In this Portuguese name, the first or maternal family name is Scapini and the second or paternal family name is de Almeida.
Rafael Scapini de Almeida (born 29 June 1982), commonly known as Rafinha (Portuguese pronunciation:[ʁɐˈfĩɲɐ]), is a Brazilian football coach and a former professional footballer. Besides Brazil, he has played in Finland and Belgium.[1] During his career, Rafinha was deployed on different positions on the field, having started as a winger, moving on to midfield and ending his career as a centre back.
Rafinha started playing football in his native Brazil. He worked as a storage worker and played in lower amateur divisions in Campinas.[2]
In March 2005, he moved to Finland and after a successful trial, he signed with AC Oulu in second-tier Ykkönen.[3] In 2007, Rafinha debuted in top-tier Veikkausliiga after AC Oulu had won a promotion in 2006. During 2008–2009, he played in Veikkausliiga for Tampere United, and in 2010 and 2011, he won two Finnish championship titles with HJK, and additionally the Finnish Cup in 2011.
He was acquired by Belgian club Gent in 2011 for an undisclosed fee.[4] In 2016, after five seasons, one Belgian championship title and six UEFA Champions League group stage appearances with Gent, Rafinha returned to Finland and signed with HJK. He went on winning two more championship titles with HJK, in 2017 and 2018, and Finnish Cup in 2017. He also captained the HJK team.
In 2020, Rafinha returned to AC Oulu, his first club in Finland.[5] Three years later, after having helped the club to establish themselves in Veikkausliiga, he announced the ending of his professional career, at the age of 40.[6] However, next 2023 season he played for Oulun Luistinseura (OLS), the reserve team of AC Oulu in third-tier Kakkonen, and worked as an assistant coach on a player-coach contract.[7]
Coaching careeredit
On 26 November 2023, Rafinha was appointed as a full-time assistant coach of the reserve team OLS.[8]
^Rafinha oli amatöörisarjoissa pelaava varastomies, kun hän sai mahdollisuuden lähteä testiin Ouluun: nyt hän on elättänyt itsensä jalkapallolla 15 vuotta, Lapin Kansa, 16 June 2020
^Brassisykettä AC Oulun hyökkäyspeliin, Kaleva, 1 March 2005
^Legenda palkitaan lauantaina - Rafinhalle AC Oulun kultakortti, Veikkausliiga, 30 June 2023
^Rafinha toteutti lupauksensa: Mestarien liigassakin pelannut brassi palaa AC Ouluun, Kaleva, 30 January 2020
^Veikkausliigakonkari Rafinha lopettaa uransa 40-vuotiaana, suomifutis.com, 2 November 2022
^RAFINHA LIITTYY RESERVIJOUKKUEEN VALMENNUSTIIMIIN, AC Oulu, 13 December 2022
^Malttaako Rafinha jättää pelaamisen? - AC Oulun reservijoukkueen valmennuskuviot selvillä, Veikkausliiga, 26 November 2023
rafinha, footballer, born, 1982, other, people, named, rafinha, rafinha, disambiguation, this, portuguese, name, first, maternal, family, name, scapini, second, paternal, family, name, almeida, rafael, scapini, almeida, born, june, 1982, commonly, known, rafin. For other people named Rafinha see Rafinha disambiguation In this Portuguese name the first or maternal family name is Scapini and the second or paternal family name is de Almeida Rafael Scapini de Almeida born 29 June 1982 commonly known as Rafinha Portuguese pronunciation ʁɐˈfĩɲɐ is a Brazilian football coach and a former professional footballer Besides Brazil he has played in Finland and Belgium 1 During his career Rafinha was deployed on different positions on the field having started as a winger moving on to midfield and ending his career as a centre back RafinhaRafinha with HJK in 2018 Personal informationFull nameRafael Scapini de AlmeidaDate of birth 1982 06 29 29 June 1982 age 41 Place of birthBrazilHeight1 84 m 6 ft 0 in Position s Midfielder DefenderSenior career YearsTeamApps Gls 0000 2005Campinas2005 2007AC Oulu67 13 2008 2009Tampere United48 8 2010 2011HJK44 3 2011 2016Gent101 2 2016 2019HJK95 4 2020 2022AC Oulu72 1 2023 OLS20 0 Managerial career2023 OLS assistant Club domestic league appearances and goals correct as of 28 November 2023 Contents 1 Career 2 Coaching career 3 Personal life 4 Career statistics 5 Honours 6 References 7 External linksCareer