Rafael Bracali

Rafael Wihby Bracali (born 5 May 1981) is a Brazilian former professional footballer who played as a goalkeeper. He also held Italian citizenship.

Rafael Bracali
Personal information
Full name Rafael Wihby Bracali[1]
Date of birth (1981-05-05) 5 May 1981[1]
Place of birth Santos, Brazil
Height 1.84 m (6 ft 0 in)[1]
Position(s) Goalkeeper
Youth career
Paulista
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2001–2006 Paulista 38 (0)
2005 → Juventude (loan) 8 (0)
2006–2011 Nacional 104 (0)
2011–2013 Porto 1 (0)
2012–2013 → Olhanense (loan) 25 (0)
2013–2015 Panetolikos 57 (0)
2015–2018 Arouca 89 (0)
2018–2023 Boavista 80 (0)
Total 402 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Club career

Born in Santos, São Paulo, Bracali started playing professionally for local Paulista Futebol Clube.[2] In 2006, he moved to Portugal and signed with C.D. Nacional in Madeira. After backing up Diego Benaglio in his first season and appearing in 14 Primeira Liga games in the second, he became first choice after the Swiss transferred to VfL Wolfsburg.[3]

Bracali did not miss one single league match from 2008 to 2011.[4][5] He was set to sign for fellow top-division side S.C. Braga in June 2011, but the deal eventually fell through.[6]

In August 2011, Bracali replaced the departed Beto as understudy at FC Porto, behind his compatriot Helton. He made his only league appearance for the Dragons on 12 May 2012 in the last game of a victorious campaign, a 5–2 win at Rio Ave F.C. in which he was substituted late on for fellow debutant Kadú.[7] He was then loaned to S.C. Olhanense where he played more frequently, and the team avoided relegation by one point.[8]

On 13 July 2015, after two years in the Super League Greece with Panetolikos FC, Bracali agreed a two-year deal with F.C. Arouca.[9] A year after the club's relegation, on 29 June 2018 he returned to the top flight and the city of Porto by signing for Boavista F.C. on a two-year contract.[10]

Bracali agreed to an extension at the Estádio do Bessa until 30 June 2021 in August 2019, aged 38.[11] He played second-fiddle to Léo Jardim in 2020–21,[12] but was again a starter afterwards.[13]

In May 2023, Bracali announced his retirement from professional football.[14] In July, he replaced Fary Faye as his last club's sporting director.[15]

Personal life

Bracali's father, Armando, was also a footballer and a goalkeeper.[2] After notably representing Clube Atlético Juventus in the 1970s, he worked mainly as a goalkeeping coach at Paulista.[16]

Career statistics
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition[17]
Club Season League State league National cup League cup Continental Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Paulista 2004 Série B 0 0 2[lower-alpha 1] 0 — — — 2 0
2005 Série B 20 0 4[lower-alpha 1] 0 12 0 — — 36 0
2006 Série B 10 0 2[lower-alpha 1] 0 — — 6[lower-alpha 2] 0 18 0
Total 30 0 8 0 12 0 — 6 0 56 0
Juventude (loan) 2005 Série A — — — — — —
Nacional 2006–07 Primeira Liga 0 0 — 3 0 — 0 0 3 0
2007–08 Primeira Liga 14 0 — 2 0 1 0 — 17 0
2008–09 Primeira Liga 30 0 — 5 0 5 0 — 40 0
2009–10 Primeira Liga 30 0 — 3 0 3 0 8[lower-alpha 3] 0 44 0
2010–11 Primeira Liga 30 0 — 1 0 4 0 — 35 0
Total 104 0 — 14 0 13 0 8 0 139 0
Porto 2011–12 Primeira Liga 1 0 — 2 0 4 0 0 0 7 0
Olhanense (loan) 2012–13 Primeira Liga 25 0 — 1 0 0 0 — 26 0
Panetolikos 2013–14 Super League Greece 32 0 — 0 0 — — 32 0
2014–15 Super League Greece 25 0 — 0 0 — — 25 0
Total 57 0 — 0 0 — — 57 0
Arouca 2015–16 Primeira Liga 33 0 — 4 0 0 0 — 37 0
2016–17 Primeira Liga 19 0 — 0 0 0 0 4[lower-alpha 3] 0 23 0
2017–18 LigaPro 37 0 — 3 0 2 0 — 42 0
Total 89 0 — 7 0 2 0 4 0 102 0
Boavista 2018–19 Primeira Liga 12 0 — 1 0 0 0 — 13 0
2019–20 Primeira Liga 13 0 — 0 0 1 0 — 14 0
2020–21 Primeira Liga 0 0 — 1 0 — — 1 0
2021–22 Primeira Liga 27 0 — 1 0 4 0 — 32 0
2022–23 Primeira Liga 28 0 — 0 0 1 0 — 29 0
Total 80 0 — 3 0 6 0 — 89 0
Career total 386 0 8 0 39 0 25 0 18 0 476 0
  1. Appearance(s) in Campeonato Paulista
  2. Appearance(s) in Copa Libertadores
  3. Appearance(s) in UEFA Europa League

