Barcelona Star Erupts in Anger Following Grueling International Duty

Carlo Ancelotti and Brazil faced disappointment in their concluding CONMEBOL 2026 World Cup qualifying match—however, it wasn't solely the outcome against Bolivia that frustrated Barcelona winger Raphinha.

The 28-year-old entered as a substitute and featured for 30 minutes as Ancelotti attempted to orchestrate a turnaround, with his rotated squad behind at the 60-minute mark. The revival effort failed to materialize, but for Raphinha, the harm was already inflicted.

Having featured for 80 minutes in Brazil's triumph over Chile the previous Thursday, the Barcelona standout was subsequently required to compete for half an hour in six degrees Celsius (43 degrees Fahrenheit) temperatures at an elevation of 4,100 meters above sea level (13,451 feet).

Post-match, a visibly drained Raphinha condemned the circumstances he and his fellow teammates were compelled to endure.

"When a team forces you to compete at an elevation of 4,000 meters to secure victory, it creates a significant disadvantage for all other national squads," Raphinha stated (via SPORT.) "Additionally, in a closely-fought encounter, the referee invents a penalty decision, which genuinely complicates our performance further."

Bolivia's Estadio Municipal El Alto stands as one of the most challenging venues in international football, providing a substantial home advantage that assisted Bolivia in earning a spot in the 2026 FIFA World Cup playoffs.

For Raphinha, however, his presence on the field wasn't particularly necessary. Brazil approached its concluding two qualifying fixtures having already guaranteed their position in next summer's World Cup.

Ancelotti's choice to utilize Raphinha in what appeared to be an inconsequential fixture has generated concern at Barcelona. The criticism regarding his participation stems from Ancelotti's decision to exclude the Real Madrid pair of Rodrygo and Vinícius Júnior from the September squad, allowing them to rest and recuperate in Spain's capital.

Raphinha wasn't merely selected by Ancelotti; he also recorded the second-highest minutes among outfield players across both matches, behind only Marquinhos. Despite Brazil's World Cup qualification, their fifth-place finish represents their poorest showing since the current qualifying structure was implemented.

The former Leeds United attacker will now embark on the lengthy return journey to Barcelona, where Hansi Flick awaits to evaluate his condition, hoping he'll be available for the team's home season opener on Sunday against Valencia.