Top 10 World Cup 2026 Stars — No.9: Raphinha, Brazil's most complete player and the one they cannot afford to lose
Top 10 World Cup 2026 Stars — No.9: Raphinha, Brazil's most complete player and the one they cannot afford to lose
34 goals, 22 assists, 57 appearances for Barcelona. That is not a winger having a good season. That is one of the best attacking seasons any wide player has had in European football in recent memory, combining the goal threat of a striker with the creative output of an attacking midfielder across the full width of a demanding season.
Then the injury came. A significant absence that created real concern about his availability for the World Cup. He is returning to fitness now, working against a timeline the Brazilian federation is monitoring closely. Brazil without a fit Raphinha are a different, more limited team than Brazil with him.
Why he matters so much to Brazil
Brazil have lost Rodrygo. They have lost Estêvão. They have lost Militão. Raphinha is now the connective tissue between Vinícius on the left and the rest of the attacking structure — the player who holds the shape, provides the goals, and makes Brazil's attack function as a unit rather than a collection of individuals in the same colour shirts.
His left foot on the right side gives him angles to cut inside and shoot that right-footed opponents cannot replicate. His delivery from wide has been some of the most precise in European football. His pressing intensity makes Brazil harder to play through from the back.
Age: 28 | Club: Barcelona | Nation: Brazil Last season: 34 goals, 22 assists in 57 appearances
Viva's Verdict
"Thirty-four goals, twenty-two assists last season. Returning from injury just in time. Brazil have already lost three key players — Raphinha cannot be a fourth. If he arrives fit and sharp, Brazil's ceiling rises significantly. He is their most complete attacking player and the one who makes the difference between a quarter-final exit and a final."
