Raphinha will lead Brazil out against Japan in Singapore on Saturday, 14 November, and against the host nation three days later. Carlo Ancelotti’s choice was first reported by MARCA and reflects the hierarchy the Italian established during the previous international window rather than any late shuffle.
Regular skipper Marquinhos is absent after picking up a right-thigh injury in PSG’s 4-2 Champions League win over Barcelona on 20 October. The PSG defender is still working his way back, and resumed individual training earlier this month.
The alternatives were loaded. Ancelotti’s staff looked at Bruno Guimaraes, Gabriel Magalhães and, most pointedly, Vinicius Jr before sticking with Raphinha. Bruno Guimaraes keeps the vice-captaincy and will take the armband when Raphinha is substituted, a switch planned in advance to protect the Barcelona forward’s workload.
A renewal project, not a popularity contest
Ancelotti has framed this squad as the start of a rebuild after Brazil’s World Cup exit, and the November list leans young: nine Olympic-eligible players and up to 15 under 23, with only one player drawn from each club.
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Speaking to reporters at the Brazilian Football Confederation’s Rio headquarters on 30 October, he outlined the thinking to Goal.
“We have started a renewal project and now is the ideal time to do it,” Ancelotti told the press conference.
He named Marquinhos, Gabriel Magalhães, Bruno Guimaraes, Vinicius Jr and Raphinha as the senior core kept on. In that group, the armband has gone to the one who already wears it at club level.
Vinicius Jr’s noisy autumn
The symbolism is hard to miss. Vinicius Jr finished 17th at this year’s Ballon d’Or, a vote won by Harry Kane, and he has had a complicated start to life under José Mourinho at Real Madrid. Ancelotti knows him well, having coached him in Madrid, and has still chosen to elevate a club captain from Barcelona above him on the national stage.
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Raphinha himself has been managing his minutes. The 29-year-old has 19 goals in all competitions this season under Hansi Flick, but he missed club games against Getafe and Galatasaray after returning early from the last international window with a knock. Barcelona president Joan Laporta publicly objected to the call-up and the 22,000-kilometre round trip to Singapore.
Ancelotti’s answer was flat.
“We have no particular requests, nor do we need them. In the FIFA dates, we will call the players that we consider important for the Brazilian national team,” he told Goal.
Kick-off against Japan at the Singapore National Stadium is on Saturday evening local time, with the Singapore fixture on Tuesday, 17 November at the same venue.
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