5 Brazilians who played for Manchester United

#4 Rafael

FA Cup sponsored by e.on Fifth Round Derby County v Manchester United — Rafael (right) never quite lived up to his early potential

Much more of a United success story than twin brother Fabio, Rafael arrived at United at the same time as his brother but was able to break into the first team squad a season before Fabio did, as he made 16 Premier League appearances in 2008/09 and was seen as the heir apparent to legend Gary Neville, who was beginning to slow down as his career reached its final point.

Over the course of the next couple of seasons, Rafael never quite embedded himself into the side as Neville had done, and gained a reputation for being somewhat reckless – largely earned due to his sending off in the 2010 Champions League quarter-final second leg against Bayern Munich, an incident that some United fans felt cost them the tie.

Following this though he improved, and was a regular performer for the Red Devils until the end of Sir Alex Ferguson’s final season in 2012/13 when he appeared to have finally nailed down the right-back slot as his own. But when Ferguson retired, fluctuations in form and various injuries meant that he drifted in and out of the side until he was sold to Lyon in the summer of 2015.

About the author

Scott is a veteran MMA writer with over two decades of experience, including his ongoing tenure in Sportskeeda, which began seven years ago. He has written over 3000 pieces for the organization, while also covering football. Before joining Sportskeeda, Scott wrote articles for websites like The Oratory and Inside Pulse MMA.

Scott has a degree in history, which drives his research skills and helps him compile accurate information. His long stint in the field helps Scott provide a clear take on important topics, such as the criticism of promotions regarding fighter pay. While he feels fighters deserve a bigger revenue share, he doesn’t want MMA to suffer with purse-split issues.

Scott’s work has been previously reshared by the former UFC middleweight champion Chris Weidman. He uses credible sources, such as the UFC’s official website, during the writing process.

His dedication to MMA writing won him the Feature Writer of the Month award for Sportskeeda in November 2021.

Outside of work, Scott likes to go to the gym, walk his dog, and travel.

Know More

Edited by Zeeshan Ali