The wife of Brazil star Raphinha has broken her silence on strong claims that the 2026 World Cup star is ‘facing serious family and financial problems’.

Raphinha is currently recovering from a hamstring injury after appearing in the Selecao’s first two group games against Morocco and Haiti. The Barcelona winger was forced to sit out of the 3-0 win against Scotland.

During his absence, there was speculation that Raphinha would leave Brazil’s camp. Meanwhile, a former World Cup winner claimed the 29-year-old would head home to address personal and money problems he’d been facing.

Brazilian Icon Makes Raphinha Claim

Vampeta, who won the World Cup with Brazil in 2002, claimed Raphinha was facing financial issues on the Red Cast podcast. The retired midfielder even went as far as saying the Barcelona star is eyeing a move to Saudi Arabia to ease his money troubles.

More specifically, he stated Raphinha is ‘praying he can join Al-Hilal’. Vampeta did acknowledge this information was ‘gossip’ he’d heard, but still said: “Raphinha is facing serious family and financial problems. He’s praying he can join Al-Hilal; he’s having a really tough time. He is counting on joining Al Hilal to turn things around.”

Raphinha’s cousin then came out, telling the ex-Brazil star that he will need to provide an explanation for telling ‘lies’. “You’ll have to explain these lies, my friend,” they said.

However, Leo Dias on X then claimed that Raphinha’s father had kept 80% of the player’s rights and career earnings throughout his career. It was then claimed the Brazil star and his wife realised they weren’t in the financial position they believed they were when trying to buy a new house recently.

Raphinha’s Wife Responds to Alleged Money Problems

Natalia Belloli, Raphinha’s wife, has now spoken out about the rumours, calling them ‘absurd’. Speaking in comments published by Daily do Garotinho (per GOAL), Belloli said:

She then explained why there was a period of silence, saying: “I see no reason to put that on social media because I’m fully aware of the social reality we live in. If I posted something saying, ‘Look, I’m not poor, I’m still rich,’ people would accuse me of lacking class.

“I thought the story would die down, but these rumours have now reached Spain, and everyone believes we’re going through financial hardship.”

Two weeks into a World Cup campaign, with the heat of knockout football on the horizon, England’s players have found an unlikely escape- a card game brought by Jude Bellingham that nobody in the camp had ever heard of.

Morgan Rogers revealed to BBC Sport that Skyjo has become a firm favourite after Bellingham introduced the numbers-based card game to camp. The Aston Villa forward was more than happy to talk about it- partly because he won: “A few of us yesterday when we rode our bikes to a coffee shop, played cards. Jude bought it, it’s a bit of a different one. I’ve never seen it before, but we’re addicted at the moment.”

Rogers beat Bellingham, Jordan Henderson, Dan Burn, Anthony Gordon and Elliot Anderson. The camaraderie runs deep. Rogers described Henderson as a father figure to the group: “He’s looking after us while Jude and I are squabbling with each other, we call him unc (uncle) at the moment, which he’s not happy about at all.”

What Exactly is SkyJo?

Originally released in 2015 and designed by Alexander Bernhardt, Skyjo is a simple, straightforward card game aimed at the whole family. Don’t let that fool you however, it is a strategy-based game centered around finishing with the lowest score possible.

The game is played with a deck of 150 cards featuring numbers from -2 to 12, and can accommodate between two and eight players. Each player is dealt with 12 cards and places them face down in a grid- four cards across and three rows deep. To begin, every player randomly picks two cards to flip over, and the player with the highest card total starts first.

On each turn, a player may draw the top card from the draw pile or take the top card from the discard pile. If they take from the discard pile, they must exchange it for a card in their grid. The aim throughout is to shed high-value cards and accumulate low ones. There is also a bonus rule: if a player reveals three cards of the same number in a vertical column, that entire column is discarded.

Rounds continue unitl one player reveals all their cards; once any player’s cumulative total reaches 100 points or more, the game ends and whoever had the lowest score is declared the winner. A typical session lasts around 30 to 60 minutes- short enough for a coffee shop table, long enough to make players squabble.

How Do the Players Switch off at the World Cup?

Keeping a squad of elite footballers mentally fresh over a tournament that could run for over a month is one of a manager’s most underrated challenges. England’s squad are two weeks into their stay at camp, and could remain there for another three weeks should they reach the final.

