Raphinha replaces Vinicius from Brazil’s squad

RIO DE JANEIRO,: Vinicius Junior will miss Brazil’s first two World Cup qualifying matches next month because of a right hamstring injury.

Brazil’s football federation confirmed the absence on Tuesday after media reported that Real Madrid had esti-mated that the 23-year-old Vinicius, injured in the team’s 1-0 victory at Celta Vigo in the Spanish league, could be sidelined for about a month.

Raphinha was drafted into the Brazil squad for games against Bolivia on September 8 and Peru four days later.

He last played for Brazil’s national team during the World Cup in Qatar. The 26-year-old winger has five goals in 16 appearances for the national team.

The matches will be Fernando Diniz’s first as head coach of Brazil. Agencies

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