Rafa Silva

Rafael Alexandre "Rafa" Fernandes Ferreira da Silva ComM (Portuguese pronunciation: [ˈʁafɐ ˈsiɫvɐ]; born 17 May 1993) is a Portuguese footballer who plays for Benfica and the Portugal national team as an attacking midfielder or winger.

After starting his professional career at Feirense, he transferred to Braga in 2013 and went on to make over 100 appearances for them, winning the 2016 Portuguese Cup. He joined Benfica in 2016, winning two Primeira Liga championships during his spell.

A full international since 2014, Silva represented Portugal at the 2014 FIFA World Cup, UEFA Euro 2016, the 2019 UEFA Nations League Finals and UEFA Euro 2020, winning the 2016 and 2019 tournaments.

Club Career

Feirense

Born in Forte da Casa, Vila Franca de Xira, Silva started playing football with Atletico Povoense and F.C. Alverca, both in the Lisbon District. In 2011, aged 18, he signed with C.D. Feirense with which he played his last year as a junior.

Silva made his professional debut on 29 July 2012, playing the full 90 minutes in a 2–1 home win against F.C. Penafiel for the season's Taca da Liga. He only missed one game in the league campaign, totalling more than 3,200 minutes of action to help his team finish 13th in the Segunda Liga.

Braga

In June 2013, Silva signed a five-year contract with S.C. Braga for an undisclosed fee. On 10 November he scored his first goals, striking twice in a 3–1 win at S.C. Olhanense in the fourth round of the Taca de Portugal; nineteen days later he scored for the first time in the league, in a 4–1 home win over the same opposition. He finished his first year with 23 appearances and three goals to help to a ninth-place finish.

The following season, Silva was ever-present in the league, starting all but one game. He scored three times in the 2014–15 Taca de Portugal, including one in the final which they lost in a penalty shootout to Sporting CP at the Estadio Nacional on 31 May 2015.

Silva sco

This page also has a version in other languages :  Рафа Силва (russian)