“My goal is to be able to score in every World Cup match” – Barcelona star determined to bounce back after struggling on FIFA World Cup debut
Barcelona forward Raphinha did not play well for Brazil in the Selecao's 2-0 win over Serbia in the FIFA World Cup.
The former Leeds winger was called up for his first-ever World Cup tournament, but it has not started well for him, following his poor clinical output against the Serbians.
He was generally active and showcased a good presence in attack for the Selecao throughout the game, but Raphinha failed to score two massive chances.
Richarlison had the instinctive quality in front of goal to secure two goals and give Brazil all three points.
🎙️| Raphinha: “We already have a lot of dances prepared for every match, one for each goal.” 🇧🇷👀 https://t.co/1GkCmoZmmT
For the 25-year-old Barcelona man, it was a sub-par performance that did not reach expectations, and he said as much in an interview with SPORT (via Barca Universal):
"My goal is to be able to score in every World Cup match, it’s normal to get my head down because of the missed chances… unfortunately the goal didn’t come, but I believe in myself a lot and now I will work hard thinking about the next match."
Raphinha will be looking to make amends for the poor outing against Serbia in Brazil's next FIFA World Cup clash against Switzerland on November 28.
With Neymar potentially out of contention for the clash against their European counterparts, the Barcelona forward will need to lead the line better for the Selecao.
Raphinha and Brazil get the win! #FIFAWorldCup https://t.co/J5ayzU50sW
Barcelona have set a FIFA World Cup record in Qatar
The Blaugrana have more players at the World Cup than any other club in the world, with 17 Camp Nou stars currently representing their countries in Qatar.
According to Marca, this is the first time a club has had as many as 17 players at a World Cup in the tournament's long history.
While this is a record-breaking achievement for the Blaugrana, they won't be too pleased with how tired many of their players will be when LaLiga resumes.
Close behind Barcelona are Bayern Munich and Manchester City, both of whom currently have 16 players at the FIFA World Cup.
Barca currently have a goalkeeper, six defenders, four midfielders, and six attackers in Qatar, including Raphinha, who plays for Brazil.
The bulk of their players are with the Spain national team, including Alejandro Balde, Pedri, Gavi, Ferran Torres, Ansu Fati, and Jordi Alba.