Carlo Ancelotti has selected Raphinha to captain Brazil against Japan on November 14 in Singapore, with the Barcelona forward stepping in due to regular captain Marquinhos being ruled out through injury. Marquinhos suffered a muscular problem during Paris Saint-Germain's Champions League match against Barcelona and was excluded from the squad. Ancelotti considered Bruno Guimaraes, Vinicius Jr., and Gabriel Magalhaes before opting to maintain the leadership hierarchy from the previous international break.
Raphinha's captaincy reflects his growing influence both at Barcelona and within the Brazil setup. The 29-year-old has established himself as a key leader in the national team environment. Bruno Guimaraes sits next in the captaincy order and would assume the role if Raphinha does not take the field.
Barcelona will monitor Raphinha's involvement during the break, which includes fixtures against Japan on November 14 and Singapore on November 17 at the National Stadium in Singapore. The club has requested Ancelotti manage his workload carefully, with Raphinha expected to start but not complete full matches. This comes after Raphinha suffered an injury during the previous international break.
