Rafael Gladiador

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Rafael Gladiador

| image =

| caption =

| fullname = Rafael Teixeira de Souza

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1992|7|13|df=yes}}

| birth_place = Água Boa, Brazil

| height = 1.83 m

| currentclub =

| clubnumber =

| position = Striker

| youthyears1 = {{0|0000}}–2011 |youthclubs1 = Bahia

| years1 = 2011–2014 |clubs1 = Bahia |caps1 = 13 |goals1 = 1

| years2 = 2013 |clubs2 = → D.C. United (loan) |caps2 = 7 |goals2 = 1

| years3 = 2013 |clubs3 = → Atlético Goianiense (loan) |caps3 = 4 |goals3 = 0

| years4 = 2014–2015 |clubs4 = Atlético Zacatepec |caps4 = 4 |goals4 = 0

| years5 = 2015 |clubs5 = Xinjiang Tianshan Leopard |caps5 = 12 |goals5 = 6

| years6 = 2017 |clubs6 = Tupi |caps6 = 10 |goals6 = 2

| years7 = 2019 |clubs7 = Cabofriense |caps7 = 6 |goals7 = 1

| years8 = 2019 |clubs8 = Paços de Ferreira |caps8 = |goals8 =

| years9 = 2020 |clubs9 = Patrocinense |caps9 = 9 |goals9 = 1

| years10 = 2020 |clubs10= Juventude |caps10= |goals10=

| years11 = 2021 |clubs11= Palmas |caps11= 8 |goals11= 5

| nationalyears1 = 2011 |nationalteam1 = Brazil U20 |nationalcaps1 = 3 |nationalgoals1 = 0

| club-update = 8 December 2021

| nationalteam-update = 14 September 2019

}}

Rafael Teixeira de Souza (born 13 July 1992) in Água Boa, commonly known as Rafael Gladiador, is a former Brazilian footballer who played as a striker.

Club career

In 2011, Rafael Gladiador signed for Bahia's first team from its reserve squad. In 36 appearances for Bahia he scored 10 goals.

On 9 January 2013, it was announced that he would join D.C. United as a young designated player on a one-year loan{{cite web|title=DC United ink Brazilian striker Rafael on loan as young DP|url=http://www.mlssoccer.com/news/article/2013/01/09/dc-sign-brazilian-striker-rafael-loan-young-dp|publisher=MLS|accessdate=9 January 2013|archive-date=8 March 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150308034234/http://www.mlssoccer.com/news/article/2013/01/09/dc-sign-brazilian-striker-rafael-loan-young-dp|url-status=dead}} with a pre-negotiated option to make the move permanent.{{cite web|last=Cammarota|first=Nick|title=DC not after another No. 9 after signing young DP Rafael|url=http://www.mlssoccer.com/news/article/2013/01/09/dc-not-after-another-no-9-after-signing-young-dp-rafael|publisher=MLS|accessdate=9 January 2013|archive-date=17 May 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140517224030/http://www.mlssoccer.com/news/article/2013/01/09/dc-not-after-another-no-9-after-signing-young-dp-rafael|url-status=dead}} He scored his first goal for the team in his debut game on 23 March, a 2–1 home defeat to the Columbus Crew.{{cite web |url=http://www.mlssoccer.com/matchcenter/2013-03-23-dc-v-clb/recap |title=MLS Match Recap: DC United 1, Columbus Crew 2 |publisher=MLS |date=23 March 2013 |accessdate=30 August 2014 |archive-date=4 September 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140904082224/http://www.mlssoccer.com/matchcenter/2013-03-23-DC-v-CLB/recap |url-status=dead }} After making four more appearances with United, Rafael suffered a concussion during training.

Rafael Gladiador and DC agreed to part ways in June 2013.{{cite web |url=http://www.dcunited.com/news/2013/06/dc-united-rafael-mutually-agree-to-part-ways |title=D.C. United, Rafael mutually agree to part ways |publisher=D.C. United |date=26 June 2013 |accessdate=30 August 2014}}

In July 2015, Rafael Gladiador transferred to China League One side Xinjiang Tianshan Leopard.[http://www.xjdsb.com/sports/1243413.shtml 新疆队巴西外援将到位] at xjdsb.com 2015-07-03 Retrieved 2015-07-03{{in lang|zh}}

On 5 July 2019, Rafael Gladiador signed with Paços de Ferreira after a stint in Brazil with Cabofriense.{{Cite web |date=5 July 2019 |title=Ex-Cabofriense, Rafael Gladiador acerta com o Paços de Ferreira, de Portugal |url=https://globoesporte.globo.com/rj/serra-lagos-norte/futebol/noticia/ex-cabofriense-rafael-gladiador-acerta-com-o-pacos-de-ferreira-de-portugal.ghtml |website=Globo Esporte|language=PT}} However, he didn't play any games for the club, before he returned to Brazil, signing with Patrocinense in December 2019. In August 2020, he moved to Sociedade Esportiva Juventude.{{Cite news |last=Sampaio |first=Matheus |date=14 August 2020 |title=Juventude anuncia a contratação do atacante Rafael Gladiador, ex-Patrocinense |language=pt-br |work=Globo Esporte |url=https://globoesporte.globo.com/ma/futebol/times/juventude-ma/noticia/juventude-anuncia-a-contratacao-do-atacante-rafael-gladiador-ex-patrocinense.ghtml |access-date=2021-03-25}}

Rafael joined Palmas ahead of the 2021 Campeonato Tocantinense.{{Cite news |date=5 March 2021 |title=Gladiador vibra com momento no Palmas e ressalta qualidade do grupo |language=pt-br |work=Globo Esporte |url=https://globoesporte.globo.com/to/futebol/times/palmas/noticia/gladiador-vibra-com-momento-no-palmas-e-ressalta-qualidade-do-grupo.ghtml |access-date=2021-03-25}}