Rafael Pereira da Silva (footballer born 1990)

This name uses Portuguese naming customs; the first or maternal family name is Pereira and the second or paternal family name is da Silva.
Rafael
Rafael da Silva.jpg
Personal information
Full name Rafael Pereira da Silva
Date of birth 9 July 1990 (1990-07-09) (age 20)
Place of birth Petrópolis, RJ, Brazil
Height 5 ft 8 in (1.73 m)[1]
Playing position Right back
Right winger
Club information
Current club Manchester United
Number 21
Youth career
2005–2008 Fluminense
Senior career*
Years Team Apps† (Gls)†
2008– Manchester United 24 (2)
National team‡
2007 Brazil U-17
2010– Brazil 0 (0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 18:06, 31 January 2010 (UTC).

† Appearances (Goals).

‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 07:15, 27 July 2010 (UTC)

Rafael Pereira da Silva (born 9 July 1990), commonly known as Rafael or Rafael da Silva, is a Brazilian footballer who plays for Manchester United. He normally plays as a defender in a right back position, but can also play on the right side of midfield. He is the twin brother of Fábio, who also plays for Manchester United.

Contents

Early life

Rafael was born in Petrópolis, a city approximately one hour's drive away from Rio de Janeiro in Rio de Janeiro state, and began playing football from the age of five. He and his identical twin, Fábio, would play five-a-side in the city. They were then spotted by a representative of Fluminense, who gave them the opportunity to play for the club; they went to live at the club's training center at Xerém when they were just 11 years old.[2]

Career

Club career

Fluminense

Rafael's professional football career began with Fluminense in Brazil, where he played at youth level.[3] Rafael and his brother Fábio were brought to the attention of Manchester United by club scout Les Kershaw in the summer of 2005 while playing for Fluminense in a youth tournament in Hong Kong.[4] Manchester United got in touch with Fluminense and asked permission for the twins to travel to Manchester to train with them in 2005. Shortly afterwards, a scout claiming to represent Arsenal visited the twins and asked them to come to England to train with Arsenal without the permission of Fluminense; however, they were dissuaded from this by their mother, who reminded them that they had been with Fluminense since they were 11, and that they should show the club some loyalty.[5] The twins were also approached by Real Madrid while they were on international duty with Brazil.[2]

Manchester United

The twins decided to sign for Manchester United, and a deal was agreed between the two clubs in February 2007. The twins moved to Manchester in January 2008, but were unable to play in matches until they turned 18 in July 2008. Rafael made his first appearance for the club in a friendly match against Peterborough United on 4 August. He was then registered in the club's senior squad for the 2008–09 season and was assigned the number 21 shirt. He made his competitive debut on the opening day of the 2008–09 Premier League season, coming on as a second half substitute for Fraizer Campbell against Newcastle United.[6]

Rafael made his first start for Manchester United on 23 September 2008, playing at right back against Middlesbrough in the Third Round of the League Cup.[7] His first start in European competition was away to Aalborg BK in the UEFA Champions League on 30 September. Selected ahead of Gary Neville and Wes Brown, Rafael turned in an impressive performance, creating problems for the Danish side with his attacking play and two well hit shots before being substituted on 66 minutes due to injury.[8]

He made his first Premier League start in Manchester United's 4–0 win at home to West Bromwich Albion on 18 October 2008.[9] His first goal for Manchester United came in the 90th minute of his seventh game for the club, a 2–1 defeat to Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium on 8 November 2008, with a powerful volley from just inside the penalty area.[10] On 19 April 2009, in the FA Cup semi-final against Everton, Rafael and his twin brother, Fábio, started a match together for Manchester United for the first time. However, United lost the match 4–2 on penalties.[11]

At the end of the season, Rafael and his Manchester United team-mate Jonny Evans were shortlisted as one of the nominees for the PFA Young Player of the Year award.[12] However, the two of them were beaten to the award by Aston Villa's Ashley Young.[13] In recognition of his successful first season in English football, Rafael was handed a two-year extension to his Manchester United contract, tying him to the club until 2013.[14] On 30 December 2009, Rafael scored the second goal of his Manchester United career and the first at Old Trafford in a 5–0 league win over Wigan Athletic, beating several players before placing the ball into the bottom right corner.[15] On 7 April 2010, Rafael was sent off for the first time in his United career, receiving two yellow cards either side of half time against Bayern Munich in the second leg of the Champions League quarter-final tie, despite winning 3–2 they were knocked out on away goals with the aggregate score ending 4–4.[16]

International career

In 2007, Rafael played for Brazil's national under-17 team in the FIFA U-17 World Cup. He was approached by Portuguese national coach Carlos Queiroz and asked to play for Portugal's senior side, as both Rafael and Fábio hold Portuguese citizenship.[17] Rafael indicated a willingness to take Queiroz up on his offer if he did not end up playing for Brazil, while Fábio remained set on playing for Brazil.[2]

On 26 July 2010, Rafael was called up to the Brazilian senior team for the first time, as he was included in new coach Mano Menezes' first squad for their friendly against the United States on 10 August.[18]

Career statistics

Club Season League Cup League Cup Europe Other[19] Total
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Manchester United 2008–09 16 1 2 0 5 0 4 0 1 0 28 1
2009–10 8 1 0 0 4 0 4 0 0 0 16 1
2010–11 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Total 24 2 2 0 9 0 8 0 1 0 44 2
Career total 24 2 2 0 9 0 8 0 1 0 44 2

Statistics accurate as of match played 24 April 2010[20]

