Brazil coach Carlo Ancelotti don pick Barcelona winger Raphinha to wear di captain armband for di November international friendly for Singapore. Di choice come after regular skipper Marquinhos miss out through muscular injury. Ancelotti settle on Raphinha ahead of Vinicius Jr and Bruno Guimaraes, and reports from training show say di Barcelona man likely to start di match.
Bruno Guimaraes na next in line and e go take over di armband whenever Raphinha leave di pitch. Brazil go manage Raphinha minutes well well; initial plan be say e go start but no likely play full 90 minutes for di two friendlies. Di 29-year-old don score 19 goals for Barcelona across all competitions dis season despite fitness setbacks, and e dey seen as senior figure under Hansi Flick.
But Barcelona dey watch di situation with careful eye. Di club want Raphinha return from international duty without any new injury as dem prepare to resume domestic and European campaigns later dis month. Dia concern no be ordinary fear: each of di last three times Raphinha go play for Brazil, e come back to Catalonia with fresh injury.
Back in March, hamstring injury during friendly against France keep am out for over one month. Dat one make am miss Barcelona Champions League quarterfinal tie with Atletico Madrid. Over di summer, anoda hamstring injury early in di 2026 World Cup stop am from featuring again for di rest of di tournament. Den during di September-October international window, thigh injury force am miss two games, and e no look im best when e return for di defeats against Paris Saint-Germain and Real Madrid.
Raphinha recent form don make di captaincy reward look logical. After di injury troubles, e return to top form and score four goals in Barcelona most recent three games. E also undergo minor surgery on im left ear to remove cyst wey form after e take blow to di head early October. Di wound cause am serious pain, and outside frequent abscess draining, surgery be di only other solution.
Di 29-year-old do di surgery on October 26, one day after Barcelona lose to Real Madrid. Dat week na di first time in over one month wey Barcelona no get midweek game. After e miss a couple of training sessions while di wound heal, Raphinha return next weekend with protective headband and score brace against Alavés.
According to Globo Esporte, di timing of di surgery cause some tension. Raphinha move di surgery up so e go fit feature for Brazil during di November international window. Barcelona prefer make e do di procedure during di two-week November international break. Raphinha choose to be available for Ancelotti. Di decision no lead to major dispute, but e no hard to see why Barcelona would prefer make e wait and use di break to recover instead of travelling with Brazil.
Raphinha don tell fans make dem no worry, say e speak with Ancelotti about im game time. Dat comment cause small controversy in Brazil, but international teammate Gabriel Magalhaes defend am. Gabriel talk say players always want to play, and people misinterpret Raphinha expression. E add say dem be human beings and need rest, even mentally, because in Europe dem dey play every two or three days. E call Raphinha exemplary guy for di national team.
Brazil friendlies for di trip include games against Japan and hosts Singapore, with di Singapore match fixed for Tuesday, November 17.
