Brazil national team striker Raphinha admitted that the Brazilian team performed poorly in the high-altitude environment of El Alto and criticized the referee's decisions after losing 0-1 to Bolivia in the final World Cup qualifier on Thursday.
On Bolivia's high-altitude advantage
"From the moment a team forces you to play at an altitude of 4,000 meters just to win, I think that puts other teams at a disadvantage.
Then, in a very close match between the two sides, the referee awarded a penalty kick, which made the game more complicated."
Raphinha came on as a substitute for Luis Enrique in the second half, but the team's performance did not improve significantly. Although Brazil ultimately secured a spot in the next World Cup, they concluded this round of qualifiers with the worst record in the team's history, finishing fifth.
"We struggled a bit at that time, especially in the early stages of the game. We won the first two games, but encountered some difficulties midway. Our main goal was to qualify for the World Cup, and we finally did it. Now we must continue to work hard and reach our best form in the World Cup."
