Rafa Soares

Rafa Soares
Fulham info
Full name	Luís Rafael Soares Alves
Nickname(s)	Rafa
Date of birth	9 May 1995
Place of birth	Marco de Canaveses, Porto, Portugal
Height	5ft 11 1/2in (1.82m)
Playing position	Left back
Current player?
Number(s) worn	5 (2017-2018)
Debut	Bristol City (h) (31 Oct 2017)
Last Appearance	Ipswich (h) (2 Jan 2018)
Joined from	Porto, Season-long loan - 22 Aug 2017
League apps (gls)	3 (0)
All apps (gls)	3 (0)
Other clubs	Alpendorada (youth) (2003-2005) Porto (2005-2018) → Académica (loan) (2016) → Rio Ave (loan) (2016-2017) Portimonense (2018) Vitória Guimarães (2018-2022) → Eibar (loan) (2020-2021) PAOK (2022-present)
International	Portugal U21 (2014-2016)
Apps (gls)	9 (0)

Rafa Soares was a defender who was at Fulham on loan from Porto during the 2017-18 season. Having spent most of his youth career at Porto, he joined Fulham after loan spells at Académica and Rio Ave. He has made over 70 appearances for Portugal's youth teams from U16 up to U21 level.

Career

Fulham (2017-2018)

Rafa signed on loan from Porto on 22 August 2017. He arrived with an injury and had to wait nearly two months before he was able to play, making his unofficial debut in a 4-0 loss at Blackburn Rovers for the U23 squad. His debut for the first team came on 31 October 2017, as he came on as a second half substitute during a 2-0 loss against Bristol City at Craven Cottage.

Unfortunately for Rafa, his loan at Fulham was mutually cut short as he failed to break into the first team and was returned to Porto in the January transfer window of 2018.

Fulham Statistics

Appearances

U23 squad

Season	League		EFL Trophy		Total
	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
2017-18	4	0	1	0	5	0
Total	4	0	1	0	5	0

First team

Season	League	League		FA Cup		League Cup		Total
		Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
2017-18	Championship	3	0	0	0	0	0	3	0
	Total	3	0	0	0	0	0	3	0

Disciplinary

First team

Season
2017-18	0	0
Total	0	0

Fulham Matches

U23 squad

#	Season	Date	Comp	Opposition	Venue	Result	Score	Additional Information
1	2017-18	25 Sept 2017	PL2D2	Blackburn U23	Away	Lost	0-4	63'
2	2017-18	20 Nov 2017	PL2D2	Southampton U23	Away	Won	4-3
3	2017-18	29 Nov 2017	LT	Crawley	Away	Won	3-1
4	2017-18	8 Dec 2017	PL2D2	Brighton U23	Home	Drew	1-1
5	2017-18	8 Jan 2018	PL2D2	Aston Villa U23	Away	Won	3-1

First team

#	Season	Date	Comp	Opposition	Venue	Result	Score	Additional Information
1	2017-18	31 Oct 2017	CHMP	Bristol City	Home	Lost	0-2	67'
2	2017-18	3 Nov 2017	CHMP	Wolves	Away	Lost	0-2	63'
3	2017-18	2 Jan 2018	CHMP	Ipswich	Home	Won	4-1	87'

External links and references