Raphinha don talk again, and this time e promise say Brazil go carry the hexa trophy. After Brazil beat Egypt 2-1 for friendly match, Raphinha come out and yarn with GE TV say the team don set mind for World Cup since first day of camp.
“Ah, to tell you true, as I talk for Maracana last week, we don already get World Cup mentality since we show for selection. So we take the friendlies serious and we dey prepare well well,” Raphinha explain.
The game wey hold for Huntington Bank Field for Cleveland, Ohio, see Bruno Guimaraes and Endrick score for Brazil, while Mostafa Ziko score for Egypt. Raphinha play most part of the match and afta the final whistle, e face the camera.
When dem ask am about starting lineup and how coach Ancelotti choose, Raphinha say dem get idea from training but the final decision come for pre-match talk. “Normally, e talk to us for prelecao on match day. We know roughly the team wey go play, but from training we get clue because we dey work tactically. But e fit change any day, so we only sure on match day,” e yarn.
For the last question, the interviewer ask am to send message to fans about World Cup expectation. Raphinha talk say, “As I yarn for Maracana, trust us, trust the work we dey do. We go give our best, I swear, and we go chase the hexa for Brazil.”
But Raphinha no be new to strong talk. For 2022 World Cup, after Brazil beat South Korea for round of 16, e say “I no see anything for World Cup” and say e prefer watch film and series. Brazil crash out next game against Croatia, while Argentina and France reach final wey end 3-3 and Argentina win on penalties.
Since then, Raphinha don continue to drop bold statements. For March last year, during qualifiers against Argentina, e promise “porrada neles” on and off field. Argentina beat Brazil 4-1 for Monumental, and Raphinha get chased by opponents. But e no back down, saying “I no take back any word wey I talk.”
This confidence surprise many because Raphinha once describe himself as “the most shy kid for world.” E grow up for Restinga favela for Porto Alegre, play for varzea football, but fail trials for Internacional and Gremio. E find way for Avai base, then go Vitória de Guimarães, Sporting, Rennes, Leeds, and finally Barcelona. For Leeds, under Marcelo Bielsa, e blossom. Bielsa help am with movement and decisions.
E go 2022 World Cup as starter but perform poor, and the talk about Messi and Mbappé make things worse. But now, e don become key player for Barcelona, finish fifth for Ballon d’Or behind Dembélé, Yamal, Vitinha, and Salah. E say e dey vex say e no make top three, claiming e deserve first place based on titles and numbers.
For Barcelona, e dey hear jokes from teammates like Gavi, Olmo, Yamal, Koundé, and Rashford about who go win World Cup. “I let them talk. I give them confidence. Later, when we meet for World Cup, we go discuss the matter,” e say with smile.
