Zé Rafael

Zé Rafael
	Zé Rafael with Palmeiras in 2022
Personal information
Full name	José Rafael Vivian
Date of birth	16 June 1993 (age 31)
Place of birth	Ponta Grossa, Brazil
Height	1.75 m (5 ft 9 in)
Position(s)	Midfielder
Team information
Current team	Palmeiras
Number	8
Youth career
2009–2012	Coritiba
Senior career*
Years	Team
2012–2016	Coritiba
2014	→ Novo Hamburgo (loan)
2015	→ Londrina (loan)
2016	→ Londrina (loan)
2017–2018	Bahia
2019–	Palmeiras
	*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 24 August 2023

José Rafael Vivian (born 16 June 1993), known as Zé Rafael, is a Brazilian professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Série A club Palmeiras.

Club career

Born in Ponta Grossa, Paraná, Zé Rafael joined Coritiba's youth setup in 2009, aged 16.^[1] He made his first team debut on 29 April 2012, coming on as a half-time substitute for Rafael Silva in a 3–1 Campeonato Paranaense away win against Roma.

Zé Rafael was definitely promoted to the first team ahead of the 2013 season,^[1] and made his Série A debut on 11 August of that year by replacing Lincoln in a 1–0 loss at Vasco da Gama. On 12 February 2014, after appearing sparingly, he was loaned to Novo Hamburgo until the end of the 2014 Campeonato Gaúcho.^[2]

Zé Rafael scored his first senior goal on 27 February 2014, netting the first in a 2–1 home win against Passo Fundo. Upon returning, he only featured rarely before joining Londrina on loan on 5 May 2015, with Paulinho moving in the opposite direction.^[3]

Zé Rafael became a regular starter at the Tubarão, helping in their promotion to Série B with two goals. He subsequently returned to Coxa, but after failing to make an appearance, he requested to leave and returned to Londrina on 11 February 2016, on loan until December.^[4]

Zé Rafael was an undisputed starter during the second division, scoring four goals in 32 appearances as his side finished sixth, three points away from another promotion; highlights included a brace in a 2–1 away win against Vila Nova. On 6 January 2017, he signed a three-year deal with Bahia, in the first division.^[5]

Zé Rafael scored his first top tier goal on 14 May 2017, netting the equalizer in a 6–2 home routing of Atlético Paranaense.

Zé Rafael signed a five-year deal with Palmeiras on 29 November 2018.^[6] The signing cost R$14,5 million for Palmeiras and became the biggest sale in Bahia's history.^[7]

On 6 January 2024, Zé Rafael extended his contract with Palmeiras until December 2026.^[8]

Career statistics

As of 6 December 2021^[9]

Club	Season	League			State League		Cup		Continental		Other		Total
Club	Season	Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Coritiba	2012	Série A	0	0	1	0	0	0	—		—		1	0
	2013		7	0	5	0	2	0	2^[a]	0	—		16	0
	2014		3	0	5	0	—		—		—		8	0
	2015		0	0	1	0	0	0	—		—		1	0
	2016		0	0	0	0	0	0	—		0	0	0	0
	Subtotal		10	0	12	0	2	0	2	0	0	0	26	0
Novo Hamburgo (loan)	2014	Gaúcho	—		6	3	4	0	—		—		10	3
Londrina (loan)	2015	Série C	16	2	—		—		—		—		16	2
	2016	Série B	32	4	10	4	1	0	—		—		43	8
	Subtotal		48	6	10	4	2	0	—		—		59	10
Bahia	2017	Série A	36	3	10	1	2	0	—		12^[b]	1	60	5
	2018	Série A	33	4	12	3	4	1	8^[a]	3	11^[b]	2	68	13
	Subtotal		69	7	22	4	6	1	8	3	23	3	128	18
Palmeiras	2019	Série A	27	5	4	0	3	2	4^[c]	0	—		38	7
	2020		26	2	16	1	7	0	12^[c]	2	1^[d]	0	62	5
	2021		26	1	8	0	2	0	10^[c]	2	2^[e]	0	48	3
	2022		33	3	11	2	4	0	11^[c]	1	2^[f]	1	61	7
	Subtotal		112	11	39	3	16	2	37	5	5	1	209	22
Career total			239	24	89	14	30	3	47	8	26	4	431	53