editRafinha started playing football in his native Brazil He worked as a storage worker and played in lower amateur divisions in Campinas 2 In March 2005 he moved to Finland and after a successful trial he signed with AC Oulu in second tier Ykkonen 3 In 2007 Rafinha debuted in top tier Veikkausliiga after AC Oulu had won a promotion in 2006 During 2008 2009 he played in Veikkausliiga for Tampere United and in 2010 and 2011 he won two Finnish championship titles with HJK and additionally the Finnish Cup in 2011 He was acquired by Belgian club Gent in 2011 for an undisclosed fee 4 In 2016 after five seasons one Belgian championship title and six UEFA Champions League group stage appearances with Gent Rafinha returned to Finland and signed with HJK He went on winning two more championship titles with HJK in 2017 and 2018 and Finnish Cup in 2017 He also captained the HJK team In 2020 Rafinha returned to AC Oulu his first club in Finland 5 Three years later after having helped the club to establish themselves in Veikkausliiga he announced the ending of his professional career at the age of 40 6 However next 2023 season he played for Oulun Luistinseura OLS the reserve team of AC Oulu in third tier Kakkonen and worked as an assistant coach on a player coach contract 7 Coaching career editOn 26 November 2023 Rafinha was appointed as a full time assistant coach of the reserve team OLS 8 Personal life editRafinha has a Finnish wife and two children 9 Career statistics editAs of match played on 31 January 2024 10 Appearances and goals by club season and competition Club Season League Cup League Cup Other TotalDivision Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps GoalsAC Oulu 2005 Ykkonen 22 6 0 0 22 62006 22 6 0 0 22 62007 Veikkausliiga 22 1 0 0 22 1Total 66 13 0 0 0 0 0 0 66 13Tampere United 2008 Veikkausliiga 22 1 0 0 4 a 0 26 12009 25 7 0 0 25 7Total 47 8 0 0 0 0 4 0 51 8HJK 2010 Veikkausliiga 24 1 4 0 7 1 6 b 0 41 22011 20 2 2 0 7 0 5 c 1 34 3Total 44 3 6 0 14 1 11 1 75 5Gent 2011 12 Belgian Pro League 20 1 3 0 23 12012 13 24 0 4 0 1 d 0 29 02013 14 21 0 4 0 25 02014 15 19 1 4 0 23 12015 16 17 0 3 0 7 e 0 27 0Total 101 2 18 0 0 0 8 0 127 2HJK 2016 Veikkausliiga 13 1 1 0 14 12017 31 2 7 1 4 d 0 42 32018 24 1 6 1 6 f 0 36 22019 27 1 5 0 6 f 0 38 1Total 95 5 19 2 0 0 16 0 130 7AC Oulu 2020 Ykkonen 21 1 3 1 24 22021 Veikkausliiga 26 0 3 0 29 02022 25 0 3 0 2 0 30 0Total 72 1 9 1 2 0 0 0 83 2OLS 2023 Kakkonen 20 0 1 0 21 0Career totals 445 32 53 3 16 1 40 1 554 36 Appearance in the UEFA Champions League Four Appearances in the UEFA Champions League Two Appearances in the UEFA Europa League Three Appearances in the UEFA Champions League Two Appearances in the UEFA Europa League a b Appearance s in the UEFA Europa League Six Appearances in the UEFA Champions League One Appearance in the Belgian Super Cup a b Appearance s in UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa LeagueHonours editHJKVeikkausliiga 4 2010 2011 2017 2018 Finnish Cup 2 2011 2017K A A GentBelgian Pro League 1 2014 15 Belgian Supercup 1 2015AC OuluYkkonen 1 2020References edit Ykkosen tahdet tutuiksi Rafinha palloliitto fi Rafinha oli amatoorisarjoissa pelaava varastomies kun han sai mahdollisuuden lahtea testiin Ouluun nyt han on elattanyt itsensa jalkapallolla 15 vuotta Lapin Kansa 16 June 2020 Brassisyketta AC Oulun hyokkayspeliin Kaleva 1 March 2005 Legenda palkitaan lauantaina Rafinhalle AC Oulun kultakortti Veikkausliiga 30 June 2023 Rafinha toteutti lupauksensa Mestarien liigassakin pelannut brassi palaa AC Ouluun Kaleva 30 January 2020 Veikkausliigakonkari Rafinha lopettaa uransa 40 vuotiaana suomifutis com 2 November 2022 RAFINHA LIITTYY RESERVIJOUKKUEEN VALMENNUSTIIMIIN AC Oulu 13 December 2022 Malttaako Rafinha jattaa pelaamisen AC Oulun reservijoukkueen valmennuskuviot selvilla Veikkausliiga 26 November 2023 Uran viimeinen haave Helsingin Sanomat 17 October 2020 Rafinha at Soccerway Retrieved 22 April 2018 External links editGuardian Football Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Rafinha footballer born 1982 amp oldid 1203720368, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
