Simply incredible. That is the brief phrase that describes Raphinha's brutal performance with Brazil against the Peruvian national team in matchday 10 of the World Cup qualifying campaign towards the 2026 World Cup. The match ended with a resounding 4-0 victory for the 'Seleção', where the '11' had a truly leading role, establishing himself as the main star in the forward line of Dorival Júnior's team and gaining increasing importance as the necessary offensive reference for the national team that others have failed to fill.
Raphinha transferred his remarkable form from the 2024-25 season with FC Barcelona, where he has scored six goals and provided six assists in 11 matches, to his national team. Against Peru, he scored two goals. The Porto Alegre native was instrumental in Brazil's victory by converting those two goals that firmly directed the victory for the 'Seleção'.
Raphinha's goals against Peru
It is important to mention that both goals came from penalty kicks, showcasing the striker's authority as he became the executor of the two penalties committed by the Peruvian team, with impeccable executions. The first goal came in the 37th minute with a shot not too high but well placed towards the right post of the goal defended by Pedro Gallese, completely deceiving him.
The second penalty kick came in the second half, at the 54th minute. The previous formula was repeated, but this time the penalty kick was more powerful and placed to the opposite side. The shot, with more force, managed to slip past Gallese once again. While this time the Peruvian '1' goalkeeper guessed the direction of the shot, he couldn't deflect it, bringing the score to 2-0 and further tilting the match in favor of the Brazilians. Subsequently, two more goals were scored courtesy of Andreas Pereira (71') and Luiz Henrique (74').
Raphinha continues to demonstrate a remarkable state of grace
While Raphinha's two goals were the highlight of his performance, it's clear that the striker proved to be a real headache for the Peruvian defensive line. During the 76 minutes he spent on the field, 'Rapha' also hit the crossbar with a shot and even attempted a 'chip' to beat goalkeeper Pedro Gallese, displaying particular cunning in offensive duties, assuming the role of a 'number 10', similar to the one assigned by Hansi Flick at Barcelona.
The Barcelona team will now welcome him with a smile at the Camp Nou, aware of the great form that Raphinha is in, something particularly crucial considering the challenges ahead for Barcelona, with matches against top-tier teams like Bayern Munich and Real Madrid, where the goal-scoring prowess of the former Leeds United player will be needed.