Rafael Floro

Rafael Floro
Personal information
Full name Rafael da Silva Floro[1]
Date of birth (1994-01-19) 19 January 1994 (age 30)[1]
Place of birth Quarteira, Portugal[1]
Height 1.76 m (5 ft 9 in)[1]
Position(s) Left back
Team information
Current team
 Balzan
Number 42
Youth career
2002–2007 Quarteirense
2007–2009 Sporting CP
2009 Académica
2010 Louletano
2010–2011 Internacional Almancil
2011–2013 Porto
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2013 Porto B 0 (0)
2013–2015 Sheffield Wednesday 1 (0)
2015–2016 Belenenses 0 (0)
2015 → Casa Pia (loan) 3 (1)
2016 → Almancilense (loan) 13 (1)
2016–2017 Louletano 17 (1)
2017 Gil Vicente 7 (0)
2017–2018 Cova Piedade 5 (0)
2018 Stumbras 10 (2)
2019 Felgueiras 1932 13 (0)
2019–2020 Olhanense 6 (1)
2020–2021 Panevėžys 51 (5)
2022 AC Oulu 23 (5)
2023–2024 Novi Pazar 17 (1)
2025– Balzan 5 (0)
International career‡
2012 Portugal U18 3 (0)
2014 Portugal U20 5 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 2 April 2024
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 2 September 2023

Rafael da Silva Floro (born 19 January 1994) is a Portuguese professional footballer who plays as a left back for the team Balzan in the Maltese Premier League.

Club career

Born in Quarteira, Algarve, Floro played youth football with six clubs, including local C.D.R. Quarteirense from ages 8 to 13. He finished his development with FC Porto and, although he was selected to some Segunda Liga matches by the B team to kickstart his senior career, he could never appear in the competition.[2]

In summer 2013, Floro went on trial with English Football League Championship side Sheffield Wednesday, which had all of their full-backs injured, and signed a one-year contract on 6 August after impressing.[3] That same day, he made his professional debut, being replaced midway through the second half of a 2–1 away loss against Rotherham United in the first round of the League Cup.[4] His first league game took place on the 10th, when he played the first half of another 1–2 defeat, now at home to Burnley.[5]

On 10 May 2015, after no further competitive appearances for the Owls, Floro was released.[6] Shortly after, he returned to his country and joined Primeira Liga club C.F. Os Belenenses on a four-year deal.[7] He also failed to play one single competitive match with the latter, being loaned to teams in the lower leagues.[8]

Floro returned to the Portuguese second tier on 31 January 2017, penning a two-and-a-half-year contract with Gil Vicente F.C. after leaving Louletano DC.[9] He continued to compete in that league but also the third,[10] having abroad spells in Lithuania with FC Stumbras and FK Panevėžys[11][12] and in Finland with AC Oulu.[13]

International career

In May 2014, Floro was picked by coach Ilídio Vale for his Portuguese under-20 squad which was due to appear in that year's Toulon Tournament. He made four appearances during the competition, helping his team to a final third position.[14]

Career statistics

Club

As of 17 February 2017[15]
Club statistics
Club Season League Cup[a] League cup[b] Continental[c] Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Porto B 2012–13 LigaPro 0 0 — — — 0 0 0 0
Sheffield Wednesday 2013–14 Championship 1 0 0 0 1 0 — 0 0 2 0
2014–15 Championship 0 0 0 0 0 0 — 0 0 0 0
Total 1 0 0 0 1 0 — 0 0 2 0
Belenenses 2015–16 Primeira Liga 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Casa Pia (loan) 2015–16 Campeonato de Portugal 3 1 0 0 — — 0 0 3 1
Almancilense (loan) 2015–16 Campeonato de Portugal 13 1 — — — 0 0 13 1
Louletano 2016–17 Campeonato de Portugal 17 1 0 0 — — 0 0 17 1
Gil Vicente 2016–17 LigaPro 7 0 — — — 0 0 7 0
Cova Piedade 2017–18 LigaPro 5 0 1 0 — — — 6 0
Stumbras 2018 A Lyga 10 2 2 0 — — — 12 2
Felgueiras 1932 2018–19 Campeonato de Portugal 13 0 — — — — 13 0
Olhanense 2019–20 Campeonato de Portugal 6 1 1 0 — — — 7 1
Panevėžys 2020 A Lyga 17 1 4 2 — — — 21 3
2021 A Lyga 34 4 4 0 — 2[d] 0 1[e] 0 41 0
Total 51 5 8 2 0 0 2 0 1 0 62 7
AC Oulu 2022 Veikkausliiga 25 5 4 1 2 0 — — 31 6
Novi Pazar 2023–24 Serbian SuperLiga 17 1 2 0 — — — 19 1
Balzan 2024–25 Maltese Premier League 5 0 — — — — 5 0
Career total 173 17 18 3 3 0 2 0 1 0 197 23

