Rafaelle Souza

Rafaelle Leone Carvalho Souza (born 18 June 1991) is a Brazilian professional footballer who plays as a defender or midfielder for Orlando Pride in the National Women's Soccer League and captains the Brazil national team.

Rafaelle Souza

Rafaelle at the 2016 Olympics
Personal information
Full name	Rafaelle Leone Carvalho Souza[1]
Date of birth	(1991-06-18) 18 June 1991 (age 33)
Place of birth	Cipó, Bahia, Brazil
Height	1.76 m (5 ft 9 in)[1]
Position(s)	Defender / Midfielder
Team information
Current team	Orlando Pride
Number	4
College career
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2011–2013	Ole Miss Rebels	61	(44)
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2014	Houston Dash	16	(0)
2014	Sao Francisco BA	1	(3)
2015	America Miniero	6	(4)
2016–2021	Changchun Zhuoyue
2021–2022	Palmeiras	9	(0)
2022–2023	Arsenal	22	(3)
2023–	Orlando Pride	16	(1)
International career‡
2012–	Brazil[2]	84	(9)
Medal record Women's football Representing  Brazil Olympic Games 2024 Paris Pan American Games Winner 2015 Toronto Team
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 6 July 2024 ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 4 June 2024

In this Portuguese name, the first or maternal family name is Carvalho and the second or paternal family name is Souza.

Rafaelle previously played for the University of Mississippi during her college soccer career in the United States and has played professionally for Houston Dash, Sao Francisco, America Miniero, Changchun Zhuoyue, Palmeiras and Arsenal.

Club career

In January 2014, Rafaelle was picked in the second round of the 2014 NWSL College Draft by expansion team Houston Dash. After playing one season, she was waived by Houston Dash, but FC Kansas City acquired her rights the following week.^[3] In March 2015 Kansas City announced that Rafaelle would not play in the 2015 National Women's Soccer League season as she was in training with her national team Brazil.^[4]

Rafaelle signed with Changchun Zhuoyue of the Chinese Women's Super League in 2016, one of three Brazilian players to do so with Raquel and Darlene. Terms of the deals were not released, but in an interview with Globo Esporte, Rafaelle said the pay was considerably more than she could make in Brazil.^[5] In 2017, fellow Brazilian national team player Cristiane would join her at Changchun Zhuoyue.^[6]

In 2022, Rafaelle joined Arsenal on a free transfer from Changchun Zhuoyue. She was the first Brazilian to play for Arsenal Women.^[7]

On 3 July 2023, it was announced that Rafaelle had signed a two-and-a-half-year contract with Orlando Pride of the National Women's Soccer League, joining the team following the conclusion of the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup.^[8] In January 2024, Rafaelle acquired a U.S. green card meaning she would no longer occupy an international roster spot.^[9]

International career

Rafaelle played for Brazil's youth teams at the inaugural 2008 FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup in New Zealand and the 2010 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup held in Germany. Her senior debut came in December 2011 as a substitute in a 4–0 win over Chile at the 2011 Torneio Internacional Cidade de São Paulo de Futebol Feminino.^[10] She started her first match for Brazil's senior team in March 2012, against Canada.^[11]

In February 2015, Rafaelle was included in an 18-month residency programme intended to prepare Brazil's national team for the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup in Canada and the 2016 Rio Olympics.^[12]

At the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup, Rafaelle formed a makeshift center-back partnership with Mônica.^[13] They kept clean sheets in all three matches as Brazil qualified from their group without conceding a goal. In the second-round match against Australia, Brazil exited the competition after losing 1–0. Rafaelle remained in Canada as part of the Brazilian selection for the 2015 Pan American Games in Toronto.

Rafaelle captained the Brazilian team to their 4th consecutive win in the 2022 Copa America Feminina.^[14]

In June 2023, it was announced that she would captain Brazil in the FIFA Women's World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.^[15]

Career statistics

International goals

Goal	Date	Location	Opponent	#	Score	Result	Competition
1	2015-07-22	Toronto, Canada	Mexico	1.2	5250.02005 2–1	5550.05005 4–2	2015 Pan American Games
2				2.2	5350.03005 4–2
3	2017-06-10	Fuenlabrada, Spain	Spain	1.1	5250.02005 1–2	5450.04005 1–2	Friendly game
4	2017-11-25	Ovalle, Chile	Chile	1.1	5250.02005 0–2	5450.04005 0–4	Friendly game
5	2018-04-07	Coquimbo, Chile	Ecuador	1.1	5250.02005 5–0	5450.04005 8–0	Copa América 2018
6	2020-11-27	São Paulo, Brazil	Ecuador	1.1	5250.02005 4–0	5450.04005 6–0	Friendly game
7	2020-12-01	São Paulo, Brazil	Ecuador	1.2	5250.02005 4–0	5550.05005 8–0	Friendly game
8				2.2	5350.03005 5–0
9	2024-02-27	San Diego, United States	Panama	1.1	5250.02005 3–0	5450.04005 5–0	2024 CONCACAF W Gold Cup

