Brazilians Portuguese paper A Bola brands three Brazil stars as flops

Brazilians Portuguese paper A Bola has compiled a lineup of the FIFA World Cup’s biggest disappointments, naming eleven starters and twelve substitutes, with three Brazilian players – Gabriel Magalhães, Neymar and Raphinha – among those deemed flops. The list notes Raphinha’s one goal in two games and injury‑hit campaigns.

The eleven starters include Fernando Muslera, Joshua Kimmich, Josko Gvardiol, Piero Hincapié, Federico Valverde, Jamal Musiala, Bruno Fernandes, Leroy Sané, Cristiano Ronaldo, Son Heung‑min and Gabriel Magalhães. The twelve substitutes feature Manuel Neuer, Declan Rice, Scott McTominay, Orkun Kokçu, Bernardo Silva, Antoine Semenyo, Kenan Yildiz, Neymar, Arda Guler, Viktor Gyokeres, Jeremy Doku and Raphinha.

Raphinha entered the tournament injured and saw only 14 minutes of action before taking over the attack in the round of 16 against Norway. He scored, became involved in a heated argument and was eliminated after Two games, finishing with one goal in two games.

Neymar arrived with expectations of sharing a leadership role with Vinícius, but his displays against Morocco and Haiti were poor. An injury in the second match forced him to miss the rest of the tournament, curtailing his contribution for Brazil.

Gabriel Magalhães, the centre‑back, featured in every match and was linked to Brazil’s lowest points tally. Saibari and Haaland out‑performed him in decisive duels against Morocco and Norway, respectively.

Even Portuguese idol Cristiano Ronaldo was placed on the list, with the argument that “the numbers mask a disappointing campaign.” His inclusion underscores the breadth of the flop assessment.

The substitutes list further illustrates the depth of disappointment, with notable names such as Manuel Neuer and Declan Rice alongside the Brazilian trio. The presence of both Neymar and Raphinha among substitutes highlights the mixed fortunes of Brazil’s campaign.