Dorival made it clear, ahead of the match against Uruguay, that the FC Barcelona striker would be the player chosen.
Raphinha’s exceptional form at Barcelona also translates to the Brazilian national team, where he is gradually asserting his influence. As frustration grows in Brazil over the absence of Real Madrid’s version of Vinicius, Raphinha is scoring points within the national squad.
Having scored a free-kick goal against Venezuela, Raphinha has accumulated 15 goals and 10 assists in 20 official matches this season. More importantly, it seems that he has redefined certain hierarchies within the selection. Dorival clarified this during his pre-match speech, ahead of the morning clash with Uruguay.
“Raphinha and Vini were ready for penalties,” he said. “Vini ended up missing it. Tomorrow, if there is a penalty, Raphinha will be the one to take it. What I see is this: we only mature through experiences. You grow up going through such situations in life and in your career. It’s up to the athlete to find their way individually. Collectively, we have the technical staff to support them. »
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The coach’s statement suggests that Raphinha continues to gain momentum on Vinicius as Brazil’s leader. The Barça striker is asserting himself more and more in this role this season. At Barcelona he is one of the captains, and with the national team he plays a key role in the dressing room.
The striker not only fills the number 10 position, with Vinicius and Savinho on the wings, but he is also often the player who motivates his teammates with speeches before matches. Against Uruguay, he will once again be a crucial asset for the selection.
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Raphinha is on fire. He has scored three goals in his last two appearances for Brazil, securing four important points that saw the Canarinhos emerge from embarrassing positions in the South American qualifiers, and he is even aiming to finish second after the match in this Tuesday.