Honours

Palmeiras^[16]

• Copa Paulista Women: 2021

Arsenal

• FA Women's League Cup: 2022–23^[17]

Orlando Pride

• NWSL Shield: 2024^[18]
• NWSL Championship: 2024^[19]

Brazil^[16]

• Copa América Femenina: 2018, 2022
• Pan American Games: 2015
• SheBelieves Cup runner-up: 2021
• Summer Olympics silver medal: 2024^[20]

Individual

• PFA Team of the Year: 2022–23 FA WSL^[21]
• CONCACAF W Gold Cup Best XI: 2024^[22]

References

1. "FIFA Women's World Cup Canada 2015 – List of Players: Brazil" (PDF). FIFA. 6 July 2015. p. 2. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2 February 2020. Retrieved 23 September 2021.
2. "Profile". FIFA.com. Archived from the original on 12 June 2015. Retrieved 23 June 2015.
3. "FC Kansas City Lands Rafaelle Souza". National Women's Soccer League. 15 September 2014. Archived from the original on 22 July 2015. Retrieved 19 July 2015.
4. Moreno, Daniel (11 March 2015). "Katrina Gorry and Rafaelle Souza to stay with their national teams this season". FC Kansas City. Retrieved 19 July 2015.
5. Cíntia Barlem (28 January 2016). "Dinheiro também encanta no feminino, e brasileiras se rendem à China". Globo Esporte. Retrieved 1 July 2017.
6. "Cristiane to move to Chinese club Changchun Zhuoyue in June". Associated Press. 13 February 2017. Retrieved 1 July 2017.
7. "Rafaelle Souza: Arsenal Women sign Brazilian defender to make it three new signings this January". Sky Sports. Retrieved 6 August 2022.
8. orlandocitysc. "Orlando Pride Signs Brazilian National Team Defender Rafaelle Souza". www.orlandocitysc.com. Retrieved 3 July 2023.
9. "Orlando Pride Announces 2024 Preseason Roster". www.orlandocitysc.com.
10. Leme de Arruda, Marcelo (5 March 2014). "Seleção Brasileira Feminina (Brazilian National Women's Team) 2011-2013" (in Portuguese). Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Retrieved 20 June 2015.
11. "Souza makes first start with Brazilian National Team". Archived from the original on 10 December 2014. Retrieved 7 December 2014.
12. Kennedy, Paul (26 May 2015). "Road to Vancouver: Brazil's Formiga picked for sixth time". Soccer America. Retrieved 11 July 2015.
13. Cullen, Ray; Lauletta, Dan (9 June 2015). "Women's World Cup Day 4 – Vero, Spain Debut". The Equalizer. Retrieved 19 July 2015.
14. "Rafaelle captains Brazil to Copa America title". Rafaelle captains Brazil to Copa America title. Retrieved 6 August 2022.
15. updated, Ryan Dabbs last (6 June 2023). "Brazil Women's World Cup 2023 squad: Full team announced". fourfourtwo.com. Retrieved 3 July 2023.
16. "Rafaelle Souza - Profile". Soccerway. Retrieved 6 March 2023.
17. Sanders, Emma (5 March 2023). "Arsenal 3–1 Chelsea: Gunners fight back to win Women's League Cup final". BBC Sport. Retrieved 5 March 2023.
18. NWSL (7 October 2024). "Orlando Pride Claims 2024 NWSL Shield". NWSL. Retrieved 9 October 2024.
19. "Orlando Pride win 2024 NWSL Championship, bringing first professional, major league trophy to the City of Orlando". NWSL. 25 November 2024. Retrieved 29 November 2024.
20. Jurejko, Jonathan (10 August 2024). "Brazil 0-1 United States: Emma Hayes leads USA to Olympic gold". BBC Sport. Retrieved 12 August 2024.
21. "Rachel Daly: Aston Villa forward wins PFA women's Player of the Year award". BBC Sport. 29 August 2023. Retrieved 29 August 2023.
22. "Shaw, Leon, Ovalle head up W Gold Cup Best XI". CONCACAF. 13 March 2024. Retrieved 17 March 2024.

External links

• Rafaelle Souza at Soccerway.com
• Rafaelle Souza at FBref.com
• Rafaelle Souza at Olympics.com
• Rafaelle Souza at Olympedia
• Rafaelle Souza at the Brazilian Olympic Committee (in Portuguese)
• Rafaelle Souza – FIFA competition record (archived)
• Rafaelle Souza at the Toronto 2015 Pan American Games (archived)