Luís Rafael "Rafa" Soares Alves (born 9 May 1995) is a Portuguese professional footballer who plays as a left-back for Super League Greece club PAOK FC.
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Luís Rafael Soares Alves[1] | ||||||||||||||||
| Date of birth | 9 May 1995[1] | ||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Marco de Canaveses, Portugal[1] | ||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.77 m (5 ft 9+1⁄2 in)[1] | ||||||||||||||||
| Position(s) | Left-back | ||||||||||||||||
| Team information | |||||||||||||||||
Current team | PAOK | ||||||||||||||||
| Number | 55 | ||||||||||||||||
| 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) | ||||||||||||||
| 2018–2022 | Vitória Guimarães | 67 | (1) | ||||||||||||||
| 2020–2021 | → Eibar (loan) | 25 | (0) | ||||||||||||||
| 2022– | PAOK | 37 | (2) | ||||||||||||||
| International career | |||||||||||||||||
| 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) | ||||||||||||||
Medal record
| |||||||||||||||||
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 11:19, 18 April 2024 (UTC) | |||||||||||||||||
Club career edit
Porto edit
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 B 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 edit
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 edit
In June 2022, Soares signed a three-year deal with Super League Greece club PAOK FC.[14]
Career statistics edit
- As of match played 20 August 2023[15]
| Club | Season | League | Cup | League Cup | Europe | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Porto B | 2013–14 | Segunda Liga | 11 | 1 | — | — | — | 11 | 1 | |||
| 2014–15 | 30 | 2 | — | — | — | 30 | 2 | |||||
| 2015–16 | 20 | 5 | — | — | — | 20 | 5 | |||||
| Total | 61 | 8 | — | — | — | 61 | 8 | |||||
| Académica (loan) | 2015–16 | Primeira Liga | 15 | 1 | — | — | — | 15 | 1 | |||
| Rio Ave (loan) | 2016–17 | Primeira Liga | 32 | 3 | — | 3 | 0 | 2[a] | 0 | 37 | 3 | |
| Fulham (loan) | 2017–18 | Championship | 3 | 0 | — | — | — | 3 | 0 | |||
| Portimonense | 2017–18 | Primeira Liga | 11 | 0 | — | — | — | 11 | 0 | |||
| Vitória Guimarães | 2018–19 | Primeira Liga | 27 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 30 | 0 | |
| 2019–20 | 10 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 5[a] | 0 | 15 | 0 | ||
| 2021–22 | 30 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 0 | — | 34 | 2 | |||
| Total | 67 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 81 | 2 | ||
| Eibar (loan) | 2019–20 | La Liga | 6 | 0 | — | — | — | 6 | 0 | |||
| 2020–21 | 19 | 0 | 3 | 0 | — | — | 22 | 0 | ||||
| Total | 25 | 0 | 3 | 0 | — | — | 28 | 0 | ||||
| PAOK | 2022–23 | Super League Greece | 26 | 0 | 5 | 0 | — | 2 | 0 | 33 | 0 | |
| 2023–24 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |||
| Total | 27 | 0 | 5 | 0 | — | 2 | 0 | 34 | 0 | |||
| Career Total | 241 | 13 | 33 | 1 | 7 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 270 | 14 | ||
- ^ a b Appearances in the Europa League
Honours edit
Porto B
References edit
- ^ 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.
- ^ 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.
External links edit
- Rafa Soares at ForaDeJogo (archived)
- Rafa Soares at BDFutbol
- Rafa Soares national team profile at the Portuguese Football Federation (in Portuguese)
