Brazil will be without one of their biggest stars for their historic friendly against India after Raphinha was ruled out with a minor right-thigh issue.
The Barcelona forward felt discomfort during Brazil’s 4-2 victory over Australia in Brisbane on Tuesday and was replaced at half-time. He had scored from the penalty spot shortly before the break to help Brazil level the match at 2-2.
Medical tests carried out on Wednesday detected a small amount of muscle edema in the back of his right thigh. While the issue is not considered serious, the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) has opted to take no risks and has released Raphinha from the squad so he can return to Barcelona for treatment. No replacement will be called up.
Source: ESPN
Raphinha's absence is a blow to a match that is already a major occasion for Indian football. Brazil are due to arrive in Kolkata on October 1 ahead of their meeting with India at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan on October 3. It will be the first senior international clash between the two nations.
The 29-year-old had been one of Brazil's key figures during the international window, wearing the No. 10 shirt and serving as captain in the absence of Marquinhos. His penalty against Australia was also his latest contribution during a strong spell with the national team.
Brazil's decision to rest him is understandable given his recent history of problems in the same area. Raphinha dealt with multiple right-thigh injuries last season and also missed matches during the 2026 World Cup because of injury.
Brazil will now turn their attention to India without one of their headline names, although Carlo Ancelotti still has plenty of attacking options available, including Vinicius Junior and Endrick.
The five-time world champions are scheduled to complete another training session in Brisbane before travelling to Kolkata, where India will be looking to make the most of a rare opportunity to face one of international football's biggest teams.
