Rafael Lopes

Rafael Guimarães Lopes (born 28 July 1991) is a Portuguese professional footballer who plays for Polish club Legia Warsaw as a forward.

Not to be confused with Rafael Araujo-Lopes or Rafael Lopes Ferreira.
Rafael Lopes
Personal information
Full name Rafael Guimarães Lopes[1]
Date of birth (1991-07-28) 28 July 1991[1]
Place of birth Esposende, Portugal[1]
Height 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in)[1]
Position(s) Forward
Club information
Current team
 Legia Warsaw
Number 21
Youth career
2002–2007 Esposende
2007–2010 Varzim
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2010–2011 Varzim 27 (10)
2011–2012 Vitória Setúbal 24 (3)
2012–2013 Moreirense 21 (0)
2013–2014 Penafiel 23 (9)
2014–2016 Académica 66 (7)
2016–2017 Chaves 29 (5)
2017–2018 Omonia 25 (7)
2018–2019 Boavista 25 (2)
2019–2020 Cracovia 35 (12)
2020– Legia Warsaw 6 (2)
National team
2010–2011 Portugal U20 11 (1)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 6 December 2020

Club career

Portugal

Born in Esposende, Braga District, Lopes started his senior career with Varzim S.C. in the Segunda Liga. In the summer of 2011 he moved to the Primeira Liga after joining Vitória FC, making his debut in the competition on 9 September when he came on as a late substitute in a 0–3 away loss against FC Porto.[2] He scored his first goal for his new club on 18 December, helping to a 1–1 draw at C.D. Nacional.[3]

In the 2013 off-season, after failing to find the net for Moreirense F.C. in 21 bench appearances and suffering top-level relegation, Lopes returned to division two with F.C. Penafiel. He moved back to the top tier the following winter transfer window, signing for Académica de Coimbra until June 2016.[4]

On 20 June 2016, after another relegation, Lopes joined fellow league side G.D. Chaves on a one-year contract.[5] Two of his league goals during the campaign came in consecutive 2–2 draws in early January 2017, against Rio Ave F.C. and Sporting CP.[6][7]

Omonia

On 10 July 2017, Lopes agreed to a two-year deal with AC Omonia from the Cypriot First Division.[8] He made his debut on 10 September in the season opener, a 2–1 home win against Ethnikos Achna FC.[9]

International career

Lopes was part of the Portugal squad at the 2011 FIFA U-20 World Cup. He played four matches in the tournament held in Colombia, in an eventual runner-up finish.[10]

References
  1. "Rafael Lopes" (in Portuguese). Mais Futebol. Retrieved 18 September 2020.
  2. "FC Porto vence V. Setúbal no Dragão (3–0)" [FC Porto beat V. Setúbal at the Dragão (3–0)]. Diário de Notícias (in Portuguese). 9 September 2011. Retrieved 13 August 2017.
  3. "Caixinha continua sem vencer" [Caixinha remains winless]. Diário de Notícias (in Portuguese). 18 December 2011. Retrieved 13 August 2017.
  4. "Oficial: Académica contrata Rafael Lopes (ex-Penafiel) até 2016" [Official: Académica sign Rafael Lopes (ex-Penafiel) until 2016] (in Portuguese). Mais Futebol. 17 January 2014. Retrieved 13 August 2017.
  5. "Desp. Chaves contrata Rafael Lopes" [Desp. Chaves sign Rafael Lopes]. Público (in Portuguese). 20 June 2016. Retrieved 13 August 2017.
  6. "Arouca vence em Tondela e Rio Ave empata com Desportivo de Chaves" [Arouca win in Tondela and Rio Ave draw with Desportivo de Chaves] (in Portuguese). TSF. 8 January 2017. Retrieved 13 August 2017.
  7. Calaveiras, Carlos (14 January 2017). "Dois de Dost não foram suficientes" [Two from Dost were not enough] (in Portuguese). Rádio Renascença. Retrieved 13 August 2017.
  8. Ποδοσφαιριστής της ΟΜΟΝΟΙΑΣ ο Ράφαελ Λόπες [Rafael Lopes a player of Omonia] (in Greek). AC Omonia. 10 July 2017. Retrieved 29 July 2017.
  9. Match report: Νικηφόρο ξεκίνημα [Match report: Winning start] (in Greek). Omonoia News. 10 September 2017. Retrieved 10 September 2017.
  10. "Oscar treble wins thrilling final for Brazil". FIFA. 20 August 2011. Retrieved 13 March 2018.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.