Raphinha plays full 95 minutes as Ancelotti’s Brazil selection decisions draw attention

Carlo Ancelotti’s contrasting treatment of Brazil’s attacking trio became a central talking point after the team were held to a 1-1 draw by Australia, with Raphinha completing the entire match while Vinicius Junior and Endrick were both substituted after 65 minutes.

Raphinha’s decision to keep going until the final moments was ultimately rewarded when the Barcelona forward created Brazil’s equaliser in the 95th minute. His corner was turned into the net by Ryan, rescuing Brazil from defeat.

The substitutions placed Ancelotti’s management of the three forwards under scrutiny. Vinicius Junior, who is currently experiencing an inconsistent period with Real Madrid, was taken off after 65 minutes, while Endrick was also withdrawn at the same stage.

Ancelotti has previously said that Vinicius has not yet reached his best level, although the Italian has also stressed that he believes the Real Madrid player will return to his usual form. His latest decision provided another indication that he does not currently view Vinicius as being at his strongest.

Raphinha, by contrast, is enjoying an exceptional start to the season with Barcelona. He had scored 14 goals in his first 8 matches of the campaign and was leading the Spanish league’s scoring charts before adding a hat-trick in the 3-1 victory over Sevilla.

Although Ancelotti did not use Raphinha as a central striker, the position in which he has excelled for Barcelona under Hansi Flick, the Brazil manager kept him on the pitch throughout the match against Australia.

Raphinha operated in a different role but remained influential until the closing stages, delivering the corner that allowed Brazil to avoid a loss. His contribution also highlighted the difference in Ancelotti’s decisions regarding the three forwards.

Vinicius and Endrick were unable to finish the game, while Raphinha was trusted to remain on the field for the full 95 minutes. The Barcelona forward responded by producing the decisive attacking moment that earned Brazil a draw.