least two weeks, according to the medical staff. That timeline makes his absence from the immediate fixtures unavoidable.

Raphinha has already marked July 5 on his calendar as a potential return date. If Brazil progress, that date aligns with the Round of 16 match, assuming his rehabilitation proceeds without setbacks.

He has begun physiotherapy and is working separately from the main squad alongside Brazil’s rehabilitation personnel. The programme is designed with a possible knockout‑stage comeback in mind.

An alternative scenario places his comeback at the quarter‑finals on July 11. By then nearly three weeks will have passed since the injury, increasing the chance of medical clearance.

Neither Raphinha nor Brazil’s medical team have ruled out a later tournament appearance. Optimism remains that the Barcelona winger could feature in the later stages if his recovery stays on track.