Xeka

Miguel Angelo da Silva Rocha (born 10 November 1994), known as Xeka (Portuguese pronunciation: [ˈʃɛkɐ]), is a Portuguese professional footballer who plays for French club Lille OSC as a midfielder.

Club Career

Braga

Born in Rebordosa, Paredes, Xeka played youth football with three clubs, including Valencia CF from Spain until the age of 17. Having returned to his homeland, he started playing as a senior with S.C. Braga's reserves in the Segunda Liga, being then loaned for two years to fellow league side S.C. Covilha. On 23 September 2013, whilst at the service of the former, he scored his first goal in competition, but in a 1–3 home loss against S.L. Benfica B.

Xeka started being called to Braga's first team in October 2016, by manager Jose Peseiro. He made his debut in the Primeira Liga late in that month, featuring the full 90 minutes in a 1–0 home win over G.D. Chaves. His fortunes changed, however, when Jorge Simao became the new coach before the end of the year.

Lille

On 31 January 2017, Xeka was loaned to Lille OSC from Ligue 1 until June. Subsequently, after the French club exercised the €5 million buyout clause, the move was made permanent.

In the last hours of the 2017 summer transfer window, Xeka joined fellow league team Dijon FCO in a season-long loan. Having returned to the Stade Pierre-Mauroy the following year, he contributed 33 matches and one goal during the 2020–21 campaign to help Lille win the national championship for the fourth time in their history.

On 1 August 2021, Xeka scored in the 1–0 defeat of Paris Saint-Germain F.C. in the Trophee des Champions, with the club winning that trophy for the first time ever.

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