Rafael (fitbawer, born 1990)

**Rafael Pereira da Silva** (born 9 July 1990), commonly kent as **Rafael** or **Rafael da Silva**, is a Brazilian fitbawer wha plays for Olympique Lyonnais. He normally plays as a richt-back, but can play on the richt side o midfield an aw. He an his twin brither, Fábio, baith jyned Manchester United frae Fluminense in Januar 2007.

Rafael haes twa caps for Brazil, haein made his debut in a 3–1 victory ower Denmark on 26 Mey 2012. He haes played for Brazil at unner-17 level an aw an wis pairt o the siller medal-winnin unner-23 side at the 2012 Simmer Olympics.

## Early life
Rafael wis born in Petrópolis, approximately ane oor's drive awa frae Rio de Janeiro in Rio de Janeiro state, an began playin fitbaw from the age o five. He began his career wi amateur side Boa Esperança, playin as a striker. He an his identical twin, Fábio, wur then spottit bi a representative o Fluminense playin five-a-side in their neebourheid; he invitit thaim tae jyn the club an they began livin thare when they wur 11 year auld.

## Club career
### Fluminense
Upon jynin Fluminense, Rafael wis convertit tae play at full-back bi the youth team coach. The club then teuk pairt in the 2005 Nike Premier Cup in Hong Kong, whaur Rafael wis spottit by Manchester United scout Les Kershaw, who remarkit that the twins reminded him o "twa little whippets". Kershaw then telephoned Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson an recommendit that the club sign the Da Silva twins. Manchester United got in touch wi Fluminense an askit permission for the twins tae travel tae Manchester tae train wi thaim in 2005. Shortly efterwairds, a scout claimin tae represent Arsenal visitit the twins an askit thaim tae come tae Ingland tae train wi Arsenal athoot the permission o Fluminense; housomeivver, they wur dissuadit frae this bi their mither, who remindit thaim that they haed been wi Fluminense syne they wur 11, an that they should show the club some lyalty. Tharefore, they decidit tae sign for Manchester United ower Arsenal, an the twa clubs greeit a deal in Februar 2007; the twins muivit tae Manchester in Januar 2008 athoot iver haein played for the Fluminense first team.

## Internaitional career
In 2007, Rafael played for Brazil's naitional unner-17 team in the FIFA U-17 Warld Cup. He wis approached bi Portuguese naitional coach Carlos Queiroz an askit tae play for Portugal's senior side, as baith Rafael an Fábio hauld Portuguese ceetizenship. Rafael indicatit a willinness tae tak Queiroz up on his affer if he did no end up playin for Brazil, while Fábio remained set on playin for Brazil. 
On 26 Julie 2010, Rafael wis cried up tae the Brazilian senior team for the first time, as he wis includit in new coach Mano Menezes' first squad for their friendly against the Unitit States on 10 August.

Rafael wis oreeginally left oot o the Brazil squad for their friendlies in Mey an Juin 2012, but wis later cried up tae replace the injured Daniel Alves. FC Porto richt back Danilo wis selectit aheid o Rafael for the gemme against Denmark on 26 Mey, but he did eventually come on as a substitute tae make his senior internaitional debut. On 26 Julie 2012, Rafael scored Brazilian unner-23 team's first goal o the Olympics in a 3–2 victory ower Egyp.
In December 2013, The Times reportit that he haed considered representin Ingland at internaitional level, housomeivver he decidit against it. He wis no eligible for Ingland as he haed representit Brazil in 2007 at U17 level in a FIFA recognisit 'offeecial competeetion' meaning that the anerly naitional teams he coud chuise atween wad be Brazil an Portugal - the naitions he wis eligible tae represent at the time he played in the 2007 Sooth American Unner-17 Fitbaa Championship.

## Playin style
Alang wi his brither Fábio, Rafael haes been praised for his energetic style, an haes been describit as a "excellent footballer" bi Sir Alex Ferguson. Les Kershaw, the umwhile Manchester United academy manager who spottit thaim, describit the pair as bein like "two little whippets," praisin hou "when they got knocked down, they just got straight back up again an got on with it. They were like bouncing balls... very, very quick." *[[The Times]]* haes cried thaim "Brazil's answer tae the Neville brithers (Gary an Phil Neville)."

## Career statistics

## Honours
### Club
;Manchester United
*Premier League (3): 2008–09, 2010–11, 2012–13
*Football League Cup (1): 2009–10
*FA Community Shield (3): 2008, 2011, 2013
*FIFA Club Warld Cup (1): 2008

### Internaitional
;Brazil
*Sooth American Unner-17 Fitbaa Championship (1): 2007
*Olympic Siller Medal (1): 2012

## Personal life
Rafael's twin brither Fábio is a profeesional fitbawer an aw; baith twins signed for Manchester United at the same time in 2008. The twins' elder brither, Luiz Henrique Pereira da Silva, uised tae play for América-MG in Brazil an Brescia in Italy, but muivit wi his wife tae Ingland when the twins signed for Manchester United. Efter a sax-week wait for internaitional clearance, Luiz Henrique signed for Radcliffe Borough, but he an his wife returned tae Brazil in early 2009 in preparation for the birth o their bairn, whaur he returned tae Ingland few months later.
Despite stairtin their careers at Fluminense, baith Fábio an Rafael are actually supporters o their local rivals Botafogo.

Rafael is marriet tae Carla. On 4 Januar 2012, the couple haed their first vairn, a girl namit Eduarda.

## Notes


## References

## Freemit airtins

*Profile at ManUtd.com
*Rafael Da Silva Profile  The Official PFA website
*