Rafael Gonzaga handed Santos chance under Cuca after Vinícius Lira injury | OneFootball

Vinícius Lira’s serious knee injury has opened the door for 18-year-old left-back Rafael Gonzaga, named in Cuca’s Santos squad to face Cruzeiro in the Brasileiro.

According to Globo.com, Lira sustained a complete rupture of the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee, and with no viable replacements in the market the club accelerated Gonzaga’s pathway.

Gonzaga is rated highly internally and is the third in a promising crop of full-backs, behind Souza and Lira. An attacking option, he frequently reaches the box and scores, netting four in 18 games in last year’s Brasileiro Under-17. He had already been earmarked for a future step up.

He has youth international experience and was part of last year’s South American Under-17 title win, though he missed the World Cup in Qatar. At Santos since 2019 at Under-11 level, he signed his first professional deal in 2024 aged 16, running until May 2027.

At club level he lifted the Paulista Under-17 in 2024 and the Under-20 in 2025. After Souza departed early this year, Lira moved to the seniors and Gonzaga became the Under-20 starter in the Copinha, later competing with João Ananias, a centre-back who can also play full-back with a more defensive profile.

Coaches view him as quick to adapt, which saw him appear for the Under-17, Under-20 and Under-23 sides in 2024. Santos plan to manage his exposure carefully, with first-team training and possible returns to the Under-20s when he is not selected.

Source: Globo.com