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Emídio Rafael
Personal information
Full name	Emídio Rafael Augusto Silva
Date of birth	24 January 1986 (age 38)
Place of birth	Lisbon, Portugal
Height	1.82 m (6 ft 0 in)
Position(s)	Left back
Youth career
1995–2005	Sporting CP
Senior career*
Years	Team
2005–2007	Sporting CP
2005–2006	→ Casa Pia (loan)
2006–2007	→ Real Massamá (loan)
2007–2009	Portimonense
2009–2010	Académica
2010–2013	Porto
2013	Braga
2013	Braga B
2013–2014	Platanias
2014–2015	Estoril
2015–2016	Académica
Total
International career
2004	Portugal U18
2004	Portugal U19
2010	Portugal U23
	*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Emídio Rafael Augusto Silva (born 24 January 1986), known as Rafael, is a retired Portuguese footballer who played as a left back.

In a career marred by injuries after signing for Porto in 2010, he amassed Primeira Liga totals of 58 matches and three goals over six seasons, also appearing for Académica (two stints), Braga and Estoril in the competition. In the Segunda Liga, he scored twice from 63 appearances.

Club career

Born in Lisbon, Rafael spent six years with local Sporting CP – youth years comprised – but never represented its first team officially. On loan, he made his senior debut in the third division, spending one season apiece with Casa Pia A.C. and Real S.C. (both in the Lisbon area) and being released in 2007.

Subsequently, Rafael signed for Portimonense S.C. in the second level, being first-choice in his first season and regularly used in the following. In 2009–10, he made his Primeira Liga debut with Académica de Coimbra,^[1] his first appearance in the competition being on 13 September 2009 in a 1–2 away loss against S.C. Olhanense;^[2] he only missed four league games, scoring once^[3] as the Students easily retained their division status.

In the ensuing off-season, Rafael followed manager André Villas-Boas to FC Porto after agreeing to a three-year contract.^[4] He rarely made the list of 18 in the first months at his new club, but profited from a run of injuries in the first team to gain more playing time. On 29 January 2011, he scored in a 2–2 draw at Gil Vicente F.C. for the campaign's Portuguese League Cup, but also sustained an horrific last-minute injury to his foot, being sidelined for well more than one year;^[5]^[6]^[7] he finished his first year with the northerners with 11 competitive games, scoring two goals.^[8]^[9]

In January 2013, Rafael signed with S.C. Braga, joining until the end of the season with the possibility of a three-year extension.^[10] After his contract expired, he moved to Platanias F.C. of the Superleague Greece;^[11] however, just six months later, he returned to Portugal and agreed to one-and-a-half-year deal with G.D. Estoril Praia.^[12]

On 8 June 2015, free agent Rafael rejoined Académica for two years.^[13] On 10 March 2017, after not being able to overcome his recurring injury problems, the 31-year-old announced his retirement and began working for scouting agency Gold World Stars.^[14]

Honours

Porto

References

^ "Emídio Rafael assinou por dois anos" [Emídio Rafael signed for two years]. Diário de Notícias (in Portuguese). 3 July 2009. Retrieved 16 February 2018.
^ "Olhanense vence mesmo a jogar com nove" [Olhanense win even playing with nine]. Público (in Portuguese). 13 September 2009. Retrieved 11 January 2018.
^ "Académica vence Leixões por 2–0" [Académica beat Leixões 2–0] (in Portuguese). TSF. 13 December 2009. Retrieved 11 January 2018.
^ "Emídio Rafael (Académica) é reforço do F. C. Porto por três épocas" [Emídio Rafael (Académica) is a F. C. Porto addition for three seasons]. Jornal de Notícias (in Portuguese). 10 July 2010. Retrieved 11 January 2018.
^ "F.C. Porto eliminado da Taça da Liga" [F.C. Porto ousted from the League Cup]. Jornal de Notícias (in Portuguese). 29 January 2011. Retrieved 11 January 2018.
^ "Varela ainda com limitações" [Varela still limited]. A Bola (in Portuguese). 14 March 2012. Retrieved 21 July 2012.
^ "Emídio Rafael volta quase dois anos depois" [Emídio Rafael returns nearly two years later]. O Jogo (in Portuguese). 13 November 2012. Retrieved 11 January 2018.
^ "F. C Porto bateu Beira-Mar por 3–0" [F. C Porto beat Beira-Mar 3–0]. Jornal de Notícias (in Portuguese). 19 January 2011. Retrieved 11 January 2018.
^ "FC Porto despede-se com empate" [FC Porto bid farewell with draw]. Diário de Notícias (in Portuguese). 29 January 2011. Retrieved 11 January 2018.
^ "Emídio Rafael reforça guerreiros" [Emídio Rafael strengthens warriors]. A Bola (in Portuguese). 7 January 2013. Archived from the original on 10 January 2013. Retrieved 8 January 2013.
^ "Grécia: Emídio Rafael vai jogar no Platanias" [Greece: Emídio Rafael will play for Platanias]. Record (in Portuguese). 9 July 2013. Retrieved 30 September 2015.
^ "Oficial: Estoril confirma Emídio Rafael" [Official: Estoril confirm Emídio Rafael] (in Portuguese). Mais Futebol. 13 January 2014. Retrieved 11 January 2018.
^ "Académica 2015/2016 – Emídio Rafael" [2015/2016 Académica – Emídio Rafael] (in Portuguese). Académica de Coimbra. 8 June 2015. Retrieved 30 September 2015.
^ "Emídio Rafael encerra carreira aos 31 anos" [Emídio Rafael finishes career at the age of 31]. Record (in Portuguese). 10 March 2017. Retrieved 11 January 2018.