Raphinha has etched his name into FC Barcelona’s history books, becoming the first player from the Catalan club to be officially confirmed in a national squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The Brazilian winger, who also serves as one of Barcelona’s captains, was included in coach Carlo Ancelotti’s final 26-man roster for the tournament set to take place across the US, Canada, and Mexico.
Qualifying numbers that demanded selection
Eight goals and four assists across 20 qualifying matches. Brazil’s path to the tournament was not exactly smooth. The Selecao secured their spot with a narrow 1-0 victory over Paraguay in June 2025. Raphinha was central to that campaign, providing the kind of consistent output that separates squad hopefuls from automatic selections.
His official inclusion in the final squad came around May 18, 2026, confirmed through Brazil’s national team announcement. Social media posts from June 11-13, 2026, further cemented the news, with fans and commentators highlighting the historic nature of the selection from Barcelona’s perspective.
From Leeds to Barcelona to World Cup regular
