Brazil's head coach, Dorival Júnior, couldn't stop praising Raphinha's movement up front and hopes the Barcelona winger's form carries over to the national team, which is currently struggling with its style of play.

"Raphinha, even though he plays out wide, has always made great use of space. He might have been the only player throughout the Copa América (in the U.S.), alongside Endrick, to really make the most of the spaces," Dorival said during a press conference in São Paulo, ahead of Brazil's match against Chile.

Based on recent training sessions, all signs point to the Barcelona winger being in the starting lineup this Thursday against La Roja, in the ninth round of South American World Cup qualifiers for 2026. Dorival also hinted that Raphinha could move away from the wing and play more centrally, similar to his role under Hansi Flick at Barcelona.

"Playing Raphinha in the middle could help us in the midfield area," Dorival explained, adding that Raphinha's good "dynamics" at Barcelona could help him link up more with the center forward. The coach's aim is to pin Chile back in their own box and be in a better position to finish, as he admitted that Brazil's attacking players "aren't making the runs" they need to right now.

On another note, Dorival defended the decision to call up midfielder Andreas Pereira to replace forward Vinícius Júnior, who had to withdraw due to a neck injury while playing for Real Madrid. "We had more forwards than midfielders," Dorival said, adding that Rodrygo will likely take on the left-wing role.

As things stand, Brazil's potential starting XI against Chile could include Ederson in goal; Danilo, Marquinhos, Gabriel Magalhães, and Abner in defense; André, Lucas Paquetá, and Raphinha in midfield; with Savinho, Rodrygo, and Igor Jesus up front.

Brazil is currently in a concerning fifth place in the World Cup qualifiers with 10 points, the same as Venezuela, and a record of three wins, one draw, and four losses. For the 2026 World Cup, the top six teams qualify directly, while the seventh-place team will go to a playoff. After Chile, Brazil will face Peru on the 15th at the Mané Garrincha Stadium in Brasília.