England’s staff have put personal touches in the players’ rooms, including pictures of family members, as well as ensuring Sky Sports channels are available in every bedroom. There is also a basketball hoop in the grounds, outdoor seating areas and a fully equipped gym tent for those who want to work out between sessions. Some of the England players such as Harry Kane and Dan Burn were spotted attending a concert of US country music star Ella Langley.

It is the quieter moments that build a team. England have also been playing Wolf, a game similar to BBC One’s The Traitors, and a new addition called ‘Imposter’, where players are each sent a secret word via an app, except one, and the group must figure out who is in the dark.

But right now, it is Skyjo that has the players hooked. Bellingham bought it, Rogers won it, and Henderson is somewhere plotting his revenge.

The captain’s armband has been worn by some of the greatest figures in world football. Roy Keane barked instructions and set standards at Manchester United with an intensity that hasn’t been the same since he left.

Steven Gerrard dragged Liverpool through matches on his sheer force of will. Sergio Ramos organised Real Madrid’s defensive line with the authority of a general.

Carles Puyol was an ever-present figure at Barcelona, who led them to the Champions League. The captain’s armband is simple in design but enormous – a symbol that carries the expectation of leadership, accountability, and character every time a footballer pulls on a shirt.

But what does being a captain actually mean? Beyond the pre-match coin flip and the trophy lifts, it is one of the most demanding roles in sport.

The visible duties are straightforward enough. The captain represents the team in interactions with match officials, communicating decisions, and managing his teammates in fiery moments that could land them in trouble.

They lead them out, choose ends at the coin flip, and make the huddle speeches.

The real work happens away from the spotlight. A captain is a bridge between the dressing room and the manager- a translator of the coach’s demands into a language the players trust.

When performances dip, the captain is expected to identify problems and set standards. When a younger player is struggling, it is often the captain who pulls them aside before the manager does. On the pitch, a captain organises shape, communicates constantly, and makes split-second calls on pressing triggers, set-piece positioning, and who needs words of encouragement or harsher words to refocus.

The best captains are also emotional regulators. Football matches can swing wildly, and a team that follows its captain’s lead needs that captain to protect composure under pressure.

Keane’s ferocity was controlled by aggression in the service of the group. Whilst some other captains stay more calm, the function remains the same, keeping eleven individuals operating as one cohesive unit.

What Does It Take To Be a Captain?

Managers pick captains differently. Whilst Alex Ferguson chose a fiery Roy Keane, whose aggression could wake his teammates up, Jurgen Klopp elected for a slightly calmer Jordan Henderson and sometimes Virgil van Dijk in order for his team to operate. Both managers were successful in winning the Premier League; they just did it in different ways. But certain traits appear consistently in the best captains.

Respect from teammates is non-negotiable, you can’t lead people who don’t believe in you. That respect is earned through consistency, professionalism, and a willingness to put the team first. A captain who chases personal stats or hides in the hard games loses the dressing room quickly.

Communication is just as vital off the ball as on it. The ability to read people, to know when someone might need an arm around their shoulder and when they need a direct challenge, is a skill that separates good captains from the best. So too is the capacity for accountability. A captain cannot demand standards from others they aren’t willing to hold themselves to.

Sergio Ramos joined Real Madrid in 2005 as a young prospect. His time at the club saw him take the armband and lead Real Madrid to multiple Champions League titles, as well as the La Liga title. He led the side through a dominant spell both domestically and continentally,

John Terry was a stalwart in Chelsea’s defence for a decade and was part of the Jose Mourinho side that only conceded 15 goals all season. Terry himself is also the highest-scoring defender in Premier League history, and picked up multiple titles and even a Champions League trophy whilst at Stamford Bridge.

Before his managerial career, Didier Deschamps captained the France national team to World Cup glory in 1998. Deschamps was regarded as one of the best defensive midfielders of his time, constantly sniffing out attacks.

Famously, at the time, he was called the ‘water carrier’ by his teammate Eric Cantona, who joked that the now France manager’s only role was to win the ball back and pass it to the more skillful players. Whilst that may seem like an insult, it was Deschamps selflessness as captain to understand his role and get the best out of his teammates, and it was he who lifted the trophy.

The armband doesn’t make a captain. If you give it to the right person, it can make a team.

• 

  Related

  
  Every 2025-26 Premier League Captain Ranked From Worst to Best
  
  

  Virgil van Dijk, Martin Odegaard and Bruno Fernandes have all been ranked.

• 

  Related

  
  20 Greatest Captains in Premier League History [Ranked]
  
  

  The likes of John Terry and Steven Gerrard find themselves inside the top 10