Rafinha (footballer, born 1993)

For other uses, see Rafinha (disambiguation).

Rafinha

200px Rafinha playing for Barcelona in 2014
Personal information
Full name	Rafael Alcântara do Nascimento
Date of birth	(1993-02-12) 12 February 1993
Place of birth	São Paulo, Brazil
Height
Position(s)	Attacking midfielder
Team information
Current team	Barcelona
Number	12
Youth career
2006–2011	Barcelona
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2011–2013	Barcelona B	84	(20)
2011–	Barcelona	30	(2)
2013–2014	→ Celta (loan)	32	(4)
International career‡
2009	Spain U16	2	(0)
2009–2010	Spain U17	8	(2)
2010	Spain U19	4	(1)
2013	Brazil U20	3	(0)
2014–	Brazil U23	5	(0)
2015–	Brazil	2	(1)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 29 March 2016

This name uses Portuguese naming customs. The first or maternal family name is Alcântara and the second or paternal family name is do Nascimento.

Rafael Alcântara do Nascimento (born 12 February 1993), commonly known as Rafinha, is a Brazilian professional footballer who plays for Spanish club FC Barcelona and the Brazil national team as an attacking midfielder.

He started his career with Barcelona, making his debut with the first team in 2011. After a loan at Celta Vigo, he played his first league match for the Catalans in 2014.

Rafinha represented both Spain and Brazil at youth level, before debuting with the latter at senior level in 2015.

Club career

Born in São Paulo, Brazil, Rafinha joined FC Barcelona's youth ranks at the age of 13. On 8 January 2011 he made his professional debuts with the B-team, coming on as a substitute for Jonathan dos Santos in the 55th minute of a 1–2 home loss against Girona FC for the second division championship. A week later, again off the bench he scored his first goal in a 3–2 win at UD Salamanca, also adding an assist.

Rafinha made his debut with Barcelona main squad on 9 November 2011, taking the place of Cesc Fàbregas for the last 15 minutes of a 1–0 away win against CE L'Hospitalet for the season's Copa del Rey. He finished the league campaign with 39 games – 35 starts – and eight goals for the reserves, including two in a 4–0 win at FC Cartagena on 4 September.

On 27 June 2013 Rafinha extended his contract with Barça, keeping him at the club until 2016. A few weeks later, he was loaned to fellow La Liga team Celta de Vigo, and made his debut in the main category of Spanish football on 19 August, helping the Galicians to a 2–2 home draw against RCD Espanyol. He scored his first top-flight goal 12 days later, in another draw at the Balaídos (1–1, with Granada CF).

Rafinha netted a brace at Real Sociedad on 23 November, but it amounted to nothing as the hosts won 4–3. He was voted the league's Breakthrough Player of the Season, ahead of Real Madrid's Jesé and Rayo Vallecano's Saúl Ñíguez.

Rafinha, Gerard Piqué and Munir warming up for Barcelona in August 2014

Rafinha made his top flight debut for Barcelona on 24 August 2014 at the Camp Nou, in Luis Enrique's first match in charge. He played the first half of an eventual 3–0 win over Elche CF before being substituted for Marc Bartra. On 25 November, he assisted Lionel Messi's goal in a 4–0 win at APOEL Nicosia which made him the outright top scorer in the history of the Champions League; however, Rafinha was sent off for two bookings later on in the match.

He scored his first goal for Barcelona on 3 December, concluding a 4–0 win at SD Huesca in the first leg of the cup's last 32 (12–1 aggregate); the following 1 February he recorded his first for the team in the league, part of a 3–2 home win over Villarreal CF. Barcelona won the treble, with Rafinha an unused substitute in the domestic and European finals.

With compatriot Neymar out through illness, Rafinha started on the left of Barcelona's attack in the 2015 UEFA Super Cup against Sevilla FC in Tbilisi, and scored their third goal in a 5–4 triumph.

On 16 September 2015, Rafinha suffered a torn right anterior cruciate ligament during Champions League 1–1 away draw at Roma, leaving the game on a stretcher after being on the receiving end of a heavy challenge from Roma midfielder Radja Nainggolan. After surgery, he was expected to be out for about six months.

International career

Rafinha played for Spain at youth level, gaining 14 caps for three different teams. On 29 February 2012, he scored for the under-19s in the first minute of their 2–1 win over France in Meaux.

Later that year, however, he switched allegiance to Brazil, going on to represent the under-20s at the 2013 South American Youth Championship in Argentina. He was one of seven stand-by players named by Dunga for the senior team at the 2015 Copa América.

In September 2015, Rafinha was called up by Dunga for friendlies against Costa Rica and the United States. On the 5th, he entered the former game at New Jersey's Red Bull Arena in the 81st minute in place of Luiz Gustavo, earning his first cap for the senior Brazil side. Four days later, a minute after coming into the game, he scored his first goal, then assisted clubmate Neymar in a 4–1 win against the Americans.

Personal life

Rafinha's father, Mazinho, was also a footballer and a midfielder, notably winning the 1994 FIFA World Cup with Brazil. His mother, Valéria, played volleyball, whilst his elder brother, Thiago Alcântara – another midfielder – also emerged through Barcelona's youth ranks, going on to represent its first team and the Spanish national side. Thiago now plays for German club FC Bayern Munich.

Rodrigo, current Valencia CF player, who played youth football with Real Madrid and went on to spend several seasons with S.L. Benfica, is his cousin.

Career statistics

Club

As of 22 May 2016

Club	Season	League		Copa del Rey		Europe		Other		Total
		Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Barcelona B	2010–11	9	1	—						9	1
	2011–12	39	8	—						39	8
	2012–13	36	11	—						36	11
	Total	84	20	—						84	20
Barcelona	2011–12	0	0	1	0	1	0	0	0	2	0
	2012–13	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	1	0
	Total	0	0	1	0	2	0	0	0	3	0
Celta (loan)	2013–14	32	4	1	0	—				33	4
	Total	32	4	1	0	—				33	4
Barcelona	2014–15	24	1	6	1	6	0	—		36	2
	2015–16	6	1	1	0	2	0	2	1	11	2
	Total	30	2	7	1	8	0	2	1	47	4
Career totals		146	26	9	1	10	0	2	1	167	28

International

Scores and results table. Brazil's goal tally first:

#	Date	Venue	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition
1.	8 September 2015	Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, United States	United States	3–0	4–1	Friendly

Honours

Club

Rafinha (left) posing with the 2015 UEFA Super Cup, alongside compatriots Adriano, Dani Alves and Douglas.

Barcelona

• La Liga: 2014–15, 2015–16
• Copa del Rey: 2011–12, 2014–15, 2015–16
• UEFA Champions League: 2014–15
• UEFA Super Cup: 2015

Individual

• La Liga Breakthrough Player: 2013–14

External links

• Rafinha on Twitter
• FC Barcelona official profile
• Rafinha profile at BDFutbol
• Rafinha at Soccerway
• Rafinha – UEFA competition record