# Rafinha (footballer, born 1985)
**Rafinha** is the nickname of Márcio Rafael Ferreira de Souza (born 1985 in Londrina, Brazil), a Brazilian right-back who played for [FC Schalke 04](https://www.edgepedia.org/fc-schalke-04) and FC Bayern München in the [Bundesliga](https://www.edgepedia.org/bundesliga), won the 2013 continental treble with Bayern, and retired in July 2025.[1](https://fcbayern.com/en/teams/fc-bayern-legends/players/rafinha) He is distinct from the other well-known footballers who share the nickname, including the midfielder Rafinha Alcântara (born 1993) and the winger Raphinha (born 1996).[2](https://en.alegsaonline.com/art/129162)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Full name | Márcio Rafael Ferreira de Souza, born 1985 in Londrina, Brazil[1](https://fcbayern.com/en/teams/fc-bayern-legends/players/rafinha) |
| Position | Right-back, attack-minded, right-footed; height 1.72 m[3](https://www.transfermarkt.us/rafinha/profil/spieler/33947/1000/) |
| Bayern career | 2011/12 to 2018/19, 266 competitive matches, 18 trophies including the 2013 treble[1](https://fcbayern.com/en/teams/fc-bayern-legends/players/rafinha) |
| Schalke career | 2005 to 2010, 197 matches, twice Bundesliga runner-up[1](https://fcbayern.com/en/teams/fc-bayern-legends/players/rafinha) • [4](https://datencenter.dfb.de/personen/rafinha/spieler) |
| Later career | Flamengo (Copa Libertadores 2019), Olympiakos Piraeus, Grêmio, São Paulo FC, return to Coritiba[1](https://fcbayern.com/en/teams/fc-bayern-legends/players/rafinha) |
| Retirement | Announced on Brazilian television on 22 July 2025[5](https://fcbayern.com/en/news/2025/07/rafinha-retires-the-rascal-from-londrina) |
| After playing | Appointed sporting director at São Paulo FC on 27 January 2026[1](https://fcbayern.com/en/teams/fc-bayern-legends/players/rafinha) |
## Early career in Brazil and move to Germany
Rafinha's football journey began at the age of seven in futsal, the indoor five-a-side game. At twelve he joined the Paraná Soccer Technical Center, and in 2002 he stepped up to the professional ranks with Coritiba FC in his home state of Paraná.[1](https://fcbayern.com/en/teams/fc-bayern-legends/players/rafinha) In 2005 he moved from Coritiba to Germany, signing for FC Schalke 04.[1](https://fcbayern.com/en/teams/fc-bayern-legends/players/rafinha) • [6](https://www.bundesliga.com/de/bundesliga/news/rafinha-fc-bayern-munchen-schalke-04-karriereende-33197)
**Schalke 04, 2005 to 2010.** Over five seasons Rafinha established himself as a regular and twice finished Bundesliga runner-up with the [Gelsenkirchen](https://www.edgepedia.org/gelsenkirchen) club.[1](https://fcbayern.com/en/teams/fc-bayern-legends/players/rafinha) The German Football Association's data center records 197 competitive appearances for Schalke between 22 August 2005 and 3 August 2010, including 153 Bundesliga matches.[4](https://datencenter.dfb.de/personen/rafinha/spieler)
## Bayern München, 2011 to 2019
Following his short stint with Genoa, Rafinha came back to the Bundesliga in 2011/12, with FC Bayern signing the offensively inclined full-back and bringing him to Säbener Straße.[1](https://fcbayern.com/en/teams/fc-bayern-legends/players/rafinha) He stayed eight years, longer than any other Brazilian in the club's history, and made 266 competitive appearances.[1](https://fcbayern.com/en/teams/fc-bayern-legends/players/rafinha) The DFB data center records his Bayern career between 1 July 2011 and 30 June 2019, including 179 Bundesliga and 51 Champions League matches.[4](https://datencenter.dfb.de/personen/rafinha/spieler)
