Rafael Floro

Rafael da Silva Floro (born 19 January 1994) is a Portuguese professional footballer who plays as a left back for the team Balzan in the Maltese Premier League.

Rafael Floro

Personal information
Full name	Rafael da Silva Floro[1]
Date of birth	(1994-01-19) 19 January 1994 (age 31)[1]
Place of birth	Quarteira, Portugal[1]
Height	1.76 m (5 ft 9 in)[1]
Position(s)	Left back
Team information
Current team	Balzan
Number	42
Youth career
2002–2007	Quarteirense
2007–2009	Sporting CP
2009	Académica
2010	Louletano
2010–2011	Internacional Almancil
2011–2013	Porto
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2013	Porto B	0	(0)
2013–2015	Sheffield Wednesday	1	(0)
2015–2016	Belenenses	0	(0)
2015	→ Casa Pia (loan)	3	(1)
2016	→ Almancilense (loan)	13	(1)
2016–2017	Louletano	17	(1)
2017	Gil Vicente	7	(0)
2017–2018	Cova Piedade	5	(0)
2018	Stumbras	10	(2)
2019	Felgueiras 1932	13	(0)
2019–2020	Olhanense	6	(1)
2020–2021	Panevėžys	51	(5)
2022	AC Oulu	23	(5)
2023–2024	Novi Pazar	17	(1)
2024–	Balzan	14	(1)
International career‡
2012	Portugal U18	3	(0)
2014	Portugal U20	5	(0)
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 26 June 2025 ‡ National team caps and goals as of 2 September 2023

Club career

Born in Quarteira, Algarve, Floro played youth football with six clubs, including local C.D.R. Quarteirense from ages 8 to 13. He finished his development with FC Porto and, although he was selected to some Segunda Liga matches by the B team to kickstart his senior career, he could never appear in the competition.^[2]

In summer 2013, Floro went on trial with English Football League Championship side Sheffield Wednesday, which had all of their full-backs injured, and signed a one-year contract on 6 August after impressing.^[3] That same day, he made his professional debut, being replaced midway through the second half of a 2–1 away loss against Rotherham United in the first round of the League Cup.^[4] His first league game took place on the 10th, when he played the first half of another 1–2 defeat, now at home to Burnley.^[5]

On 10 May 2015, after no further competitive appearances for the Owls, Floro was released.^[6] Shortly after, he returned to his country and joined Primeira Liga club C.F. Os Belenenses on a four-year deal.^[7] He also failed to play one single competitive match with the latter, being loaned to teams in the lower leagues.^[8]

Floro returned to the Portuguese second tier on 31 January 2017, penning a two-and-a-half-year contract with Gil Vicente F.C. after leaving Louletano DC.^[9] He continued to compete in that league but also the third,^[10] having abroad spells in Lithuania with FC Stumbras and FK Panevėžys^[11][12] and in Finland with AC Oulu.^[13]

International career

In May 2014, Floro was picked by coach Ilídio Vale for his Portuguese under-20 squad which was due to appear in that year's Toulon Tournament. He made four appearances during the competition, helping his team to a final third position.^[14]

Career statistics

Club

As of 17 February 2017^[15]

Club statistics

Club	Season	League			Cup[a]		League cup[b]		Continental[c]		Other		Total
		Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Porto B	2012–13	LigaPro	0	0	—		—		—		0	0	0	0
Sheffield Wednesday	2013–14	Championship	1	0	0	0	1	0	—		0	0	2	0
	2014–15	Championship	0	0	0	0	0	0	—		0	0	0	0
	Total		1	0	0	0	1	0	—		0	0	2	0
Belenenses	2015–16	Primeira Liga	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Casa Pia (loan)	2015–16	Campeonato de Portugal	3	1	0	0	—		—		0	0	3	1
Almancilense (loan)	2015–16	Campeonato de Portugal	13	1	—		—		—		0	0	13	1
Louletano	2016–17	Campeonato de Portugal	17	1	0	0	—		—		0	0	17	1
Gil Vicente	2016–17	LigaPro	7	0	—		—		—		0	0	7	0
Cova Piedade	2017–18	LigaPro	5	0	1	0	—		—		—		6	0
Stumbras	2018	A Lyga	10	2	2	0	—		—		—		12	2
Felgueiras 1932	2018–19	Campeonato de Portugal	13	0	—		—		—		—		13	0
Olhanense	2019–20	Campeonato de Portugal	6	1	1	0	—		—		—		7	1
Panevėžys	2020	A Lyga	17	1	4	2	—		—		—		21	3
	2021	A Lyga	34	4	4	0	—		2[d]	0	1[e]	0	41	0
	Total		51	5	8	2	0	0	2	0	1	0	62	7
AC Oulu	2022	Veikkausliiga	25	5	4	1	2	0	—		—		31	6
Novi Pazar	2023–24	Serbian SuperLiga	17	1	2	0	—		—		—		19	1
Balzan	2024–25	Maltese Premier League	5	0	—		—		—		—		5	0
Career total			173	17	18	3	3	0	2	0	1	0	197	23

1. Includes the Taça de Portugal, FA Cup, Lithuanian Cup, Suomen Cup and Serbian Cup.
2. Includes the Taça da Liga, EFL Cup and Finnish League Cup.
3. Includes the UEFA Europa League.
4. Appearances in UEFA Conference League
5. Includes Lithuanian Supercup