Honours

Club

Manchester United

Personal life

Rafael's twin brother, Fábio, is also a professional footballer; both twins signed for Manchester United at the same time in 2008. The twins' elder brother, Luiz Henrique Pereira da Silva, used to play for América-MG in Brazil and Brescia in Italy, but moved with his wife to England when the twins signed for Manchester United. After a six-week wait for international clearance, Luiz Henrique signed for Radcliffe Borough, but he and his wife returned to Brazil in early 2009 in preparation for the birth of their child.[2][21] The Da Silvas' parents also live with them in Manchester.[2]

References

  1. ↑ Hugman, Barry J. (2008). The PFA Footballers Who's Who 2008–09. Edinburgh: Mainstream Publishing. p. 143. ISBN 978-1-84596-324-8. 
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 "Manchester United's Rafael and Fabio Da Silva set sights on twin goals". guardian.co.uk (Guardian News and Media). 20 April 2009. http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2009/apr/20/rafael-fabio-da-silva. Retrieved 24 April 2009. 
  3. ↑ Custis, Neil (28 February 2007). "Utd land Brazil whizkid twins". Sun Online (News Group Newspapers). http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/sport/football/article19932.ece. Retrieved 12 November 2008. 
  4. ↑ "21. Rafael". ManUtd.com. Manchester United. p. 2. http://www.manutd.com/default.sps?pagegid={FE60904B-C2A8-4E60-9B05-700DBBC29BBC}&bioid=93371&section=playerProfile. Retrieved 12 November 2008. 
  5. ↑ McGarry, Ian (18 March 2009). "Rafael: "Arsenal scout" wanted to tap me up". Sun Online (News Group Newspapers). http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/sport/football/article2324835.ece. Retrieved 18 March 2009. 
  6. ↑ Stevenson, Jonathan (17 August 2008). "Man Utd 1–1 Newcastle". BBC Sport (British Broadcasting Corporation). http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_prem/7551173.stm. Retrieved 17 August 2008. 
  7. ↑ "Man Utd 3–1 Middlesbrough". BBC Sport (British Broadcasting Corporation). 23 September 2008. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/league_cup/7626743.stm. Retrieved 23 September 2008. 
  8. ↑ McNulty, Phil (30 September 2008). "Aalborg 0–3 Man Utd". BBC Sport (British Broadcasting Corporation). http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/europe/7639326.stm. Retrieved 12 November 2008. 
  9. ↑ Whyatt, Chris (18 October 2008). "Man Utd 4–0 West Brom". BBC Sport (British Broadcasting Corporation). http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_prem/7665094.stm. Retrieved 18 October 2008. 
  10. ↑ McNulty, Phil (8 November 2008). "Arsenal 2–1 Man Utd". BBC Sport (British Broadcasting Corporation). http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_prem/7697409.stm. Retrieved 8 November 2008. 
  11. ↑ "Man Utd 0–0 Everton (aet)". BBC Sport (British Broadcasting Corporation). 19 April 2009. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/fa_cup/7990227.stm. Retrieved 19 April 2009. 
  12. ↑ "Man Utd dominate PFA awards list". BBC Sport (British Broadcasting Corporation). 14 April 2009. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_prem/7998204.stm. Retrieved 14 April 2009. 
  13. ↑ "Giggs earns prestigious PFA award". BBC Sport (British Broadcasting Corporation). 26 April 2009. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/8019726.stm. Retrieved 27 April 2009. 
  14. ↑ "Rafael extends Man Utd contract". BBC Sport (British Broadcasting Corporation). 27 April 2009. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/m/man_utd/8020724.stm. Retrieved 27 April 2009. 
  15. ↑ Lyon, Sam (30 December 2009). "Man Utd 5–0 Wigan". BBC Sport (British Broadcasting Corporation). http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_prem/8429015.stm. Retrieved 30 December 2009. 
  16. ↑ McNulty, Phil (7 April 2010). "Man Utd 3–2 Bayern Munich (agg 4–4)". BBC Sport (British Broadcasting Corporation). http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/europe/8604742.stm. Retrieved 7 April 2010. 
  17. ↑ "Brazilian twins ponder Queiroz offer". Yahoo! Eurosport UK (Yahoo! and Eurosport). 11 January 2009. http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/11012009/1/brazilian-twins-ponder-queiroz-offer.html. Retrieved 13 January 2009. 
  18. ↑ "Brazil call up Rafael and Lucas for US friendly". BBC Sport (British Broadcasting Corporation). 26 July 2010. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/8856880.stm. Retrieved 26 July 2010. 
  19. ↑ Includes other competitive competitions, including the FA Community Shield, UEFA Super Cup, Intercontinental Cup, FIFA Club World Cup
  20. ↑ "Rafael". StretfordEnd.co.uk. http://www.stretfordend.co.uk/playermenu/rafael.html. Retrieved 3 January 2010. 
  21. ↑ "Boro sign boy from Brazil". radcliffeborough.com (Radcliffe Borough FC). 29 October 2008. http://www.radcliffeborough.com/newsdetails.php?news_id=721. Retrieved 24 April 2009. 

External links

Manchester United F.C. – current squad

1 Van der Sar · 2 Neville · 3 Evra · 4 Hargreaves · 5 Ferdinand · 6 Brown · 7 Owen · 8 Anderson · 9 Berbatov · 10 Rooney · 11 Giggs · 12 Smalling · 13 Park · 14 Hernández · 15 Vidić (c) · 16 Carrick · 17 Nani · 18 Scholes · 20 Fábio · 21 Rafael · 22 O'Shea · 23 J. Evans · 24 Fletcher · 25 Valencia · 26 Obertan · 27 Macheda · 28 Gibson · 29 Kuszczak · 31 C. Evans · 33 Bébé · 37 Brady · 40 Amos · 42 Eikrem · 44 Dudgeon · 45 Gill · 47 Norwood · 49 Morrison · Manager: Ferguson