Hamza Rafia

Hamza Rafia (Arabic: حمزة رفيعة; born 2 April 1999) is a Tunisian professional footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder for Italian Serie A club Lecce and the Tunisia national team.

Hamza Rafia
Rafia in 2022
Personal information
Date of birth (1999-04-02) 2 April 1999
Place of birth Kalaat es Senam, Tunisia
Height 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)[1]
Position(s) Attacking midfielder
Team information
Current team
 Lecce
Number 8
Youth career
2005–2009 Bron Terraillon
2009–2010 Bron Grand Lyon
2010–2016 Lyon
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2016–2019 Lyon B 26 (5)
2019–2023 Juventus 0 (0)
2019–2021 → Juventus U23 (res.) 43 (2)
2021–2022 → Standard Liège (loan) 9 (0)
2022 → Cremonese (loan) 12 (0)
2022–2023 → Juventus Next Gen (res.) 14 (2)
2023 Pescara 12 (0)
2023– Lecce 3 (1)
International career‡
2016 France U17 1 (0)
2016 France U18 1 (0)
2019– Tunisia 21 (1)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 09:04, 15 September 2023 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 21:56, 5 June 2021 (UTC)

Born in Tunisia, Rafia initially represented France at youth level, before switching allegiance to his native country, making his senior debut for Tunisia in 2019.

Early life

Born on 22 April 1999 in Kalaat es Senam, Tunisia,[2] Rafia moved to France as a child and played in the youth sectors of Bron Terraillon, Bron Grand Lyon, and Lyon.[3]

Club career

Lyon B

Coming through the youth system, Rafia played for the reserve team of Lyon in the Championnat de France Amateur, the fourth division of French football.[3] He made his debut on 28 May 2016,[2] during the 2015–16 season, in a 4–3 home defeat to Moulins Yzeure Foot.[4] His first goal for Lyon B came during the 2018–19 season, on 18 August 2018, helping his side win 5–2 against Monaco B.[5] Rafia scored five goals in 18 league games throughout the season.[2] In four seasons, he scored five goals in 26 games.[2]

Juventus U23

On 16 July 2019, Rafia joined Juventus on a three-year contract,[3] for a fee of €400,000, which can reach €5 million in add-ons, and 20% on his future sale.[6] Rafia played for Juventus' reserve team in the Serie C – Juventus U23 – making his professional debut in a 2–0 away loss to Novara in the league on 26 August 2019.[7]

On 18 December, Rafia scored his first goal for Juventus U23 in a 2–1 away victory over Piacenza, in the quarter-finals of the Coppa Italia Serie C.[8] He helped Juventus U23 win the tournament, scoring against Ternana in the final, which ended 2–1.[9] During the 2019–20 season, Rafia played 20 games in the league, two in the promotion play-offs,[2] and scored three goals and made three assists in the Coppa Italia Serie C.[9] On 29 November 2020, Rafia scored his first goal in Serie C in a 2–1 away loss against Olbia.[10]

Juventus

On 13 January 2021, Rafia made his senior debut for Juventus, coming on as a 77th-minute substitute in a Coppa Italia match against Genoa; he scored in the 104th minute, helping Juventus win 3–2 after extra time.[9]

Loan to Standard Liège

On 18 August 2021, Rafia moved to Belgian side Standard Liège on loan.[11]

Loan to Cremonese

On 31 January 2022, Rafia moved to Serie B side Cremonese.[12]

Pescara

On 27 January 2023, Rafia signed a 2.5-year contract with Serie C club Pescara.[13]

Lecce

On 18 July 2023, Rafia signed a three-year contract with Serie A club Lecce.[14] He made his top-tier debut in their season opener against Lazio on 20 August 2023.

Style of play

Rafia is an attacking midfielder also capable of playing as a right winger.[3]

International career

Rafia represented France at under-17 and under-18 levels, but decided to represent Tunisia at senior level.[3] He made his senior debut on 6 September 2019, coming off the bench in a 1–0 friendly win over Mauritania.[15]

International
No.DateVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetition
1.12 September 202330 June Stadium, Cairo, Egypt Egypt3–13–1Friendly

Club
As of match played 4 June 2023[2]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National cup[lower-alpha 1] Continental Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Lyon B 2015–16 Amateur 20———20
2016–17 Amateur 00———00
2017–18 National 2 60———60
2018–19 National 2 185———185
Total 265000000265
Juventus U23 2019–20 Serie C 200——9[lower-alpha 2]3293
2020–21 Serie C 232——1[lower-alpha 3]0242
2022–23 Serie C 132——10142
Total 5540000113657
Juventus 2020–21 Serie A 001100—11
Standard Liège (loan) 2021–22 Division A 902000—110
Cremonese (loan) 2021–22 Serie B 1200000—120
Pescara 2022–23 Serie C 12 0 0 0 0 0 6[lower-alpha 4] 1 18 1
Lecce 2023–24 Serie A 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Career total 1189310017413514
  1. Includes Coupe de France, Coppa Italia
  2. Two appearances in Serie C promotion play-offs, seven appearances and three goals in Coppa Italia Serie C
  3. Appearance in Serie C promotion play-offs
  4. Six appearances in Serie C promotion play-off.

Honours

Juventus U23

Juventus

References
  1. "Hamza Rafia". National Football Teams. Benjamin Strack-Zimmermann. Retrieved 24 September 2021.
  2. Hamza Rafia at Soccerway. Retrieved 18 April 2020.
  3. "Who is Juventus match winner Rafia? | Football Italia". www.football-italia.net. Retrieved 13 January 2021.
  4. "Olympique Lyonnais II vs. Moulins Yzeure Foot - 28 May 2016 - Soccerway". int.soccerway.com. Retrieved 13 January 2021.
  5. "Olympique Lyonnais II vs. Monaco II - 18 August 2018 - Soccerway". int.soccerway.com. Retrieved 13 January 2021.
  6. "Hamza Rafia completes transfer to Juventus". www.OL.fr. Retrieved 13 January 2021.
  7. "Novara vs. Juventus II - 26 August 2019 - Soccerway". ca.soccerway.com.
  8. JuventusNews24, Redazione (18 December 2019). "Piacenza-Juventus U23 1-2: bianconeri in semifinale di Coppa Italia". Juventus News 24 (in Italian). Retrieved 12 June 2021.
  9. "Chi è Rafia, il trequartista a segno all'esordio con la Juventus". Goal.com (in Italian). 14 January 2021. Retrieved 14 January 2021.
  10. Carinci, Josephine (29 November 2020). "Olbia-Juventus U23 2-1: bianconeri sconfitti in Sardegna". Juventus News 24 (in Italian). Retrieved 14 July 2021.
  11. Juventus.com. "Under 23, Hamza Rafia in prestito allo Standard Liegi - Juventus". Juventus F.C. (in Italian). Retrieved 18 August 2021.
  12. "RAFIA NUOVO CALCIATORE GRIGIOROSSO" (Press release) (in Italian). Cremonese. 31 January 2022. Retrieved 31 January 2022.
  13. "HAMZA RAFIA E' BIANCAZZURRO" (in Italian). Delfino Pescara 1936. 27 January 2023. Retrieved 27 January 2023.
  14. "HAMZA RAFIA È UN CALCIATORE DEL LECCE" [HAMZA RAFIA IS A LECCE FOOTBALLER] (in Italian). Lecce. 18 July 2023. Retrieved 22 August 2023.
  15. "Tunisia vs. Mauritania - 6 September 2019 - Soccerway". ca.soccerway.com.
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