  1. ^ Includes the Taça de Portugal, FA Cup, Lithuanian Cup, Suomen Cup and Serbian Cup.
  2. ^ Includes the Taça da Liga, EFL Cup and Finnish League Cup.
  3. ^ Includes the UEFA Europa League.
  4. ^ Appearances in UEFA Conference League
  5. ^ Includes Lithuanian Supercup

References

  1. ^ a b c d "Rafael Floro" (in Portuguese). Mais Futebol. Retrieved 21 April 2021.
  2. ^ Gouveia, Ricardo (4 November 2020). "Uma taça, batata doce e a felicidade em Panevezys" [A cup, sweet potato and happiness in Panevezys] (in Portuguese). Mais Futebol. Retrieved 18 January 2022.
  3. ^ "Floro deal confirmed". Sheffield Wednesday F.C. 6 August 2013. Retrieved 6 August 2013.
  4. ^ "Rotherham 2–1 Sheffield Wed". BBC Sport. 6 August 2013. Retrieved 9 February 2016.
  5. ^ "Owls miss out". Sheffield Wednesday F.C. 10 August 2013. Retrieved 10 August 2013.
  6. ^ "Sheffield Wednesday release 11 players including Lewis Buxton". BBC Sport. 5 May 2015. Retrieved 9 July 2015.
  7. ^ "Rafael Floro contratado por quatro temporadas" [Rafael Floro hired for four seasons]. Record (in Portuguese). 10 May 2015. Retrieved 28 June 2017.
  8. ^ Gouveia Pereira, Miguel (4 November 2015). "Rafael Floro de saída à procura de minutos" [Rafael Floro on his way out looking for minutes]. O Jogo (in Portuguese). Retrieved 28 June 2017.
  9. ^ Vasconcelos, Ricardo (1 February 2017). "Rafael Floro até 2019" [Rafael Floro until 2019]. Record (in Portuguese). Retrieved 21 April 2021.
  10. ^ Alves, Armando (16 July 2019). "Rafael Floro reforça lado esquerdo do Olhanense" [Rafael Floro bolsters Olhanense left flank]. Record (in Portuguese). Retrieved 18 January 2022.
  11. ^ "Três portugueses vencem Supertaça da Lituânia após desempate por penáltis" [Three Portuguese win Lithuanian Supercup following penalty shootout]. O Jogo (in Portuguese). 3 April 2021. Retrieved 18 January 2022.
  12. ^ "Rafael Floro na equipa do ano da Liga da Lituânia" [Rafael Floro in team of the year in Lithuanian League] (in Portuguese). Notícias ao Minuto. 16 December 2021. Retrieved 18 January 2022.
  13. ^ "Rafael Floro saapuu AC Oulun takalinjoille" [Rafael Floro arrives for AC Oulu defence] (in Finnish). AC Oulu. 29 November 2021. Retrieved 17 January 2022.
  14. ^ "Portugal vence Inglaterra (1–0) e fica em terceiro em Toulon" [Portugal beat England (1–0) and finish third in Toulon] (in Portuguese). Diário Desportivo. 2 June 2014. Retrieved 21 April 2021.
  15. ^ Rafael Floro at Soccerway