Rafael Carioca announces retirement after eight seasons with Tigres | OneFootball

Rafael Carioca announced his retirement on Friday at 36, concluding a career capped by eight seasons with Tigres in Mexico.

The player said in a post on Instagram that he was grateful to football, to the clubs he represented, team-mates, staff and supporters, adding that ending his career closes a cycle with gratitude.

Born in São Gonçalo, he came through Pão de Açúcar’s youth ranks in Rio de Janeiro before finishing his development at Grêmio. He debuted for the senior side in March 2008 and made 40 appearances that season.

He left Brazil at the end of that year, sold to Spartak Moscow. In 2010 he returned on loan to play for Vasco, then went back to Spartak the following year and spent six seasons abroad without a sustained run as a starter.

Rafael Carioca moved to Atlético-MG in 2014 for a three-and-a-half-year spell, immediately contributing to their Copa do Brasil triumph. He also lifted the Campeonato Mineiro in 2015 and 2017.

In August 2016 he was called up by Tite for Brazil’s World Cup qualifiers.

He left Brazil again in August 2017 when he joined Tigres, where he became an idol. His last match came on 15 May 2025, a 1-1 draw with Toluca in the Liga Mexicana Clausura semi-final. He won at least eight trophies with Tigres, including the 2020 Concacaf Champions League.

Source: Globo.com