Raphinha’s Brazilian teammates look well placed to break a 20-year record set by Marcelo Bielsa as they face Bolivia in the early hours of Wednesday morning. The Seleção have already qualified for the World Cup in Qatar at the end of the year but could set history if they take all three points against a nation second from bottom in the qualification table.
Bielsa’s Argentina currently have the record for the most number of points accumulated in a single South American qualifying campaign when they achieved 43 back in 2002. However, Brazil need just two points from their final two games to beat that tally and could achieve it as soon as Wednesday as they make a trip to the side currently second bottom of the table – Bolivia.
The Leeds United winger, however, will not be involved as he did not travel for international duty after testing positive for Covid-19 prior to the Whites’ win at Wolves nine days ago. Raphinha and his international teammates have been almost faultless throughout qualification – winning 13 and drawing three of their 16 matches so far.
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The 25-year-old has played a major part in that too since winning his first Brazil cap back in October. Raphinha has netted three goals and provided two assists in his seven appearances for Tite’s side, including an impressive brace in a scintillating 4-1 victory over Uruguay.
Raphinha has helped take a lot of the attacking burden off star man Neymar. He, alongside Ajax’s Antony, who made his debut in the same fixture as the Leeds attacker, give Brazil two high quality options on the right wing going into Qatar 2022.
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