‘Raphinha was crying’ - Wife Natalia Belloli reveals emotional phone call after Brazil winger's World Cup injury blow

Raphinha is going through a nightmare season after the Brazilian winger suffered a hamstring injury during their FIFA World Cup 2026 Group C clash against Haiti, marking his fourth injury of the same nature in the past year. The Barcelona winger also missed 23 matches last season due to similar problems. Although it is unsure how fast Raphinha will return, but it has raised serious doubts over his participation in the rest of the tournament.

The Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) confirmed on Sunday that Raphinha's injury was confirmed following a imaging examination. "On Saturday, Raphinha underwent an imaging exam that confirmed a muscle injury in the back of his right thigh," the CBF said in a statement.

Earlier, was out of action for a month after he suffered a comparable injury during Brazil's FIFA friendly against France in March during the international break. Stating Raphinha's 2026 World Cup dreams are over wouldn't be ideal at this moment, but his wife Natalia Belloli revealed that he couldn't hold back his emotions following the injury.

“Honestly, it was one of the first times I was left speechless. He was crying, and so was I,” Belloli told Domingão com Huck. “We spoke on the phone; the next day he underwent medical tests and came home for a while, where we were able to talk about the situation.”

“He’s doing well now—strong and focused on his purpose. What matters is maintaining the right mindset and believing that better days will come,” added Belolli. Despite the doubts regarding Raphinha's return in the tournament in the future, the footballer will not be sent back. Instead, he will undergo intensive treatment under the supervision of CBF doctors.

Who will replace Raphinha at Brazil?

Raphinha started for Brazil in their first two games in place of injured Neymar. In the absence of the Barcelona winger, Neymar might take his place, provided Brazil's all-time top scorer is match fit. Neymar came into the World Cup carrying a calf injury and sat out against Morocco and Haiti.

In fact, Neymar didn't travel with the team for the Haiti clash. Meanwhile, Neymar completed his first full training session with his Brazil teammates on Monday and is expected to feature against Scotland in Miami Gardens.

Taking to Instagram, the 34-year-old wrote, "Thank you, God. I'm so happy!!!" The last time Neymar played a competitive match was on May 17 for Santos. He has so far scored 79 goals in 129 international matches.

"We're all delighted to have him back, back in training and out on the pitch with the rest of us," Neymar's Brazil teammate Lucas Paqueta told media on Monday. "He's a very important player for our national team; he has a wonderful history here and can still help us a great deal.

"We're happy for him, happy that he's back, and we hope he'll be back on the pitch as soon as possible to help us," added Paqueta. With a draw and a win, Brazil are currently at the top of Group C with four points. Morocco are second on same points, followed by Scotland. Haiti are eliminated.

Get all updates from FIFA World Cup 2026 here, along with FIFA World Cup 2026 Complete Schedule and FIFA World Cup 2026 Points Table.