Raphinha Returns to Training as Brazil Prepares for Norway Clash

Brazil’s training base in New Jersey finally saw a familiar figure back on the grass. Raphinha, boots laced and ball at his feet, stepped out for his first on-pitch session since a right thigh injury derailed his World Cup group stage.

It was only individual work, no duels, no full sprints. But for Brazil, it was a significant step.

While the rest of the squad enjoyed a scheduled break until Wednesday afternoon, the Barcelona winger stayed behind. No downtime, no distractions. Just a focused, intensive rehabilitation programme with the Selecao medical staff, the latest chapter in a season that has become a constant tug-of-war with his own body.

At 29, he knows the stakes. This is the business end of the tournament.

Yet inside the Brazil camp, caution rules.

Brazil won’t gamble on fragile thigh

The images of Raphinha gliding across the pitch might lift spirits, but the technical staff refuse to be seduced by optimism alone. Lucas Paqueta has now joined the injury list with his own thigh issue picked up against Japan, a fresh reminder of how quickly a campaign can tilt.

There is a clear internal line: no shortcuts, no emotional decisions.

ESPN reports that despite encouraging progress, Raphinha remains doubtful for the round-of-16 tie against Norway. The medical team are tracking his data day by day, load by load. Carlo Ancelotti is expected to delay any decision on the former Leeds United winger until the last possible moment, weighing whether to use him now or hold him back for a potential quarter-final, should Brazil get there.

The context matters. This is not an isolated problem.

This latest thigh strain is the fifth time in the 2025-26 season that Raphinha has suffered an issue in the same area. Barcelona and Brazil have both been forced to do without him at various points, each absence chipping away at rhythm and continuity. Every sprint now carries a question mark.

From despair in Philadelphia to a sliver of hope

The injury itself came in what should have been a routine night. Brazil cruised to a 3-0 win over Haiti in Philadelphia, but Raphinha’s evening ended in anguish. He left the pitch in the first half, visibly distraught, fearing that his World Cup might have been ripped away in an instant.

The scans brought relief. A muscle strain, not a full tear. The door stayed open, just.

That diagnosis has shaped this week’s plan: gradually increase the workload, test the muscle, read the reaction. If the body responds, the conversation changes. If it doesn’t, Brazil will not hesitate to shut things down.

Depth steps up as Rayan seizes his chance

Inside the camp, there is no sense of panic. According to ESPN, the prevailing belief is that Brazil have enough depth to handle Norway without forcing Raphinha back onto the pitch before he is ready.

In his absence, young Rayan has seized the opportunity. Thrown into the starting XI, he offers a different profile on the flank under Ancelotti’s tactical structure – less like-for-like replacement, more a new angle to the attack. His emergence has bought Brazil time, and crucially, breathing space.

That changes the calculation. The priority is crystal clear: a fully fit Raphinha for the decisive stages, not a half-ready version risking a relapse in the last 16.

So the scene is set. Brazil march towards the knockouts, their winger edging closer but still on the brink, not yet through the door. Ancelotti’s final call will say plenty about how this team intend to manage not just one match, but the entire tournament.