Raphinha’s difficult run with injuries has continued after the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) confirmed that the Barcelona winger has suffered a muscle injury to the back of his right thigh.
It is the latest setback in what has become a frustrating 2026 for the Brazilian international, who has now sustained four separate injuries in less than six months.
Between his commitments with Barcelona and Brazil, Raphinha has already missed 11 matches during the first half of 2026 alone.
A season plagued by problems
The physical issues, however, date back even further. At the beginning of the 2025/26 campaign, Raphinha spent almost two months on the sidelines with a thigh injury, keeping him out from late September until the end of November.
When that spell is combined with the absences suffered throughout 2026, the winger has missed a total of 24 official matches for both club and country.
Such has been his ordeal that Raphinha played less than half as many minutes for Barcelona this season (2194 minutes) as he did last season (4,661 minutes).
A troubling start to 2026
The first warning signs arrived in January when Raphinha missed Barcelona’s La Liga fixture against Real Sociedad due to physical discomfort.
Just weeks later, in February, a strain in his right adductor forced him back onto the treatment table. The injury ruled him out for three matches and raised concerns within the club.
At the time, Hansi Flick openly admitted his frustration over the player’s recurring fitness problems.
Another blow with Brazil
Raphinha’s bad luck continued during the March international break. While away with Brazil, he suffered a hamstring injury in his right leg and was sidelined for more than a month.
He did not receive medical clearance until 2 May, and his return was managed carefully. He played only 26 minutes in El Clasico and featured for 63 minutes against Real Betis as Barcelona eased him back into action.
Everything seemed to indicate that the winger had finally regained his best physical condition ahead of the 2026 World Cup.
Fresh injury at the World Cup
Injured again. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
Those hopes were shattered during Brazil’s second match of the tournament. In the 38th minute of Brazil’s 3-0 victory over Haiti, Raphinha immediately signalled to the bench after feeling discomfort and was substituted straight away.
His reaction as he left the pitch suggested another muscular problem, fears that were later confirmed by the CBF.
The 29-year-old will miss Brazil’s upcoming game against Scotland, while his availability for the next phase of the World Cup remains up in the air.
The new injury adds another chapter to what has become a cruel cycle of setbacks for the 29-year-old. After showing signs of rediscovering his best form, Raphinha once again finds himself facing a spell on the sidelines.
For Brazil, Barcelona and the player himself, 2026 has become a year defined not by performances, but by an exhausting battle to stay fit.
