Portuguese footballer
Luís Rafael "Rafa" Soares Alves (born 9 May 1995) is a Portuguese professional footballer who plays as a left-back for Primeira Liga club Famalicão .
Club career
Porto
Born in Marco de Canaveses , Porto District , Soares 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 reserves , coming on as a 79th-minute substitute in a 1–0 away win against Portimonense S.C. in the Segunda Liga .[ 2]
From January 2016 to June 2017, Soares was on loan to Académica de Coimbra and Rio Ave FC , with both clubs in the Primeira Liga .[ 3] [ 4] He played his first game in the competition on 22 January 2016 while at service of the former in a 2–1 away loss to Vitória de Setúbal ,[ 5] and scored his first goal the following matchday but in a 3–2 defeat at Sporting CP .[ 6]
On 22 August 2017, deemed surplus to requirements by new Porto manager Sérgio Conceição , Soares was loaned to EFL Championship side Fulham in a season -long deal.[ 7] He made his debut on 31 October, coming from the bench in a 0–2 home loss to Bristol City .[ 8]
Soares' deal was mutually terminated by on 31 January 2018, after they had loaned Matt Targett earlier that month.[ 9] The same day, he signed a permanent contract with Portimonense in his country's top flight.[ 10]
Vitória Guimarães
On 6 July 2018, Soares agreed to a contract at Vitória de Guimarães .[ 11] On 31 January 2020, he joined SD Eibar of Spain's La Liga on an 18-month loan with the option to buy.[ 12]
After returning from the relegated Basque team, Soares scored his first Vitória goal on 21 November 2021, as a substitute in a 3–2 defeat at neighbours Moreirense F.C. in the fourth round of the Taça de Portugal .[ 13]
PAOK
In June 2022, Soares signed a three-year deal with Super League Greece club PAOK FC .[ 14] He totalled 33 games in his first season , finishing runner-up in the domestic cup .[ 15]
Soares scored his first league goal on 25 November 2023, closing the 5–0 home win over Panserraikos FC .[ 16] He added another in a 3–0 victory against PAS Lamia 1964 ,[ 17] claiming the national championship alongside his compatriots André Ricardo and Vieirinha .[ 18]
Career statistics
As of match played 24 April 2024 [ 19]
Honours
Porto B
PAOK
References
^ a b c d "Rafa Soares" (in Portuguese). Mais Futebol. Retrieved 8 August 2021 .
^ "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 .
^ "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 .
^ "Dragões emprestam Rafa ao Rio Ave" [Dragons loan Rafa to Rio Ave] (in Portuguese). Rádio Renascença . 7 July 2016. Retrieved 18 August 2017 .
^ "V. Setúbal-Académica, 2–1 (resultado final)" [V. Setúbal-Académica, 2–1 (final score)] (in Portuguese). Mais Futebol. 22 January 2016. Retrieved 17 January 2022 .
^ "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 .
^ "Rafa Soares: Fulham complete loan signing of Porto left-back" . BBC Sport . 22 August 2017. Retrieved 22 August 2017 .
^ "Fulham 0–2 Bristol City" . BBC Sport. 31 October 2017. Retrieved 1 November 2017 .
^ "Soares loan terminated" . Fulham F.C. 31 January 2018. Retrieved 31 January 2018 .
^ "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 .
^ "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 .
^ Mendia, Iker (31 January 2020). "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). Retrieved 6 February 2020 .
^ "Moreirense elimina V. Guimarães da Taça" [Moreirense eliminate V. Guimarães from the Cup] (in Portuguese). Rádio e Televisão de Portugal . 21 November 2021. Retrieved 9 January 2022 .
^ "Έρχεται ο Σοάρες, από… κοντά και ο Ρέντε για ΠΑΟΚ" [Soares coming, Rende expected at PAOK] (in Greek). Sport FM. 5 June 2022. Retrieved 5 June 2022 .
^ Tsouvaras, Thomas (24 May 2023). "ΑΕΚ – ΠΑΟΚ 2–0: Ασύγκριτη! Η Ένωση κατέκτησε ένα ιστορικό νταμπλ, σάρωσε τους Θεσσαλονικείς με 10 παίκτες από το 6' " [AEK – PAOK 2–0: Unmatched! Union conquered historic double, Thessaloniki swept with 10 players at 6'] (in Greek). Sport 24. Retrieved 17 May 2024 .
^ Soudoulidis, Stavros (25 November 2023). "ΠΑΟΚ – Πανσερραϊκός 5–0: Καταιγίδα!" [PAOK – Panserraikos 5–0: Storm!] (in Greek). Gazzetta. Retrieved 17 May 2024 .
^ "Grécia: Rafa Soares marca e PAOK engata a quinta" [Greece: Rafa Soares scores and PAOK go for fifth] (in Portuguese). CNN Portugal . 4 December 2023. Retrieved 23 May 2024 .
^ a b "Fernando Gomes felicita Vieirinha, André Ricardo e Rafa Soares" [Fernando Gomes congratulates Vieirinha, André Ricardo and Rafa Soares] (in Portuguese). Portuguese Football Federation . 19 May 2024. Retrieved 23 May 2024 .
^ Rafa Soares at Soccerway
^ Monteiro, André (12 May 2016). "Equipa B entrega troféu da 2.ª Liga a Pinto da Costa" [B team give 2nd League trophy to Pinto da Costa]. Record (in Portuguese). Retrieved 26 June 2022 .
^ Seretis, Yannis (19 May 2024). "ΠΑΟΚ 4Χ4 και... 1,2, 4 ως αουτσάιντερ: από 75–68 το έκανε 78–80!" [PAOK 4X4 and... 1,2, 4 as outsiders: they went from 75–68 to 78–80!] (in Greek). Gazzetta. Retrieved 19 May 2024 .
External links