Xeka
Portuguese footballer
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Miguel Ângelo da Silva Rocha (born 10 November 1994), known as Xeka (Portuguese pronunciation: [ˈʃɛkɐ]), is a Portuguese professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Primeira Liga club Estoril.
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Xeka playing for Lille in 2021 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Miguel Ângelo da Silva Rocha[1] | ||
| Date of birth | 10 November 1994[1] | ||
| Place of birth | Rebordosa, Portugal | ||
| Height | 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in)[1] | ||
| Position | Midfielder | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Estoril | ||
| Number | 8 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 2003–2007 | Paços Ferreira | ||
| 2007–2011 | Gondomar | ||
| 2011–2012 | Valencia | ||
| 2012–2013 | Paços Ferreira | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2013–2017 | Braga B | 28 | (2) |
| 2014–2016 | → Covilhã (loan) | 39 | (0) |
| 2016–2017 | Braga | 11 | (0) |
| 2017 | → Lille (loan) | 13 | (1) |
| 2017–2022 | Lille | 101 | (6) |
| 2017–2018 | → Dijon (loan) | 17 | (2) |
| 2019 | Lille II | 1 | (0) |
| 2022–2023 | Rennes | 8 | (0) |
| 2024 | Al Sadd | 0 | (0) |
| 2024– | Estoril | 16 | (1) |
| International career | |||
| 2014 | Portugal U20 | 1 | (0) |
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 17:31, 31 January 2026 (UTC) | |||
Brought up at Braga, he spent most of his career in France, playing for Lille, Dijon and Rennes in Ligue 1 and winning the league with the first of those teams in 2020–21 while making 144 total appearances.
Club career
Braga
Born in Rebordosa, Paredes,[2] Xeka received his nickname from his grandfather for being the youngest of his siblings, just like him.[3] He played youth football with three clubs, including Valencia CF from Spain until the age of 17.[4] Having returned to his homeland, he started playing as a senior with S.C. Braga's reserves in the Segunda Liga, being then loaned for two years to S.C. Covilhã of the same league.[5] On 23 September 2013, whilst at the service of the former side, he scored his first goal in competition, but in a 1–3 home loss against S.L. Benfica B.[6]
Xeka started being called to Braga's first team in October 2016, by manager José Peseiro.[7] He made his debut in the Primeira Liga later that month, featuring the full 90 minutes in a 1–0 home win over G.D. Chaves.[8] His fortunes changed, however, when Jorge Simão became the new coach before the end of the year.[9]
Lille
On 31 January 2017, Xeka was loaned to Lille OSC from Ligue 1 until June.[10] He made his debut four days later as a starter in a 1–0 home loss to FC Lorient.[11] He made 13 appearances for the 12th-place team and scored in a 3–0 win at Montpellier HSC on 29 April, assisted by compatriot Rony Lopes.[12]
In June 2017, Lille exercised the €5 million buyout clause to make Xeka's move permanent.[13] In the last hours of the summer transfer window, he joined Dijon FCO in the same league in a season-long loan.[14] He became a regular under Christophe Galtier at the Stade Pierre-Mauroy the following year, but suffered a thigh injury in a 5–1 home victory over Paris Saint-Germain FC on 14 April 2019, ruling him out until September.[15]
Xeka contributed 33 matches and one goal during the 2020–21 campaign to help Lille win the national championship for the fourth time in their history.[16] On 1 August 2021, he scored in the 1–0 defeat of PSG in the Trophée des Champions, with the club winning that trophy for the first time ever.[17]
On 20 May 2022, Xeka was released at the end of his contract.[18]
Rennes
On 21 September 2022, Xeka agreed to a two-year deal at Stade Rennais F.C. also of the French top tier.[19] He made his debut on 9 October, starting in a 3–0 home win over Derby Breton rivals FC Nantes.[20] In January, he had ankle surgery.[21]
Xeka left Roazhon Park by mutual consent on 10 August 2023, with only nine matches to his name.[22]
Later career
On 1 May 2024, Al Sadd SC of the Qatar Stars League signed Xeka as a replacement for the injured Guilherme Torres.[23] On 15 August, having made no appearances, he moved to G.D. Estoril Praia on a one-year contract.[24]
Xeka then spent nearly one year on the sidelines, due to a serious knee injury contracted in April 2025.[25][26]
International career
Xeka earned one cap for Portugal at under-20 level on 5 February 2014, in a 2–0 friendly win over Slovakia under-21 in Marinha Grande. He played the final ten minutes as a substitute for Tomás Podstawski.[27]
Career statistics
- As of match played 7 January 2023[28]
| Club | Season | League | National cup[a] | League cup[b] | Europe | Other | Total | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Braga B | 2013–14 | Liga Portugal 2 | 17 | 1 | — | — | — | — | 17 | 1 | ||||
| 2016–17 | Liga Portugal 2 | 11 | 1 | — | — | — | — | 11 | 1 | |||||
| Total | 28 | 2 | — | — | — | — | 28 | 2 | ||||||
| Covilhã (loan) | 2014–15 | Liga Portugal 2 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 7 | 0 | ||
| 2015–16 | Liga Portugal 2 | 34 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 34 | 0 | |||
| Total | 39 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 41 | 0 | ||||
| Braga | 2016–17 | Primeira Liga | 11 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 0 | — | — | 18 | 0 | ||
| Lille (loan) | 2016–17 | Ligue 1 | 13 | 1 | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | 15 | 1 | |||
| Lille | 2017–18 | Ligue 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 1 | 0 | |
| 2018–19 | Ligue 1 | 27 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 30 | 2 | ||
| 2019–20 | Ligue 1 | 17 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 3[c] | 0 | — | 25 | 0 | ||
| 2020–21 | Ligue 1 | 33 | 1 | 3 | 1 | — | 6[d] | 0 | — | 42 | 2 | |||
| 2021–22 | Ligue 1 | 23 | 3 | 0 | 0 | — | 7[c] | 0 | 1[e] | 1 | 31 | 4 | ||
| Total | 114 | 7 | 10 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 16 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 144 | 9 | ||
| Dijon (loan) | 2017–18 | Ligue 1 | 17 | 2 | — | — | — | — | 17 | 2 | ||||
| Lille II | 2019–20 | CFA 2 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 1 | 0 | ||||
| Rennes | 2022–23 | Ligue 1 | 8 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 9 | 0 | |||
| Career total | 218 | 11 | 14 | 1 | 8 | 0 | 16 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 257 | 13 | ||
- Includes Taça de Portugal and Coupe de France
- Includes Taça da Liga and Coupe de la Ligue
- Appearances in UEFA Champions League
- Appearances in UEFA Europa League
- Appearance in Trophée des Champions