His honors with Bayern comprised seven German championships (2013 through 2019), four DFB Cups, four Supercups, the 2013 [UEFA Champions League](https://www.edgepedia.org/uefa-champions-league), the 2014 [FIFA Club World Cup](https://www.edgepedia.org/fifa-club-world-cup), and the [UEFA Super Cup](https://www.edgepedia.org/uefa-super-cup).[1](https://fcbayern.com/en/teams/fc-bayern-legends/players/rafinha) • [4](https://datencenter.dfb.de/personen/rafinha/spieler) The 2013 treble of Champions League, Bundesliga, and DFB Cup was, in his own words on the club's profile, his greatest sporting moment.[1](https://fcbayern.com/en/teams/fc-bayern-legends/players/rafinha) In total he won 18 trophies with Bayern, and his farewell in 2019 came alongside Arjen Robben and Franck Ribéry.[1](https://fcbayern.com/en/teams/fc-bayern-legends/players/rafinha)
## Return to Brazil and final seasons
Rafinha went back to his homeland in 2019 and, that same year, captured the [Copa Libertadores](https://www.edgepedia.org/copa-libertadores) alongside Flamengo Rio de Janeiro; according to the club's profile, only a few players around the world have managed this feat.[1](https://fcbayern.com/en/teams/fc-bayern-legends/players/rafinha) In August 2020 he accepted an offer from Olympiacos in Greece, leaving Flamengo.[7](https://ge.globo.com/futebol/times/flamengo/noticia/2025/11/05/rafinha-ve-flamengo-de-2025-melhor-do-que-2019-muito-mais-forte-com-estrutura-e-jogadores-nivel-europa.ghtml) After further spells with Olympiakos Piraeus, Grêmio Porto Alegre, São Paulo FC, and a return to Coritiba, he ended his playing career in July 2025.[1](https://fcbayern.com/en/teams/fc-bayern-legends/players/rafinha) He announced the retirement tearfully live on Brazilian TV on SportTV, where he had been working as a pundit, and pulled on the Bayern shirt once more at the Beckenbauer Cup 2025 in Munich.[5](https://fcbayern.com/en/news/2025/07/rafinha-retires-the-rascal-from-londrina)
## Life off the pitch
Rafinha has held German citizenship since 2015, and Bayern describes Germany as a second home for him.[1](https://fcbayern.com/en/teams/fc-bayern-legends/players/rafinha) On 27 January 2026 he was appointed sporting director at [São Paulo FC](https://www.edgepedia.org/sao-paulo-fc).[1](https://fcbayern.com/en/teams/fc-bayern-legends/players/rafinha) At Bayern he was known for his good humor; teammates and staff greeted him simply with "Amigo!".[5](https://fcbayern.com/en/news/2025/07/rafinha-retires-the-rascal-from-londrina)
## References
1. [Rafinha: player profile, FC Bayern Legends](https://fcbayern.com/en/teams/fc-bayern-legends/players/rafinha)
2. [Rafinha (Márcio Rafael Ferreira de Souza), Brazilian footballer, Alegsa Online](https://en.alegsaonline.com/art/129162)
3. [Rafinha, player profile, Transfermarkt](https://www.transfermarkt.us/rafinha/profil/spieler/33947/1000/)
4. [Rafinha, Spielerprofil, DFB Datencenter](https://datencenter.dfb.de/personen/rafinha/spieler)
5. [Rafinha retires: The rascal from Londrina, FC Bayern](https://fcbayern.com/en/news/2025/07/rafinha-retires-the-rascal-from-londrina)
6. [Rafinha beendet seine Karriere, Bundesliga.com](https://www.bundesliga.com/de/bundesliga/news/rafinha-fc-bayern-munchen-schalke-04-karriereende-33197)
7. [Rafinha vê Flamengo de 2025 melhor do que 2019, ge.globo](https://ge.globo.com/futebol/times/flamengo/noticia/2025/11/05/rafinha-ve-flamengo-de-2025-melhor-do-que-2019-muito-mais-forte-com-estrutura-e-jogadores-nivel-europa.ghtml)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Sports, games, and recreation › Association football › Football people and teams › People › Men's footballers of South America › Brazilian men's footballers › Contemporary Brazilian footballers › Brazilian footballers born in the 1980s*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 30, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Edited: Sep 30, 2026; Oct 12, 2026; Oct 15, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Last review: Oct 21, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license