Nearing 200 games for Tricolor, Rafael eyes O’Higgins clash | OneFootball

Ninth on the list of goalkeepers with the most appearances for São Paulo, with 199, Rafael is on the verge of reaching the impressive mark of 200 matches for Tricolor in the clash against O’Higgins this Tuesday (14), at 7 p.m., at MorumBIS, in the second round of Group C of the CONMEBOL Sudamericana.

“Every match wearing the São Paulo shirt is the fulfillment of a dream. And being able to reach 200 games is indescribable, surreal. It is rewarding to represent these colors, this badge and these fans on the field,” said the player, who so far has left the field without conceding a goal 80 times.

Rafael Pires Monteiro was born in Coronel Fabriciano, Minas Gerais, and joined Tricolor in 2023 after playing for Cruzeiro and Atlético-MG.

For São Paulo, the number 23 won the Copa do Brasil (2023) and the Supercopa Rei (2024), being named the best goalkeeper of the Copa do Brasil (2023) and the best player of the Supercopa Rei (2024), in addition to earning call-ups to the Brazilian National Team.

The only player in the squad to have featured in all 22 matches played by São Paulo in 2026, Rafael is focused on the club’s next challenge: against the Chilean side in the continental competition.

“May we put in a great performance to crown this milestone with a victory, which is the most important thing tomorrow. I hope to play many more matches for São Paulo, because it is a source of pride to defend the club, especially alongside our fans, as we will tomorrow,” he concluded.

Only eight goalkeepers have made more appearances for Tricolor than Rafael. They are: Sérgio (201), King (203), Gilmar (253), Suly (266), Zetti (432), Poy (525), Waldir Peres (617) and Rogério Ceni (1237).

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