Rafa Soares
Portuguese footballer
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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.
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Luís Rafael Soares Alves[1] | ||||||||||||||||
| Date of birth | 9 May 1995[1] | ||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Marco de Canaveses, Portugal | ||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.77 m (5 ft 9+1⁄2 in)[1] | ||||||||||||||||
| Position | Left-back | ||||||||||||||||
| Team information | |||||||||||||||||
Current team | Famalicão | ||||||||||||||||
| Number | 5 | ||||||||||||||||
| 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) | ||||||||||||||
| 2022–2024 | PAOK | 40 | (2) | ||||||||||||||
| 2024– | Famalicão | 42 | (0) | ||||||||||||||
| 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 as of 18:26, 14 March 2026 (UTC) | |||||||||||||||||
Club career
Porto
Born in Marco de Canaveses, Porto District, Soares joined FC Porto's youth system in 2005 from local F.C. Alpendorada.[2] 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.[3]
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.[4][5] 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,[6] and scored his first goal the following matchday but in a 3–2 defeat at Sporting CP.[7]
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.[8] He made his debut on 31 October, coming from the bench in a 0–2 home loss to Bristol City.[9]
Soares' deal was mutually terminated by on 31 January 2018, after they had loaned Matt Targett earlier that month.[10] The same day, he signed a permanent contract with Portimonense in his country's top flight.[11]
Vitória Guimarães
On 6 July 2018, Soares agreed to a contract at Vitória de Guimarães.[12] On 31 January 2020, he joined SD Eibar of Spain's La Liga on an 18-month loan with the option to buy.[13]
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.[14]
PAOK
In June 2022, Soares signed a three-year deal with Super League Greece club PAOK FC.[15] He totalled 33 games in his first season, finishing runner-up in the domestic cup.[16]
Soares scored his first league goal on 25 November 2023, closing the 5–0 home win over Panserraikos FC.[17] He added another in a 3–0 victory against PAS Lamia 1964,[18] claiming the national championship alongside his compatriots André Ricardo and Vieirinha.[19]
Later career
On 2 September 2024, Soares agreed to a two-year contract at F.C. Famalicão.[20] He made 28 appearances in his debut campaign, but subsequently lost his place to Angolan international Pedro Bondo.[21]
Career statistics
- As of match played 24 April 2024[22]
| Club | Season | League | National cup[a] | League cup[b] | 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[c] | 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[c] | 0 | 17 | 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[d] | 0 | 33 | 0 | |
| 2023–24 | 12 | 2 | 4 | 0 | — | 5[d] | 0 | 21 | 2 | |||
| Total | 38 | 2 | 9 | 0 | — | 7 | 0 | 54 | 2 | |||
| Career Total | 252 | 15 | 37 | 1 | 7 | 0 | 14 | 0 | 310 | 16 | ||
- Includes Taça de Portugal, Copa del Rey, Greek Football Cup
- Includes Taça da Liga
- Appearances in UEFA Europa League
- Appearances in UEFA Europa Conference League
