# Rafael Santos (footballer, born 5 February 1998)

Rafael Lucas Cardoso dos Santos (born 5 February 1998) is a Brazilian footballer who plays as a left back for Orlando City in Major League Soccer.

## Club career

Santos developed in the academy of Mirassol, making his senior debut for the club on 2 July 2017 in the 2017 Campeonato Paulista, playing the full 90 minutes against Ferroviária in a 2–1 defeat. He scored his first goal on 27 August 2017, the opening goal in a 4–2 win over Penapolense in the same competition.
In 2018, he joined Cruzeiro, initially on loan. He made 27 appearances for the club's under-20 team including in the 2018 U-20 Copa Libertadores. On 14 August 2018, Santos made his first team debut for the club as a 76th-minute substitute for David in a 2–0 Série A defeat to Vasco da Gama. Having joined Cruzeiro permanently in 2019, Santos went on loan for spells with Chapecoense, Inter de Limeira and Ponte Preta in Série B and later with Coritiba in Série A. He made a combined 106 senior appearances while in Brazil in all competitions.
On 5 January 2023, Santos joined American Major League Soccer club Orlando City ahead of the 2023 season on a two-year contract with an additional two club option years. On 20 May, Santos scored his first goal for the club in a 3–1 win at Inter Miami with the help of an assist from Duncan McGuire.
On March 9, 2024, Santos assisted in the fastest goal in club history when he won the ball from Minnesota United and passed it to McGuire, who scored in under thirteen seconds, beating Tesho Akindele's previous record of 31 seconds. However, Orlando would go on to lose the game 3–2.

## Career statistics

    As of match played 15 March 2025
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition :
| Club | Season | League | League | League | Cup | Cup | Continental | Continental | Playoffs | Playoffs | Other | Other | Total | Total |
| Club | Season | Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| Mirassol | 2017 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 13 | 1 | 13 | 1 |
| Cruzeiro (loan) | 2018 | Série A | 1 | 0 | — | — | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 1 | 0 |
| Cruzeiro | 2019 | Série A | 2 | 0 | — | — | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 2 | 0 |
| Cruzeiro | 2020 | Série A | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 3 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| Cruzeiro | 2021 | Série B | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Cruzeiro | 2022 | Série B | 13 | 0 | 5 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 12 | 1 | 30 | 1 |
| Cruzeiro | Total | Total | 16 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 15 | 1 | 37 | 1 |
| Chapecoense (loan) | 2020 | Série B | 5 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 |
| Inter de Limeira (loan) | 2021 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 10 | 1 | 10 | 1 |
| Ponte Preta (loan) | 2021 | Série B | 26 | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 26 | 3 |
| Coritiba (loan) | 2022 | Série A | 15 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 15 | 0 |
| Orlando City | 2023 | Major League Soccer | 26 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 34 | 1 |
| Orlando City | 2024 | Major League Soccer | 32 | 1 | — | — | 3 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 42 | 1 |
| Orlando City | 2025 | Major League Soccer | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| Orlando City | Total | Total | 62 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 81 | 2 |
| Career total | Career total | Career total | 124 | 5 | 7 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 44 | 3 | 187 | 8 |
* ↑ Includes Copa do Brasil and U.S. Open Cup
* ↑ Includes MLS Cup Playoffs
* 1 2 Campeonato Paulista
* 1 2 Campeonato Mineiro
* 1 2 Leagues Cup

## Honors

Chapecoense
* Série B: 2020
Cruzeiro
* Série B: 2022