Rafa Soares

Luís Rafael Soares Alves (born 9 May 1995), commonly known as Rafa, is a Portuguese footballer who plays as a left back for Spanish club SD Eibar on loan from Vitória de Guimarães.

This name uses Portuguese naming customs: the first or maternal family name is Soares and the second or paternal family name is Alves.
Rafa
Personal information
Full name Luís Rafael Soares Alves
Date of birth (1995-05-09) 9 May 1995
Place of birth Marco de Canaveses, Portugal
Height 1.82 m (5 ft 11 1⁄2 in)
Position(s) Left back
Club information
Current team
 Eibar
(on loan from Vitória Guimarães)
Number 11
Youth career
2003–2005 Alpendorada
2005–2014 Porto
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2013–2018 Porto B 61 (8)
2016 → Académica (loan) 15 (1)
2016–2017 → Rio Ave (loan) 32 (3)
2017–2018 → Fulham (loan) 3 (0)
2018 Portimonense 11 (0)
2018– Vitória Guimarães 37 (0)
2020– → Eibar (loan) 13 (0)
National team
2010–2011 Portugal U16 11 (0)
2011–2012 Portugal U17 12 (1)
2012 Portugal U18 3 (0)
2012–2014 Portugal U19 30 (2)
2014 Portugal U20 7 (0)
2014–2016 Portugal U21 9 (0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 10 January 2021

Club career

Born in Marco de Canaveses, Porto District, Rafa joined FC Porto's youth system in 2005 from local F.C. Alpendorada. On 21 August 2013, while still a junior, he made his professional debut with the former's B team, coming on as a 79th-minute substitute in a 1–0 away win against Portimonense S.C. for the Segunda Liga.[1]

From January 2016 to June 2017, Rafa was on loan to Académica de Coimbra and Rio Ave FC, with both clubs in the Primeira Liga.[2][3] He played his first game in the competition on 22 January 2016 while at service of the former in a 1–2 away loss to Vitória de Setúbal,[4] and scored his first goal the following matchday but in a 2–3 defeat at Sporting CP.[5]

On 22 August 2017, deemed surplus to requirements by new Porto manager Sérgio Conceição, Rafa was loaned to EFL Championship side Fulham in a season-long deal.[6] He made his debut on 31 October, coming from the bench in a 0–2 home loss against Bristol City.[7]

Rafa's loan deal was mutually terminated by on 31 January 2018, after they had loaned Matt Targett earlier that month.[8] The same day, he signed a permanent deal with Portimonense in his country's top flight.[9]

On 6 July 2018, Rafa agreed to a contract at Vitória de Guimarães.[10] On 31 January 2020, he joined SD Eibar of Spain's La Liga on an 18-month loan with the option to buy.[11]

Club statistics
As of match played 16 January 2020[12]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League Cup League Cup Europe Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Porto B 2013–14 Segunda Liga 111———111
2014–15 302———302
2015–16 205———205
Total 618———618
Académica (loan) 2015–16 Primeira Liga 1510000—151
Rio Ave (loan) 2016–17 Primeira Liga 32300302[lower-alpha 1]0373
Fulham (loan) 2017–18 Championship 3000000030
Portimonense 2017–18 Primeira Liga 110000000110
Vitória Guimarães 2018–19 Primeira Liga 270201000300
2019–20 90001050150
Career Total 1581220507017212
  1. Appearances in the Europa League

References
  1. "Portimonense-FC Porto B, 0–1: O "miúdo" deu 3 pontos" [Portimonense-FC Porto B, 0–1: The "kid" gave 3 points]. Record (in Portuguese). 21 August 2013. Retrieved 4 February 2020.
  2. "Oficial: Académica anuncia Rafa por empréstimo do FC Porto" [Official: Académica announce Rafa on loan from FC Porto] (in Portuguese). Mais Futebol. 17 January 2016. Retrieved 18 August 2017.
  3. "Dragões emprestam Rafa ao Rio Ave" [Dragons loan Rafa to Rio Ave] (in Portuguese). Rádio Renascença. 7 July 2016. Retrieved 18 August 2017.
  4. "V. Setúbal 2–1 Académica" (in Portuguese). SAPO. 22 January 2016. Retrieved 22 August 2017.
  5. "Sporting 3–2 Académica: jogo pleno de emoções, muitos golos e incerteza até perto do fim" [Sporting 3–2 Académica: game full of excitement, many goals and uncertainty until the last minutes] (in Portuguese). Vavel. 30 January 2016. Retrieved 22 August 2017.
  6. "Rafa Soares: Fulham complete loan signing of Porto left-back". BBC Sport. 22 August 2017. Retrieved 22 August 2017.
  7. "Fulham 0–2 Bristol City". BBC Sport. 31 October 2017. Retrieved 1 November 2017.
  8. "Soares loan terminated". Fulham F.C. 31 January 2018. Retrieved 31 January 2018.
  9. "Rafa Soares assina pelo Portimonense a título definitivo" [Rafa Soares signs permanently with Portimonense]. O Jogo (in Portuguese). 31 January 2018. Retrieved 1 February 2018.
  10. "Rafa Soares ruma ao Vitória de Guimarães" [Rafa Soares heading to Vitória de Guimarães]. Jornal de Notícias (in Portuguese). 6 July 2018. Retrieved 6 February 2020.
  11. "El Eibar ficha al lateral izquierdo Rafa Soares procedente del Vitoria Guimaraes" [Eibar sign left-back Rafa Soares from Vitória Guimarães]. El Diario Vasco (in Spanish). 31 January 2020. Retrieved 6 February 2020.
  12. Rafa at Soccerway
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