Honours

Paulista

Porto

References
  1. "Rafael Bracali" (in Portuguese). Mais Futebol. Retrieved 7 March 2021.
  2. "Rafael Bracali é o entrevistado do Camisa 10 da TVE" [Rafael Bracali is the interviewed on TVE's Camisa 10] (in Portuguese). Prefeitura de Jundiaí. 30 May 2014. Retrieved 7 March 2021.
  3. "Brasileiro substituiu Benaglio na baliza do Nacional" [Brazilian replaced Benaglio in the goal of Nacional]. Público (in Portuguese). 26 February 2008. Retrieved 1 February 2022.
  4. "Bracalli é o guarda-redes com mais defesas" [Bracalli is the goalkeeper with most saves]. Record (in Portuguese). 28 October 2009. Retrieved 7 March 2021.
  5. "Bracali é o guarda-redes mais "interventivo"" [Bracali is the "safest" goalkeeper] (in Portuguese). SAPO. 3 May 2010. Retrieved 8 March 2021.
  6. "Diego é hipótese para a baliza" [Diego an option for goal]. A Bola (in Portuguese). 4 June 2011. Retrieved 4 June 2011.
  7. Andrade, David (12 May 2012). "Goleada em Vila do Conde antes da consagração na Avenida dos Aliados" [Rout in Vila do Conde before victory parade on the Avenida dos Aliados]. Público (in Portuguese). Retrieved 4 March 2019.
  8. Alvarenga, Vítor Hugo (16 June 2013). "F.C. Porto: após empréstimos, nove casos por resolver" [F.C. Porto: after loans, nine cases to resolve] (in Portuguese). Mais Futebol. Retrieved 9 November 2020.
  9. "Rafael Bracalli reforça Arouca" [Rafael Bracalli strengthens Arouca] (in Portuguese). Rádio e Televisão de Portugal. 13 July 2015. Retrieved 13 July 2015.
  10. "OFICIAL: Rafael Bracali reforça Boavista" [OFFICIAL: Rafael Bracali bolsters Boavista] (in Portuguese). Mais Futebol. 29 June 2018. Retrieved 4 March 2019.
  11. Santos, Mónica (9 August 2019). "Guarda-redes Rafael Bracali no Boavista até aos 40 anos" [Goalkeeper Rafael Bracali in Boavista until the age of 40]. O Jogo (in Portuguese). Retrieved 18 February 2020.
  12. Aguiar, Cristina (24 February 2021). "A nova vida de Léo Jardim, um dos destaques do Boavista" [The new life of Léo Jardim, one of Boavista's highlights]. O Jogo (in Portuguese). Retrieved 4 May 2023.
  13. "Bracali continua a jogar com 41 anos: "Desde os 35 que me preparo para deixar..."" [Bracali still plays at 41: "Ever since I'm 35 I have been preparing myself to quit..."]. O Jogo (in Portuguese). 12 July 2022. Retrieved 4 May 2023.
  14. "Bracali confirma final da carreira: «Chegou o momento de parar»" [Bracali confirms end of career: "The time to stop has arrived"]. Record (in Portuguese). 18 May 2023. Retrieved 12 July 2023.
  15. "Ex-futebolista Rafael Bracali assume cargo de diretor desportivo do Boavista" [Former footballer Rafael Bracali takes over as Boavista's sporting director]. Observador (in Portuguese). 12 July 2023. Retrieved 23 October 2023.
  16. Rozenberg, Marcelo. "Bracali – Que fim levou?" [Bracali – What happened to him?] (in Portuguese). Terceiro Tempo. Retrieved 7 March 2021.
  17. Rafael Bracali at Soccerway
  18. Florão, Eduardo (16 January 2017). "Chape aguarda liberação de goleiro campeão em 2005 com Mancini" [Chape await release of goalkeeper champion in 2005 with Mancini] (in Portuguese). Globo Esporte. Retrieved 18 February 2020.
  19. ""Bis" de Rolando dá 18ª Supertaça ao FC Porto" [Rolando brace gives 18th Supercup to FC Porto] (in Portuguese). TSF. 7 August 2011. Retrieved 8 March 2021.
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