Emídio Rafael

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Emídio Rafael

| image =

| fullname = Emídio Rafael Augusto da Silva{{cite web|url=https://maisfutebol.iol.pt/emidio-rafael/fc-porto/1574-582-39631|title=Emidio Rafael|publisher=Mais Futebol|language=Portuguese|accessdate=7 March 2025}}

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1986|1|24|df=y}}

| birth_place = Lisbon, Portugal

| height = 1.82 m

| position = Left-back

| currentclub =

| clubnumber =

| youthyears1 = 1995–2005 | youthclubs1 = Sporting CP

| years1 = 2005–2007 | clubs1 = Sporting CP | caps1 = 0 | goals1 = 0

| years2 = 2005–2006 | clubs2 = → Casa Pia (loan) | caps2 = 16 | goals2 = 1

| years3 = 2006–2007 | clubs3 = → Real Massamá (loan) | caps3 = 26 | goals3 = 2

| years4 = 2007–2009 | clubs4 = Portimonense | caps4 = 46 | goals4 = 1

| years5 = 2009–2010 | clubs5 = Académica | caps5 = 26 | goals5 = 1

| years6 = 2010–2013 | clubs6 = Porto | caps6 = 5 | goals6 = 0

| years7 = 2013 | clubs7 = Braga | caps7 = 1 | goals7 = 0

| years8 = 2013 | clubs8 = Braga B | caps8 = 17 | goals8 = 0

| years9 = 2013–2014 | clubs9 = Platanias | caps9 = 11 | goals9 = 0

| years10 = 2014–2015 | clubs10 = Estoril | caps10 = 17 | goals10 = 2

| years11 = 2015–2016 | clubs11 = Académica | caps11 = 9 | goals11 = 0

| totalcaps = 174 | totalgoals = 7

| nationalyears1 = 2004 | nationalteam1 = Portugal U18 | nationalcaps1 = 5 | nationalgoals1 = 0

| nationalyears2 = 2004 | nationalteam2 = Portugal U19 | nationalcaps2 = 3 | nationalgoals2 = 0

| nationalyears3 = 2010 | nationalteam3 = Portugal U23 | nationalcaps3 = 1 | nationalgoals3 = 0

| club-update =

}}

Emídio Rafael Augusto da Silva (born 24 January 1986) is a Portuguese former professional footballer who played as a left-back.

In a career marred by injuries after signing with Porto in 2010, he played 58 matches in the Primeira Liga over six seasons while scoring three goals, 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 was a youth graduate at Sporting CP, 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.{{cite web|url=https://maisfutebol.iol.pt/emidio-rafael-a-esperanca-depois-de-tanto-azar|title=Emídio Rafael: a esperança, depois de tanto azar|trans-title=Emídio Rafael: hope, after so many misfortunes|publisher=Mais Futebol|first=Berta|last=Rodrigues|language=Portuguese|date=25 October 2013|accessdate=7 March 2025}}

Subsequently, Rafael signed for Portimonense S.C. in the Segunda Liga, 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,{{cite news|url=https://www.dn.pt/arquivo/diario-de-noticias/emidio-rafael-assinou-por-dois-anos.html|title=Emídio Rafael assinou por dois anos|trans-title=Emídio Rafael signed for two years|newspaper=Diário de Notícias|language=Portuguese|date=3 July 2009|accessdate=7 March 2025}} his first appearance in the competition being on 13 September 2009 in a 2–1 away loss against S.C. Olhanense;{{cite news|url=https://www.publico.pt/2009/09/13/desporto/noticia/olhanense-vence-mesmo-a-jogar-com-nove-1400494|title=Olhanense vence mesmo a jogar com nove|trans-title=Olhanense win even playing with nine|newspaper=Público|language=Portuguese|date=13 September 2009|accessdate=11 January 2018}} he only missed four league games, scoring once as the Students easily retained their status.{{cite web|url=https://www.tsf.pt/desporto/interior/academica-vence-leixoes-por-2-0-1446619.html|title=Académica vence Leixões por 2–0|trans-title=Académica beat Leixões 2–0|publisher=TSF|language=Portuguese|date=13 December 2009|accessdate=11 January 2018}}{{cite web|url=https://www.rsssf.org/tablesp/port2010.html|title=Portugal 2009/10|publisher=RSSSF|first1=Jorge|last1=Santos|first2=Jan|last2=Schoenmakers|accessdate=7 March 2025}}

