Nando Rafael facts for kids
Rafael in 2007
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 10 January 1984 | ||
| Place of birth | Luanda, Angola | ||
| Height | 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in) | ||
| Position(s) | Forward | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1994–2001 | Ajax | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2001–2002 | Ajax II | 18 | (2) |
| 2001–2002 | Ajax | 0 | (0) |
| 2002–2006 | Hertha BSC II | 26 | (18) |
| 2002–2006 | Hertha BSC | 70 | (16) |
| 2006–2008 | Borussia Mönchengladbach | 45 | (9) |
| 2006–2008 | Borussia Mönchengladbach II | 3 | (0) |
| 2008–2009 | AGF | 33 | (10) |
| 2010 | → FC Augsburg (loan) | 10 | (4) |
| 2010–2012 | FC Augsburg | 33 | (16) |
| 2012–2013 | Fortuna Düsseldorf | 11 | (2) |
| 2013–2014 | Henan Jianye | 35 | (10) |
| 2015–2016 | VfL Bochum | 8 | (1) |
| Total | 292 | (88) | |
| International career | |||
| 2005–2006 | Germany U21 | 13 | (5) |
| 2012 | Angola | 3 | (0) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Nando Rafael, born on January 10, 1984, is a former professional footballer from Angola. He played as a forward, which means he was usually trying to score goals. Nando Rafael played for the Angola national team three times, even though he also played for Germany's youth teams.
Contents
Early Life and Challenges
Nando Rafael was born in Luanda, Angola. When he was young, he had to leave his home country because of a difficult situation. He moved to the Netherlands, hoping to play football professionally. However, it was hard for him to get the right papers to work there, which meant he couldn't play football as a job. This led him to move to another country to continue his dream.
Playing for Clubs
Starting in Germany
In 2002, Nando Rafael moved to Germany and joined Hertha BSC, a well-known football club. He played there for several years, showing off his skills as a forward.
Moving to New Teams
Later, in 2006, he signed with Borussia Mönchengladbach. After that, he moved to AGF in Denmark. His first season at AGF was a bit tough because of injuries, which made it harder for him to play as much as he wanted.
Loan and Permanent Moves
On January 10, 2010, Nando Rafael joined FC Augsburg in Germany on a loan. A loan means he played for them for a short time while still belonging to his original club. He did well there, and on July 19, 2010, he signed a two-year contract to join FC Augsburg permanently.
Playing in China
On June 27, 2013, Nando Rafael decided to try playing football in a different country. He joined Henan Jianye, a club in China. He played there for a couple of years before returning to Germany.
Final Club Years
In 2015, he joined VfL Bochum in Germany, where he played for one season before ending his professional career.
International Football
Nando Rafael's journey in international football is quite interesting. He was born in Angola and grew up in the Netherlands. When he was a teenager, he moved to Germany to play football. He eventually received a German passport and played for the German Under-21 team.
However, in 2012, he decided to play for the Angola national team. He even played for them in the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations, which is a big tournament for African countries. Before that, he played in a friendly match for Angola in November 2011.
Career Achievements
Nando Rafael had a successful career, winning titles with two different clubs.
Club Trophies
- Borussia Mönchengladbach
* He helped them win the 2. Bundesliga in the 2007–08 season. This meant his team was promoted to the top German league.
- Henan Jianye
* He also won the China League One with Henan Jianye in 2013. This is the second-highest football league in China.
See also
In Spanish: Nando Rafael para niños
