Rafael Sóbis facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Rafael Sóbis

Sóbis playing for Tigres UANL in 2015.
Personal information
Full name	Rafael Augusto Sóbis
Date of birth	(1985-06-17) 17 June 1985 (age 40)
Place of birth	Erechim, Brazil
Height	1.72 m
Playing position	Forward
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps†	(Gls)†
2004–2006	Internacional	82	(28)
2006–2008	Betis	57	(8)
2008–2012	Al-Jazira	21	(7)
2010–2011	→ Internacional (loan)	16	(4)
2011–2012	→ Fluminense (loan)	26	(10)
2012–2014	Fluminense	88	(16)
2015–2016	Tigres UANL	52	(18)
2016–2018	Cruzeiro	64	(11)
2019	Internacional	20	(2)
2020	Ceará	16	(2)
2020–2021	Cruzeiro	30	(6)
National team
2005	Brazil U20	16	(4)
2008	Brazil U23	6	(2)
2006–2008	Brazil	8	(1)
Honours Representing  Brazil Men's Football Bronze 2008 Beijing Team
Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 31 July 2021. † Appearances (Goals).

Rafael Sóbis, born on June 17, 1985, is a Brazilian former professional football player. He played as a forward, which means he was usually trying to score goals for his team.

Before joining the team Ceará, Sóbis played for many famous clubs like Internacional, Real Betis, Al-Jazira, Fluminense, and Tigres UANL. He even won the important Copa Libertadores championship with Internacional! He also reached the final of the Copa Libertadores with Tigres in 2015.

Rafael also played for the national team of Brazil. He won a bronze medal at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, which is a big achievement!

Rafael Sóbis's Club Journey

Starting Strong at Internacional

Rafael Sóbis was born in Erechim, a city in Brazil. He started playing football in the youth teams of Internacional. At first, he was known just as Rafael. The club's president suggested he use his mother's last name, Sóbis, which comes from his Ukrainian family. This was thought to be a good idea if he ever wanted to play in Europe.

He joined the main team in 2004 and quickly became an important player. In 2005, when he was just 19, Sóbis scored 19 goals in 35 games. The next year, he helped Internacional finish second in the Brazilian League. He was even chosen to be part of the "all-star team" for the season. In 2006, he helped Internacional win the Copa Libertadores title. He scored two goals in the first game of the final match against São Paulo.

Playing in Spain: Real Betis

In August 2006, Sóbis moved to Spain to play for Real Betis. He signed a long contract with the team. He was officially introduced to the press in September and played his first game for Real Betis and in the La Liga two days later. His team won that game 3–0.

Sóbis scored his first goals against their city rivals, Sevilla, on September 17. However, Betis lost that match 3–2. He also scored important goals against other teams. An injury kept him from playing for about a month. A big moment for Sóbis in the 2006–07 season was when he scored a late goal against Barcelona at their stadium, the Camp Nou.

He started his second season with Betis very well, scoring three goals in his first six games. In July 2008, Real Betis received an offer from the English club Newcastle United for Sóbis.

Adventure in the UAE: Al-Jazira

On September 2, 2008, Sóbis moved to the United Arab Emirates to play for the team Al-Jazira.

Back Home: Second Time at Internacional

In July 2010, Sóbis returned to Internacional in Brazil for a one-year loan. He came back to play in the Copa Libertadores again. On August 18, Internacional won the 2010 Copa Libertadores final against Chivas Guadalajara. Sóbis scored the first goal in their 3–2 win! He got hurt while scoring that goal and had to leave the game. After his loan ended, Internacional decided not to buy him permanently, and he went back to the Middle East.

Success with Fluminense

On July 21, 2011, the club Fluminense announced that Sóbis was joining their team. He joined on the club's 109th birthday! He reunited with his former coach, Abel Braga, at Fluminense. Even though some fans were worried about his past injuries, Sóbis played a very important role in helping the team win the league title in 2011. He scored 10 goals in 26 games that season.

After playing for one year on loan, Fluminense bought Sóbis permanently in July 2012. He signed a three-year contract. The team, nicknamed Tricolor, went on to win the national championship in 2012. On December 24, 2014, he left Fluminense by agreement with the club.

Playing in Mexico: Tigres UANL

Just four days after leaving Fluminense, Sóbis joined the Mexican team Tigres UANL. He became a champion of the Apertura 2015 season in Mexico's top league, Liga MX. He also helped Tigres reach the final of the 2015 Copa Libertadores, where they finished as runner-up.

Joining Cruzeiro

On June 23, 2016, Sóbis signed with Cruzeiro in Brazil. He quickly became a key player for the team, playing both as a winger and a central striker. Cruzeiro's fans really liked his fighting spirit and how determined he was, especially in big games. Many fans even copied his "samurai haircut" or Viking style in 2017!

Back to Internacional Again

On January 5, 2019, Sóbis joined Internacional for the third time in his career. He signed a one-year contract with his old club.

Playing for Ceará

In January 2020, Sóbis joined Ceará on a one-year contract. He played well in the State League and the Copa do Nordeste that year. However, his performance changed when he played in the top Brazilian league, Série A.

Return to Cruzeiro and Retirement

In November 2020, Sóbis rejoined Cruzeiro until the end of the 2021 season. He reportedly came back to help the team, which was facing financial problems and had been moved to a lower league. Sóbis was a favorite player among the fans during both his times at the club. He retired from football at the end of his contract.

Rafael Sóbis's International Career

Sóbis playing for Brazil in 2006, holding off a challenge from Switzerland's Tranquillo Barnetta

Sóbis played his first game for the Brazil national team on September 3, 2006. It was against Argentina in London, and Brazil won 3–0. Sóbis came into the game as a late substitute. He scored his first goal for Brazil in a friendly match against a Kuwaiti club team on October 7, 2006.

He also won a bronze medal with the Brazil U-23 team at the 2008 Summer Olympics in China. In a game against New Zealand, he came in as a substitute and scored a goal, helping Brazil win 5–0.

How Rafael Sóbis Played

Rafael Sóbis was a very active and smart forward. He often played a creative role because he understood the game well. He moved around the field a lot, had good vision, and was great at passing the ball. These skills helped him create chances for his teammates to score goals.

Even though he liked to play as a supporting striker (a player who helps the main striker), he could also play as a winger (on the side of the field) or as the main striker. Under coach Ricardo Ferretti, Sóbis played many different roles. He could play as a striker, a second striker, or even as a central attacking midfielder. He was good with his right foot for taking free kicks and passing. He could also pass, cross, and score goals with his left foot.

Career Statistics

This table shows how many games Rafael Sóbis played and how many goals he scored for different clubs in different competitions.

Honors and Awards

Internacional

• Campeonato Gaúcho: 2011
• Copa Libertadores: 2006, 2010

Fluminense

• Campeonato Carioca: 2012
• Campeonato Brasileiro Série A: 2012

Cruzeiro

• Campeonato Mineiro: 2018
• Copa do Brasil: 2017, 2018

UANL

• Liga MX: Apertura 2015
• Copa Libertadores runner-up: 2015
• Concacaf Champions League runner-up: 2015–16

Brazil

• Olympic Games Bronze medal: 2008

Individual Awards

• Campeonato Brasileiro Série A Team of the Year: 2005
• Copa do Brasil top scorer: 2017

Images for kids

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  Sóbis playing for Tigres UANL in 2015.

• 

  Sóbis playing for Brazil in 2006, holding off a challenge from Switzerland's Tranquillo Barnetta.

See also

In Spanish: Rafael Sóbis para niños