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.

Rafa Soares
Personal information
Full name Luís Rafael Soares Alves[1]
Date of birth (1995-05-09) 9 May 1995 (age 29)[1]
Place of birth Marco de Canaveses, Portugal[1]
Height 1.77 m (5 ft 9+12 in)[1]
Position(s) 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)
2016Académica (loan) 15 (1)
2016–2017Rio Ave (loan) 32 (3)
2017–2018Fulham (loan) 3 (0)
2018 Portimonense 11 (0)
2018–2022 Vitória Guimarães 67 (1)
2020–2021Eibar (loan) 25 (0)
2022–2024 PAOK 40 (2)
2024– Famalicão 3 (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
Men's football
Representing  Portugal
UEFA European Under-19 Championship
Runner-up 2014 Hungary
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 17:48, 27 October 2024 (UTC)

Club career

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Porto

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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

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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

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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

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As of match played 24 April 2024[19]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
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

Honours

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Porto B

PAOK

References

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  1. ^ a b c d "Rafa Soares" (in Portuguese). Mais Futebol. Retrieved 8 August 2021.
  2. ^ "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.
  3. ^ "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.
  4. ^ "Dragões emprestam Rafa ao Rio Ave" [Dragons loan Rafa to Rio Ave] (in Portuguese). Rádio Renascença. 7 July 2016. Retrieved 18 August 2017.
  5. ^ "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.
  6. ^ "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.
  7. ^ "Rafa Soares: Fulham complete loan signing of Porto left-back". BBC Sport. 22 August 2017. Retrieved 22 August 2017.
  8. ^ "Fulham 0–2 Bristol City". BBC Sport. 31 October 2017. Retrieved 1 November 2017.
  9. ^ "Soares loan terminated". Fulham F.C. 31 January 2018. Retrieved 31 January 2018.
  10. ^ "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.
  11. ^ "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.
  12. ^ 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.
  13. ^ "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.
  14. ^ "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.
  15. ^ 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.
  16. ^ Soudoulidis, Stavros (25 November 2023). "ΠΑΟΚ – Πανσερραϊκός 5–0: Καταιγίδα!" [PAOK – Panserraikos 5–0: Storm!] (in Greek). Gazzetta. Retrieved 17 May 2024.
  17. ^ "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.
  18. ^ 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.
  19. ^ Rafa Soares at Soccerway
  20. ^ 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.
  21. ^ 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.
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