Rafael (footballer, born 1978)

Rafael

Vieira in 2015.
Personal information
Full name	Rafael Pires Vieira
Date of birth	(1978-08-01) 1 August 1978 (age 46)
Place of birth	Criciúma, Brazil
Height	1.85 m (6 ft 1 in)
Position(s)	Centre forward
Team information
Current team	FC Lahti
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1997	HJK Helsinki	21	(11)
1998–1999	FC Jazz	31	(7)
1999–2000	HJK Helsinki	32	(19)
2000–2002	SC Heerenveen	6	(0)
2002–2003	Denizlispor	0	(0)
2004	FJK	21	(17)
2005–2016	FC Lahti	250	(103)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 1 December 2014

Rafael Pires Vieira (born 1 August 1978), better known simply as Rafael, is a Brazilian former football centre forward. He played a large part of his career in the Veikkausliiga in Finland, winning the goal kingship twice and becoming a Veikkausliiga legend in 2019.^[1]

Individual

• Veikkausliiga Top Score: 2007

• Rafael at Soccerway
• Player profile on fclahti.fi
• Rafael at Sambafoot (archived)