Raphinha backs Ancelotti, wants to improve for Brazil: “I can do more” | OneFootball

Brazil national team forward Raphinha praised coach Carlo Ancelotti, who celebrates his birthday this Wednesday (10), during a press conference at The Ridge hotel in New Jersey, United States. A rival of the Mister in El Clásicos against Real Madrid, the Barcelona player celebrated the opportunity to work with a coach whose career in football is “admirable.”

“The history he has built in football is something admirable, not only for those working with him, but also for his opponents. I hope I can do in his favor everything I did against him, especially at the World Cup. I will always try to give my best, physically and technically, to deliver good results not only for him, but also for the group, which deserves it a lot,” said Raphinha, who has played six matches for the team under the Spaniard’s command.

Drawing on the experience of the last World Cup, he said the competition “is very tricky” and stressed that the team needs to “make as few mistakes as possible.”

“I think we need to have not just one point of attention, but several throughout the competition. It is a competition in a short period of time, it is very tricky, so we have little time to prepare. We are trying to adapt and get as close as possible to making no mistakes. I think the key point is the fact that we have a short competition, in a short period, and we have to make as few mistakes as possible,” he said.

Raphinha during a press conference for the Brazil national team in New JerseyCredits: Rafael Ribeiro/CBF

Progress since the 2022 World Cup

The Porto Alegre native assessed his current moment compared to the 2022 World Cup cycle. He said he feels more prepared for his second World Cup because of his current form at club level. Last season, he played 33 matches, scored 21 goals and provided seven assists for the Catalan side, winners of the Spanish league and the Super Cup.

“I think I felt more pressure in 2022 than at this World Cup, because looking at myself with today’s eyes, at the 2022 World Cup I arrived very immature, both with the national team and at Barcelona. I was in a period of adaptation, I was playing for the national team, but even so I still didn’t feel that I was fully adapted to the Brazil national team. At this World Cup, I feel more prepared because of my moment at the club and because I understand the national team’s current situation,” he stressed.

Raphinha during a press conference for the Brazil national team in New JerseyCredits: Rafael Ribeiro/CBF

Preparation for the opener

The Brazil forward also commented on the preparations for Brazil’s opening match at the 2026 World Cup. Next Saturday, the national team faces Morocco in the first round of Group C at 7 p.m. (Brasília time) at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.

“We are looking at some of their plays (Morocco), some strengths and weaknesses, where we might find it easier to exploit those weaknesses and be well prepared for their strengths. So, we still have quite a few days ahead of us until the match to improve what we need to understand about them,” Raphinha concluded.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.