After a remarkable career spanning more than two decades, Brazilian right-back Rafinha has officially announced his retirement from professional football at the age of 39.
The Brazilian right-back brings to a close an extraordinary career during which he represented eight clubs and collected an impressive 31 official trophies.
His European journey began in 2005, when he left Coritiba to join Schalke 04. After a brief spell at Genoa, he moved to Bayern Munich in 2011, where he would go on to spend eight unforgettable seasons. With the Bavarians, Rafinha became a true fan favourite, winning seven Bundesliga titles, four DFB-Pokal cups, and most notably the UEFA Champions League – cementing his place in the club’s history.
After his time in Germany, he returned to Brazil in 2019 to join Flamengo, with whom he won everything on both the national and continental levels. A short stint at Olympiakos followed, before he returned to Brazil to play for Grêmio, São Paulo, and finally his boyhood club Coritiba, where he brought his career full circle.
In a heartfelt post on Instagram, Rafinha thanked clubs, teammates, coaches, and fans, recalling the most significant moments of his career:
“Today marks the final whistle for me. It’s time to officially say goodbye to the pitch, and I do so with a calm heart and full of gratitude.”
He concluded by saying that while his playing days are over, his love for football remains intact, and he is ready to begin a new chapter off the field.
