Brazil will be without winger Raphinha for their World Cup last-32 match against Japan on Monday, as the Barcelona star continues to recover from a hamstring injury sustained against Haiti. The Selecao face Japan in Houston for a place in the round of 16, with kick-off scheduled for 6pm BST.
Raphinha Injury and Recovery
Raphinha picked up the hamstring issue during Brazil's group stage win over Haiti and has remained with the squad to rehabilitate. In a social media post, he vowed to return before the end of the tournament if Brazil progress. “I will do everything within my power to recover and return as soon as possible,” Raphinha wrote on Instagram. “I want to be alongside my team-mates, fight for our goals, and keep giving everything I have to honour this shirt and bring joy to the Brazilian fans. I'm staying strong.”
The earliest he could feature is the round of 16, should Brazil advance past Japan.
Team News and Predicted Lineup
Neymar is fit and available for selection on the wing, but Bournemouth's Rayan is the most likely replacement for Raphinha, having started against Scotland and assisted one of Vinicius Jr's two goals. Matheus Cunha, effective through the middle, is expected to keep his place in attack.
Manager Carlo Ancelotti is expected to make few changes. Alisson remains the starting goalkeeper, while the only question in defence is whether Douglas Santos will retain his place or be replaced by Alex Sandro. The midfield trio of Bruno Guimaraes, Lucas Paqueta, and Casemiro is likely to stay intact after strong performances. Guimaraes recorded two assists in the previous match.
Predicted Brazil XI (4-3-3): Alisson; Danilo, Marquinhos, Gabriel, Santos; Casemiro, Guimaraes, Paqueta; Vinicius Jr, Cunha, Rayan.
Match Details
Brazil progressed from Group F with a draw against Morocco and wins over Haiti and Scotland. Japan will be a tough opponent as the Selecao aim to reach the round of 16. The match takes place at Houston Stadium on Monday June 29, 2026, with live coverage on ITV1.
