Brazil meet Japan in the last 32 with Raphinha sidelined and Neymar set to wait
What happened
Brazil meet Japan in the World Cup round of 32 in Houston on June 29, the marquee tie among the day's knockout fixtures, with Raphinha expected to miss out through injury. According to Sports Mole, the Barcelona winger picked up a fresh hamstring problem against Haiti and the game is likely to come too soon, though his tournament is not over.
Neymar, who returned for his first appearance of the tournament against Scotland, is again expected to begin on the bench, leaving Carlo Ancelotti's side built around Vinícius Júnior, who has been involved in a goal in every match so far.
Why it matters
For the five-time champions, the knockout opener is the point at which margins disappear, and managing both Neymar's reintegration and Raphinha's absence complicates Ancelotti's selection. Brazil topped Group C and arrive in form, but a single off night now ends the tournament.
Japan present a serious test, having reached the last 32 as Group F runners-up and, per ESPN, after a group stage that included a record-setting 4-0 win over Tunisia, the first time an Asian side has scored four in a World Cup match.
Context
Brazil's campaign steadied after a slow start, with Vinícius scoring in each group game and Matheus Cunha adding three goals across two starts. Neymar's cameo against Scotland — his first Brazil appearance since 2023 — signalled a careful return from a long injury layoff rather than an immediate restoration to the starting XI.
Japan, second behind the Netherlands in their group, have shown the attacking depth to trouble higher-ranked opponents, making this a more delicate assignment than the seedings suggest.
What to watch next
The immediate questions are how Brazil cover for Raphinha on the flank and whether Neymar is given more minutes as the game develops, with Ancelotti likely to weigh his introduction against the state of the tie. Vinícius's form is Brazil's chief threat, while Japan's forwards — prolific in the group stage — will test a defence that has not yet been fully stretched. The winner advances to the round of 16.