Brazil 3-0 Haiti: How Carlo Ancelotti could replace Raphinha after first-half injury exit

Raphinha is facing a second major setback at the 2026 World Cup. The Barcelona forward was forced off during the first half of Brazil's 3-0 victory over Haiti in Philadelphia on Friday evening with discomfort in his right hamstring, and Brazil boss Carlo Ancelotti now faces a significant selection headache heading into the remainder of the group stage.

Brazil's football federation confirmed that Raphinha received treatment in the stadium but offered no further details on the severity of the injury.

There is a genuine risk that he will not be fit for Wednesday's Group C clash with Scotland in Miami — a game that, despite Brazil's confirmed qualification, will have an important bearing on group leadership. Ancelotti will need to find alternatives.

In the opener against Morocco, Raphinha began centrally before switching to the right flank as a straight swap with Lucas Paqueta, effectively reverting to the position he had occupied across his last two seasons at Barcelona under Hansi Flick.

It is in both of those roles — centrally and out wide on the right — that Ancelotti will be examining his options.

Rayan tested as Raphinha's direct replacement

Against Haiti, Raphinha was replaced by Rayan, the Bournemouth forward who came through the youth ranks at Vasco da Gama in Brazil.

While the 20-year-old did not particularly stand out in Philadelphia, his introduction provided Ancelotti with a useful first look at a potential direct replacement, one who operates in a similar area of the pitch.

Rayan's contribution differed in style from Raphinha's. The Barcelona forward had exploited pace and space in behind Haiti's high defensive line, scoring once before the goal was correctly ruled out for offside, while Rayan brought more of a ball-retaining quality as Brazil looked to manage the game with the result secure.

The Bournemouth forward was less explosive than Raphinha and could not match the danger that Vinicius Junior and Matheus Cunha were generating, but his composure and his ability to hold the ball in advanced areas give Ancelotti an option at that end of the pitch.

Endrick could step in after Raphinha's exit

On the right flank, another name that will enter the conversation is Endrick. The Real Madrid forward played in that wide and right attacking midfield role during his time at Lyon, and that versatility was a key factor in Ancelotti's decision to include him in his squads in March and May — his only two call-ups under the Italian boss.

Against Haiti, Endrick came on in the second half in a more central position as an alternative to Cunha, operating closer to the penalty area than the Manchester United man typically does. With Vinicius Junior and Cunha having established themselves as near-certainties in the starting line-up following their performances against Haiti, a change on the right flank is the most likely adjustment.

On current evidence, Rayan holds a slight edge over Endrick for the role, but further training sessions this week will help Ancelotti make his call.

Raphinha's recurring nightmare — and what history tells us

The diagnosis over the next few hours will determine what the rest of this World Cup looks like for the Barcelona forward. His injury record from the latter stages of last season at club level makes for sobering reading.

Raphinha missed Barcelona's decisive Champions League quarter-final ties against Atletico Madrid with the same muscular complaint in his right thigh.

While no formal assessment has yet been made, the early signs suggest a similar issue. On that occasion, he was sidelined for approximately one month — a timescale that, if repeated, would rule him out until the very final stages of the tournament.

Between September and November of last year, Raphinha had also missed two Brazil call-up windows with the same recurring problem, sitting out more than 100 days of action across his time at Barcelona. Despite that history, he remained Ancelotti's first-choice option on the right flank of Brazil's attack.

Speaking to Brazilian broadcaster CazéTV after Friday's victory, Vinicius Junior expressed his concern. 'It is a real shame about Raphinha being injured,' he said. 'I think it was the same injury as last time.'