Rafael Bracalli


Rafael Wihby Bracalli is a Brazilian professional footballer who plays for Portuguese club Boavista F.C. as a goalkeeper. He also holds Italian citizenship.

Club career

Born in Santos, São Paulo, Bracali started playing professionally for local Paulista Futebol Clube, and he won an unlikely Copa do Brasil title in 2005, after great teams, as Cruzeiro, Internacional and Fluminense. In 2006, he moved to Portugal and signed with C.D. Nacional in Madeira: after backing up Diego Benaglio in his first season and appearing in 14 Primeira Liga games in his second, he became the club's first-choice after the Swiss moved to VfL Wolfsburg.
From 2008 to 2011, Bracalli did not miss one single league match for Nacional. He was set to sign for fellow league side S.C. Braga in June 2011, but the deal eventually fell through. The following month he replaced departed Beto as understudy at FC Porto, behind compatriot Helton. He made his only league appearance for the Dragons on 12 May 2012 in the last game of a victorious campaign, a 5–2 win at Rio Ave F.C. in which he was substituted late on for fellow debutant Kadú; he was then loaned to S.C. Olhanense where he played more frequently, and the team avoided relegation by one point.
On 13 July 2015, after two years in the Superleague Greece with Panetolikos FC, Bracalli agreed a two-year deal with F.C. Arouca. A year after his team's relegation, on 29 June 2018 he returned to the top flight and the city of Porto by signing for Boavista F.C. on a two-year contract. In 2019, he renewed his contract until 2021.

Honours

Paulista
Porto