Rafinha is at risk of missing the 2026 World Cup: financial crisis and rumors of leaving Al-Hilal

There’s a lot of media hype surrounding Rafinha, the attacking player for Barcelona and the Brazilian national team. According to Brazilian newspapers Metropoles and Red Cast, the footballer might leave the national team’s camp for the 2026 World Cup in the United States due to “personal and financial problems.” The source of this information is a former midfielder who said that Rafinha is praying to transfer to the Saudi club Al-Hilal.

This information is purely speculative. Neither Barcelona, nor the coaching staff of Selesio, nor Rafinha himself has given any official confirmation of this. Moreover, Rafinha’s current contract stipulates an annual income of over 16 million euros. This makes the claim of a critical financial crisis without any concrete details or evidence seem questionable.

Analysts point out that such rumors often appear just before major tournaments or during times of uncertainty regarding transfers. Al-Hilal has indeed been looking into the market for Brazilian attacking players. But so far, no official offers have been made.

The 2026 World Cup remains a priority for the Brazilian national team. Rafinha is considered one of the key attacking players in the team. Until official comments from officials or the player himself come along, these rumors should be considered unconfirmed. In professional sports journalism, facts always take precedence over speculation, especially when it comes to a player’s career on the world stage.