Rafael Caroca

Rafael Antonio Caroca Cordero (Spanish pronunciation: [rafaˈel kaˈɾoka]; born 19 July 1989) is a Chilean professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Chilean Primera División club Ñublense.

Not to be confused with Rafael Carioca.
In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Caroca and the second or maternal family name is Cordero.
Rafael Caroca
Personal information
Full name Rafael Antonio Caroca Cordero
Date of birth (1989-07-19) 19 July 1989[1]
Place of birth Curicó, Chile
Height 1.74 m (5 ft 9 in)
Position(s) Midfielder
Team information
Current team
 Ñublense
Number 5
Youth career
2004–2007 Colo-Colo
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2008–2014 Colo-Colo 53 (0)
2008 → O'Higgins (loan) 6 (0)
2011 → Deportes La Serena (loan) 31 (2)
2013 Colo-Colo B 16 (1)
2013–2014 → Deportes Iquique (loan) 37 (1)
2014–2017 Deportes Iquique 93 (6)
2017–2019 Universidad de Chile 43 (0)
2020 Deportes Iquique 18 (0)
2021– Ñublense 15 (0)
International career‡
2008–2010 Chile U23 11 (0)
2009 Chile U20 4 (0)
2008– Chile 3 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 5 November 2021
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 15 January 2017

Club career

Born in Curicó, Maule Region, Caroca arrived in Colo-Colo's youth academy aged 14, after being discovered in 2004 by Marcelo Espina, club's legend.[1] Three years later, already on mid-2007, he was promoted to the first-adult team and appeared in the bench some Torneo Clausura games.

For the 2008 he was loaned to O'Higgins to gain experience. However, he returned to Macul–based team the following year and was part of the champion team that reached the Torneo Clausura. In January 2010, Caroca was loaned to Deportes La Serena and stayed there until December 2011 where was an immovable player during his spell.

Since 2013 he plays for Deportes Iquique, being on loan during 2013-14 season (where he won the Copa Chile) and then definitely joining the incoming season.

International career

In January 2008, Marcelo Bielsa called up Caroca to the Chile national team for friendlies that were played on the home turf of Japan and South Korea.[2] He was also called up for the March 2008 friendly against Israel in Jerusalem; Caroca was the only player from the domestic league to be named in the squad.[3]

In May 2008, Caroca was once again selected by Bielsa. This time it was to the u-23 2008 Toulon Tournament. Caroca started the last three games Chile played in the tournament. Caroca was one of the youngest players to see significant playing time during the tournament. Caroca was named the best young player of the tournament.[4] In addition, he took part in both the 2009 and the 2010 editions.[5]

Nine years later, he was called up by Argentine coach Juan Antonio Pizzi to Chilean senior team for play the 2017 China Cup. He played one game against Croatia in the friendly tournament that Chile won.

Personal life

It was said his mother is Venezuelan, but he denied it, rejecting a possible call-up to the Venezuela senior team.[6] He has two younger brothers who are professional footballers: Ignacio[7] – who has been international with Chile at U20 level – and Matías.

Honours

Club
Colo-Colo
Deportes Iquique

International

References
  1. Pannain, Guilherme (2 June 2009). "Caroca: futuro chileno" (in Portuguese). Trivela.
  2. "Chile enfrentará a Japón en amistoso" (in Spanish). AFP. 25 January 2008.
  3. "Marcelo Bielsa jugará con un tridente ofensivo contra Israel" (in Spanish). Yahoo!. 25 March 2008.
  4. JFM (31 May 2008). "La nueva hornada criolla toma Europa". Diario Vasco.
  5. "Nóminas de Chile para Torneo Maurice Revello (Esperanzas de Toulon)". PartidosdelaRoja.com (in Spanish). Retrieved 16 June 2022.
  6. "Rafael Caroca y posible nominación a la 'vinotinto': "Soy chileno, mi mamá es de Rauco"" (in Spanish). Bío-Bío Deportes. 11 February 2016. Retrieved 7 April 2021.
  7. "Hermano de Rafael Caroca se sumó como fichaje en Iquique" (in Spanish). AS Chile. 15 June 2017. Retrieved 7 April 2021.
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