^ ^a ^b Appearance(s) in Copa Sudamericana
^ ^a ^b Appearance(s) in Copa do Nordeste
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d Appearance(s) in Copa Libertadores
^ Appearance(s) in FIFA Club World Cup
^ One appearance in Supercopa do Brasil, one appearance in Recopa Sudamericana
^ One appearance in Supercopa do Brasil, one appearance in Recopa Sudamericana

Honours

Club

Coritiba

Campeonato Paranaense: 2012, 2013

Bahia

Copa do Nordeste: 2017
Campeonato Baiano: 2018

Palmeiras

Campeonato Paulista: 2020, 2022, 2023, 2024
Copa do Brasil: 2020
Copa Libertadores: 2020, 2021
Recopa Sudamericana: 2022
Campeonato Brasileiro Série A: 2022, 2023
Supercopa do Brasil: 2023
FIFA Club World Cup Runner Up: 2021

Individual

Bola de Prata: 2022
Best Central Midfielder in Brazil: 2022^[10]
Campeonato Paulista Team of the Year: 2023^[11]

References

^ ^a ^b "Zé Rafael representa Ponta Grossa no Brasileirão" [Zé Rafael represents Ponta Grossa at the Brasileirão] (in Portuguese). Diário dos Campos. 26 May 2013. Retrieved 24 September 2017.
^ "Coritiba empresta goleiro Victor Brasil e meia Zé Rafael ao Novo Hamburgo" [Coritiba loan goalkeeper Victor Brasil and midfielder Zé Rafael to Novo Hamburgo] (in Portuguese). Globo Esporte. 12 February 2014. Retrieved 24 September 2017.
^ "Londrina confirma "troca" com o Coritiba: Paulinho por Zé Rafael" [Londrina confirm "exchange" with Coritiba: Paulinho for Zé Rafael] (in Portuguese). Bem Paraná. 5 May 2015. Retrieved 24 September 2017.
^ "Insatisfeito no Coritiba, Zé Rafael é liberado e emprestado ao Londrina" [Unhappy at Coritiba, Zé Rafael is released and loaned to Londrina] (in Portuguese). Globo Esporte. 11 February 2016. Retrieved 24 September 2017.
^ "Zé Rafael" (in Portuguese). EC Bahia. 6 January 2017. Retrieved 4 April 2017.
^ "Palmeiras acerta contratação do meia Zé Rafael por 5 anos" [Palmeiras signs Zé Rafael on a five-year deal] (in Portuguese). Palmeiras. 29 November 2018. Retrieved 29 November 2018.
^ "Informe sobre Zé Rafael" [Report about Zé Rafael] (in Portuguese). EC Bahia. 29 November 2018. Retrieved 29 November 2018.
^ "Multicampeão pelo Palmeiras, Zé Rafael renova até 2026: 'Muito feliz e motivado'" [Multichampion for Palmeiras, Zé Rafael renews until 2026: 'Very happy and motivated']. SE Palmeiras. 6 January 2024. Retrieved 6 January 2024.
^ Zé Rafael at Soccerway. Retrieved 24 September 2017.
^ Letizio, Mariana; Campos, Sarah; Hernandes, Pedro (21 November 2022). "'Agora é olho no olho': cerimônia do Troféu Mesa Redonda está de volta ao presencial; confira os premiados" (in Brazilian Portuguese). Archived from the original on 21 November 2022. Retrieved 16 February 2024.
^ "Sem Abel, Palmeiras domina seleção do Paulistão; veja time ideal e outros prêmios" [Without Abel, Palmeiras dominate the Paulistão best XI; see the team and other awards] (in Brazilian Portuguese). ge. 10 April 2023. Retrieved 12 April 2023.