On 10 July 2010, Rafael followed manager André Villas-Boas to FC Porto after agreeing to a three-year contract.{{cite news|url=https://www.record.pt/futebol/futebol-nacional/liga-betclic/fc-porto/detalhe/emidio-rafael-ate-2013|title=Emídio Rafael até 2013|trans-title=Emídio Rafael until 2013|newspaper=Record|language=Portuguese|date=10 July 2010|accessdate=7 March 2025}}{{cite web|url=https://www.uefa.com/uefaeuropaleague/news/01e7-0e74d908964c-3f981fc40ea0-1000--rafael-reunited-with-villas-boas/|title=Rafael reunited with Villas-Boas|publisher=UEFA|date=10 July 2010|accessdate=7 March 2025}} He was rarely selected for matchday squads in the first months at his new club, but profited from a run of injuries in the first team to earn more playing time.{{cite news|url=https://www.record.pt/futebol/futebol-nacional/liga-betclic/fc-porto/detalhe/emidio-merece-toda-a-confianca-551125?ref=Detalhe_Relacionadas|title=Emídio merece toda a confiança|trans-title=Emídio deserves all the trust|newspaper=Record|language=Portuguese|date=6 December 2010|accessdate=7 March 2025}}{{cite news|url=https://www.record.pt/futebol/futebol-nacional/liga-betclic/fc-porto/detalhe/emidio-sobre-brasas-678430?ref=Detalhe_Relacionadas|title=Emídio sobre brasas|trans-title=Emídio on eggshells|newspaper=Record|language=Portuguese|date=8 January 2011|accessdate=7 March 2025}} On 29 January 2011, he scored in a 2–2 draw at Gil Vicente F.C. in the group stage of the Taça da Liga, but also sustained an horrific last-minute injury to his foot, being sidelined for well more than a year;{{cite news|url=https://www.jn.pt/desporto/interior/fc-porto-eliminado-da-taca-da-liga-1770254.html|title=F.C. Porto eliminado da Taça da Liga|trans-title=F.C. Porto ousted from the League Cup|newspaper=Jornal de Notícias|language=Portuguese|date=29 January 2011|accessdate=11 January 2018}}{{cite news|url=http://www.abola.pt/nnh/ver.aspx?id=320924|title=Varela ainda com limitações|trans-title=Varela still limited|newspaper=A Bola|language=Portuguese|date=14 March 2012|accessdate=21 July 2012}}{{cite news|url=https://www.ojogo.pt/futebol/1a-liga/porto/noticias/interior/emidio-rafael-volta-quase-dois-anos-depois-2883224.html|title=Emídio Rafael volta quase dois anos depois|trans-title=Emídio Rafael returns nearly two years later|newspaper=O Jogo|first=André|last=Morais|language=Portuguese|date=13 November 2012|accessdate=11 January 2018}} he finished his first season with 11 competitive appearances and two goals.{{cite news|url=https://www.jn.pt/desporto/interior/f-c-porto-bateu-beira-mar-por-3-0-1761498.html|title=F. C Porto bateu Beira-Mar por 3–0|trans-title=F. C Porto beat Beira-Mar 3–0|newspaper=Jornal de Notícias|language=Portuguese|date=19 January 2011|accessdate=11 January 2018}}{{cite news|url=https://www.dn.pt/arquivo/diario-de-noticias/fc-porto-despede-se-com-empate.html|title=FC Porto despede-se com empate|trans-title=FC Porto bid farewell with draw|newspaper=Diário de Notícias|language=Portuguese|date=29 January 2011|accessdate=7 March 2025}}

Rafael joined S.C. Braga in January 2013, until the end of the campaign with the possibility of a three-year extension.{{cite news|url=http://www.abola.pt/nnh/ver.aspx?id=375006|title=Emídio Rafael reforça guerreiros|trans-title=Emídio Rafael strengthens warriors|newspaper=A Bola|first=Pedro|last=Couto|language=Portuguese|date=7 January 2013|accessdate=8 January 2013|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130110101405/http://www.abola.pt/nnh/ver.aspx?id=375006|archivedate=10 January 2013}} After his contract expired, he moved to Platanias F.C. of Super League Greece.{{cite news|url=https://www.record.pt/internacional/detalhe/grecia-emidio-rafael-vai-jogar-no-platanias-832333|title=Grécia: Emídio Rafael vai jogar no Platanias|trans-title=Greece: Emídio Rafael will play in Platanias|newspaper=Record|language=Portuguese|date=9 July 2013|accessdate=7 March 2025}} However, just six months later he returned to Portugal and signed a one-and-a-half-year deal with G.D. Estoril Praia.{{cite web|url=http://www.maisfutebol.iol.pt/oficial-estoril-confirma-emidio-rafael|title=Oficial: Estoril confirma Emídio Rafael|trans-title=Official: Estoril confirm Emídio Rafael|publisher=Mais Futebol|language=Portuguese|date=13 January 2014|accessdate=11 January 2018}}

On 8 June 2015, free agent Rafael rejoined Académica for two years.{{cite web|url=http://www.academica-oaf.pt/noticias/futebol-profissional/5454-academica-20152016-emidio-rafael/|title=Académica 2015/2016 – Emídio Rafael|trans-title=2015/2016 Académica – Emídio Rafael|publisher=Académica Coimbra|language=Portuguese|date=8 June 2015|accessdate=30 September 2015}} On 10 March 2017, not having been able to overcome his recurring injury problems, the 31-year-old announced his retirement and began working for scouting agency Gold World Stars.{{cite news|url=http://www.record.pt/futebol/futebol-nacional/detalhe/emidio-rafael-encerra-carreira-aos-31-anos.html|title=Emídio Rafael encerra carreira aos 31 anos|trans-title=Emídio Rafael wraps up career at the age of 31|newspaper=Record|first=Armando|last=Alves|language=Portuguese|date=10 March 2017|accessdate=11 January 2018}}