Raphinha will be the first FC Barcelona player to take the field at the 2026 World Cup. He plays for Brazil, whose match against Morocco is scheduled for midnight Spanish time at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.
Raphinha is familiar with this venue from Barcelona’s 2024 summer tour, where under coach Hansi Flick, Barça defeated Real Madrid 2-1 in a game briefly interrupted by a thunderstorm.
After Raphinha, Frenkie de Jong will represent Barcelona in the Netherlands vs. Japan match. Then, a significant contingent of Barça players will participate in Spain’s game against Cape Verde, including Joan Garcia, Cubarsí, Eric Garcia, Gavi, Pedri, Olmo, Ferran, and Lamine Yamal. Other Barça players featuring at the World Cup include Hamza for Egypt, Ronald Araujo for Uruguay, Jules Koundé for Senegal, Marcus Rashford and Anthony Gordon for England, and Joao Cancelo for Portugal.
For Barcelona, having players across multiple national teams at the World Cup means extra workload and potential interruptions during the season. Raphinha and his teammates hold important roles in their squads, which highlights their experience and the competitive pressure they face.
Tactically, Raphinha contributes creativity and pace on Brazil’s flank, while Frenkie de Jong commands midfield responsibilities with versatility for the Dutch side. The others serve as critical building blocks for their teams’ structures and collective strategies.
Raphinha and Barça’s other World Cup players are key figures whose performances on the global stage may influence both their national teams’ fates and Barcelona’s club season.
