;'/></svg>)
Personal Information
| Full Name | Rafael Alcântara do Nascimento |
| Date of Birth | February 12, 1993 |
| Nationality | Brazilian |
| Height | 5 ft 8 in (1.74 m) |
| Role | Midfielder |
| Past Team(s) |
Rafael Alcántara do Nascimento: A Brief Biography
Background
Rafael Alcântara do Nascimento, popularly known as Rafinha is a Brazilian footballer who was born on 12 February 1993 in São Paulo, Brazil. Currently, he plays for FC Barcelona in the La Liga.
Career
Rafinha had joined FC Barcelona as a youth player at the age of 13 and trained with the club before playing his first U-16 game for Spain in 2009. He also played for the Spain U-19 team before making his debut for Barcelona's B-team on 8 January 2011 against Girona FC. He came on in the 55th minute of the match and replaced Jonathan dos Santos. Rafinha made his professional debut for FC Barcelona's senior team on the 9th of November 2011 in a Copa del Rey match against CE L'Hospitalet. Barcelona won the said game 1-0.
After playing for several Spanish youth teams, he switched to Brazil and represented its U-20 team at the 2013 South American Youth Championship. On 5 September 2015, he played his first international game against Costa Rica and came on in the 81st minute. His first international goal came in his second game for Brazil against the United States.
Position and Playing Style
He is a left-footed player who performs the role of a midfielder in the team and is known for his excellent passing abilities. Although Rafinha isn't a prolific goal scorer, he remains an asset to the team as he possesses the ability to create goal-scoring opportunities from midfield.
