Playing position Role Footballer Years Team Height 1.81 m | 2005–2007 UD Tesorillo Weight 78 kg Name Rafael Bado | |
Full name Rafael Jesus Bado Blanco Date of birth (1984-12-30) 30 December 1984 (age 30) Place of birth La Linea de la Concepcion, Spain Current teams Gibraltar national football team (Midfielder), Lynx F.C. (#11 / Midfielder) | ||
Rafael "Rafa" Jesús Bado Blanco (born 30 December 1984) is a Spanish-Gibraltarian footballer who plays for and manages Lions Gibraltar, and formerly represented the Gibraltar national team, as a left winger.
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Club career
Born and raised in Spain, Bado spent the majority of his career playing in the lower divisions of Spanish football. In 2011, he moved to Lynx, at the time in the Gibraltar Second Division, helping them gain promotion to the Gibraltar Premier Division. He stayed there until 2015, when he moved to Lions Gibraltar. Late in the season, he became interim manager alongside David Wilson, and retired from playing when he became full time manager in October 2016, after the resignation of Wilson. In January 2017, he re-registered as a player to aid Lions in their relegation battle. He made his first appearance since re-registering on 11 March 2017, coming off the bench in Lions' 2-0 defeat to Gibraltar Phoenix in the 2017 Rock Cup.
International career
On 7 September 2014, Bado made his international début for Gibraltar in a UEFA Euro 2016 Group D qualifying match against Poland with Gibraltar losing 7-0.
International statistics
As of 7 September 2014.Managerial career
Towards the end of the 2015-16 Gibraltar Premier Division season, Bado was appointed interim coach at Lions Gibraltar alongside David Wilson. Although Wilson went on to get the job full-time at the end of the season, he resigned in September 2016, leaving Bado to take control of the club.
Personal life
Bado works as a storeman in Gibraltar.