Raphinha returned to training with Brazil on Friday, a step that lifted one of the immediate doubts around the forward after the hamstring injury he suffered in the 3-0 win over Haiti on June 19. He lasted only 40 minutes before limping off, then missed Brazil's group stage finale against Scotland and the round of 32 match against Japan.
The return matters now because Brazil is preparing for Sunday’s round of 16 match against Norway, and the forward remains a long shot for that game. He is expected to sit out as a precaution and is likely to stay on Carlo Ancelotti’s bench, even after rejoining the squad at the Columbia Park high-performance center in New Jersey.
His work on Friday was limited to isolated training sessions before he joined the full team again, which is enough to show progress but not enough to settle the bigger question. Mundo Deportivo reported that he will instead focus on returning to full fitness for a potential quarterfinals appearance, leaving Brazil to manage the next match without one of its sharpest wide players.
That shortage already matters because Lucas Paquetá is nursing a thigh injury and has been ruled out of Sunday's clash with Norway. Without Raphinha and Paquetá, Brazil will ask Vinícius Júnior and Matheus Cunha to carry more of the scoring burden, while Rayan is expected to complete the frontline. Norway arrive with Erling Haaland already on five goals in three appearances at the 2026 World Cup, which raises the pressure on Brazil's attack even before the kickoff.
So the update is encouraging, but it does not change the immediate outlook: Raphinha is back on the training pitch, not back in the lineup. For Brazil, the useful date is probably the next round, not Sunday.
