Fans rate Rafael’s season at São Paulo as “excellent” | OneFootball

Rafael concluded his third season as the starting goalkeeper for São Paulo amid one of the club's most disappointing years in recent times. The team experienced inconsistent performance, eliminations, an endless sequence of injuries, and also faced serious financial difficulties. Even in this turbulent scenario, the goalkeeper managed to stay above criticism and ended 2025 as one of the most consistent players in the tricolor squad.

In a poll conducted by Gazeta Esportiva, 45.9% of voters rated Rafael's season as excellent.

To gauge his importance, out of the 66 games played by São Paulo this year, Rafael was on the field for 59 of them (totaling 5,224 minutes) and finished as the player with the most appearances in the season. Only Luciano, with 56 matches, came close.

The workload was heavy. The tricolor defensive system showed flaws throughout the year, leaving the team exposed in several matches and making it easier for opponents' attacks. This is reflected in Rafael's numbers, who conceded 57 goals, averaging 0.97 per game. Even so, his performances were crucial to avoid greater losses.

Highlight in the Libertadores

Rafael's main performance in 2025 occurred in the second leg of the Libertadores round of 16, against Atlético Nacional. In the second half, he made an impressive save that prevented the Colombians from equalizing at that moment.

The opponent did manage to level the score later, taking the decision to penalties, but Rafael was decisive again by saving the first penalty. São Paulo won 4-3 and advanced, with the goalkeeper leaving Morumbi hailed as one of the heroes of the qualification.

The expulsion in the Copa do Brasil

The most controversial episode of the season for Rafael happened in the second leg of the Copa do Brasil round of 16, against Athletico-PR. Just three minutes in, he was sent off after committing a foul on Viveros, who would have been one-on-one with the goal.

With one player less, São Paulo, which had won 1-0 in the first leg, had to close ranks and ended up conceding the equalizer. In the penalties, Jandrei, who replaced Rafael, couldn't save any shots, while his teammates missed all their attempts. Athletico advanced 3-0.

Despite the setbacks, it's undeniable that Rafael is far from being a problem at São Paulo, which already has several others to solve. On the contrary: he is by far the most successful goalkeeper to pass through the club since Rogério Ceni's retirement and proved it again this season.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.