Meet the 17-year-old Santos full-back set to shine in the Copinha | OneFootball

Santos will have at least one change in the lineup for the second game in the 2026 São Paulo Junior Football Cup. Vinícius Lira has been called up to join the professional squad, leaving a spot open at left-back.

The tendency is for coach Vinicius Marques to position Rafael Gonzaga in that role. The "Menino da Vila" was born on February 7, 2008. In other words, he is 17 years old and 1.81m tall.

This is the boy's first year in the under-20 team. Despite that, he is already in his second São Paulo Cup. In 2025, Rafael Gonzaga was also called up for the tournament and played one match.

In the 2026 debut, in the 3-0 victory over Real Brasília, the left-back remained on the bench. Vinícius Lira played the full 90 minutes.

Who is Rafael Gonzaga?

Rafael Gonzaga is well-regarded and considered a promising talent. The "Menino da Vila" is technical, has good defensive positioning, and supports the attack well. His good football led him to the South American Under-17 Championship in 2025, won by the Brazilian National Team in April.

However, throughout 2025, he experienced a decline in performance. As a result, he was left out of the call-up for the Under-17 World Cup in November.

Now, Rafael Gonzaga has a golden opportunity to showcase his football in the 2026 Copinha. Santos will take the field this Wednesday at 7:30 PM (Brasília time) against União Cacoalense-RO, at the Municipal Stadium Prof. Luiz Augusto de Oliveira, São Carlos (SP).

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