Ex-Galo, Grêmio and Vasco midfielder Rafael Carioca announces retirement | OneFootball

Midfielder Rafael Carioca, formerly of Atlético-MG, Grêmio, and Vasco, announced on Friday night that he will retire from football at the age of 36. The player's last team was Tigres, from Mexico, where he arrived in 2017 and ended his stint in July 2025.

  See this photo on Instagram   A post shared by Rafael Pereira (@rafaelcarioca)

Career

Trained at Grêmio, Rafael was promoted to the club’s senior team in 2008 and it didn’t take long for him to attract the attention of European clubs. In 2009, he moved to Spartak Moscow, in Russia, where he stayed until 2015. During his time there, he was loaned out to Vasco and Atlético-MG, which acquired the player permanently in 2015.

It was at Galo that the midfielder, still on loan, would win his first career title, the 2014 Copa do Brasil. In August 2017, Rafael was transferred to Tigres in Mexico. There, he became one of the pillars of coach Tuca Ferretti’s team and won eight trophies: Mexican Super Cup (2x), CONCACAF Champions League, Mexican Championship (Apertura), Mexican Championship (Clausura) (2x), and the Campeones Cup (2x).

In July 2025, his contract with the Mexican team ended. Since then, Rafael has been without a club. On his social media, the player thanked everyone who was part of his career and football. In total, he played 735 games, scored 14 goals, and provided 38 assists.

Read the full statement

“The time has come to give thanks. To football, which taught me, challenged me, and allowed me to live dreams that I will carry with me forever. To the clubs I played for, teammates, staff, fans, and everyone who was part of this journey. Ending my career is closing a cycle with a heart full of gratitude. Thank you, football. ⚽🙏🏽”

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