Xeka

Miguel Ângelo da Silva Rocha (born 10 November 1994), known as Xeka (Portuguese pronunciation: [ˈʃɛkɐ]), is a Portuguese professional footballer who plays as a midfielder.

In this Portuguese name, the first or maternal family name is Silva and the second or paternal family name is Rocha.
Xeka
Xeka playing for Lille in 2021
Personal information
Full name Miguel Ângelo da Silva Rocha[1]
Date of birth (1994-11-10) 10 November 1994[1]
Place of birth Rebordosa, Portugal
Height 1.86 m (6 ft 1 in)[2]
Position(s) Midfielder
Youth career
2003–2007 Paços Ferreira
2007–2011 Gondomar
2011–2012 Valencia
2012–2013 Paços Ferreira
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2013–2017 Braga B 28 (2)
2014–2016 → Covilhã (loan) 39 (0)
2016–2017 Braga 11 (0)
2017 → Lille (loan) 13 (1)
2017–2022 Lille 101 (6)
2017–2018 → Dijon (loan) 17 (2)
2019 Lille II 1 (0)
2022–2023 Rennes 8 (0)
International career
2014 Portugal U20 1 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 11:16, 17 January 2023 (UTC)

Formed at Braga, he spent most of his career in France, playing for Lille, Dijon and Rennes in Ligue 1 and winning the league with the first of those teams in 2020–21 while making 145 total appearances.

Club career

Braga

Born in Rebordosa, Paredes,[3] Xeka received his nickname from his grandfather for being the youngest of his siblings, just like him.[4] He played youth football with three clubs, including Valencia CF from Spain until the age of 17.[5] Having returned to his homeland, he started playing as a senior with S.C. Braga's reserves in the Segunda Liga, being then loaned for two years to S.C. Covilhã of the same league.[6] On 23 September 2013, whilst at the service of the former side, he scored his first goal in competition, but in a 1–3 home loss against S.L. Benfica B.[7]

Xeka started being called to Braga's first team in October 2016, by manager José Peseiro.[8] He made his debut in the Primeira Liga late in that month, featuring the full 90 minutes in a 1–0 home win over G.D. Chaves.[9] His fortunes changed, however, when Jorge Simão became the new coach before the end of the year.[10]

Lille

On 31 January 2017, Xeka was loaned to Lille OSC from Ligue 1 until June.[11] He made his debut four days later as a starter in a 1–0 home loss to FC Lorient.[12] He made 13 appearances for the 12th-place team and scored in a 3–0 win at Montpellier HSC on 29 April, assisted by compatriot Rony Lopes.[13]

In June 2017, Lille exercised the €5 million buyout clause to make Xeka's move permanent.[14] In the last hours of the summer transfer window, he joined Dijon FCO in the same league in a season-long loan.[15] He became a regular under Christophe Galtier at the Stade Pierre-Mauroy the following year, but suffered a thigh injury in a 5–1 home victory over Paris Saint-Germain F.C. on 14 April 2019, ruling him out until September.[16]

Xeka contributed 33 matches and one goal during the 2020–21 campaign to help Lille win the national championship for the fourth time in their history.[17] On 1 August 2021, he scored in the 1–0 defeat of PSG in the Trophée des Champions, with the club winning that trophy for the first time ever.[18]

On 20 May 2022, Xeka was released at the end of his contract.[19]

Rennes

On 21 September 2022, Xeka agreed to a two-year deal at Stade Rennais F.C. also of the French top tier.[20] He made his debut on 9 October, starting in a 3–0 home win over Derby Breton rivals FC Nantes.[21] In January, he had ankle surgery.[22]

Honours

Lille

References
  1. "Xeka" (in Portuguese). Mais Futebol. Retrieved 9 May 2021.
  2. "Xeka" (in French). Lille OSC. Retrieved 19 February 2022.
  3. Sousa, Miguel (25 May 2021). "Câmara de Paredes homenageia Xeka jogador do Lille que se sagrou campeão de França" [Paredes city hall honours Xeka Lille player who was crowned French champion] (in Portuguese). Novum Notícias. Retrieved 24 March 2022.
  4. Marques Costa, Pedro (26 October 2016). "Nasce uma estrela em nome do avô" [A star is born in the name of the grandfather]. O Jogo (in Portuguese). Retrieved 20 June 2022.
  5. Cunha, Pedro Jorge (17 October 2011). "De Gondomar a Valência: Miguel Xeca, "ché" aos 16 anos" [From Gondomar to Valencia: Miguel Xeca, "che" at the age of 16] (in Portuguese). Mais Futebol. Retrieved 26 February 2021.
  6. "Nove jogadores de saída do Sp. Covilhã" [Nine players leaving Sp. Covilhã] (in Portuguese). SAPO. 19 May 2016. Retrieved 18 August 2017.
  7. "Funes Mori bisa no triunfo das águias em Braga" [Funes Mori grabs brace in eagles win in Braga] (in Portuguese). Rádio Renascença. 23 September 2013. Retrieved 18 August 2017.
  8. "Sp. Braga: Xeka estreia-se nos convocados" [Sp. Braga: Xeka selected for the first time] (in Portuguese). Mais Futebol. 14 October 2016. Retrieved 18 August 2017.
  9. "Regresso a casa abençoa regresso às vitórias" [Return home blesses return to wins] (in Portuguese). S.C. Braga. 24 October 2016. Retrieved 18 August 2017.
  10. Costinha Sousa, Carlos (27 December 2016). "Xeka: Pérola da formação arsenalista" [Xeka: Gem from the arsenalista youth system]. Correio do Minho (in Portuguese). Retrieved 18 August 2017.
  11. "Sporting de Braga empresta Xeka e Bakic" [Sporting de Braga loan Xeka and Bakic]. Jornal de Notícias (in Portuguese). 31 January 2017. Retrieved 18 August 2017.
  12. "Foot/L1 – Lille: les recrues El Ghazi et Xeka titulaires contre Lorient" [Football/L1 – Lille: recruits El Ghazi and Xeka starters against Lorient]. La Voix du Nord (in French). 4 February 2017. Retrieved 20 June 2022.
  13. "Football / Ligue 1: Montpellier s'incline lourdement face à Lille (0–3)" [Football / Ligue 1: Montpellier fall heavily to Lille (0–3)]. Midi Libre (in French). 27 April 2017. Retrieved 20 June 2022.
  14. Lima, Fábio (9 June 2017). "Lille paga 5 milhões e fica com Xeka" [Lille pay 5 million and take Xeka]. Record (in Portuguese). Retrieved 18 August 2017.
  15. "Xeka prêté au Dijon FCO" [Xeka loaned to Dijon FCO] (in French). Lille OSC. 31 August 2017. Retrieved 8 September 2017.
  16. Domenighetti, Joël (18 October 2019). "Ligue 1: Xeka (Lille) veut retrouver sa place de titulaire dans un secteur hyper concurrentiel" [Ligue 1: Xeka (Lille) wants to recover his starting place in a super crowded position]. L'Équipe (in French). Retrieved 20 June 2022.
  17. Crépin, Timothé (24 May 2021). "Ligue 1: Lille est champion de France! FF passe le titre des Dogues à la loupe" [Ligue 1: Lille are French champions! FF puts Dogues title under magnifying glass] (in French). France Football. Retrieved 24 May 2021.
  18. "Lille 1–0 Paris Saint-Germain: Les Dogues clinch first French Super Cup". Sky Sports. 1 August 2021. Retrieved 1 August 2021.
  19. "Xeka, en fin de contrat, quitte Lille" [Xeka, out of contract, leaves Lille]. L'Équipe (in French). 20 May 2022. Retrieved 20 June 2022.
  20. "Xeka est rouge et noir!" [Xeka is red and black!] (in French). Stade Rennais F.C. 21 September 2022. Retrieved 21 September 2022.
  21. Castro, João (10 October 2022). "Portugueses lá fora: Ronaldo chega aos 700, Cancelo levanta o estádio e Paulo Fonseca regressa às vitórias" [Portuguese out there: Ronaldo gets to 700, Cancelo makes the stadium stand up and Paulo Fonseca returns to winning ways] (in Portuguese). SAPO. Retrieved 26 October 2022.
  22. Mangeard, Nicolas (16 January 2023). "Stade Rennais. Xeka a été opéré de la cheville" [Stade Rennais. Xeka had ankle surgery]. Ouest-France (in French). Retrieved 5 July 2023.
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