Full name York Rafael Playing position 2011–2013 Brynäs IF Position Midfielder | Place of birth Gävle, Sweden Number 16 Current team Sandvikens IF | |
Date of birth (1999-03-17) 17 March 1999 (age 18) | ||
York Rafael (born 17 March 1999) is a Swedish-Rwandan footballer who plays for Sandvikens IF, primary as a left midfielder.
Contents
Club career
York Rafael started his football career with Gävle side Brynäs IF in 2011. He joined Sandvikens IF's youth academy two years later and made his senior debut with them as a 15-year-old in Division 2. In 2015 Rafael went on trials with European clubs Watford and Lazio, as well with Swedish IFK Göteborg the previous year, without signing any contracts.
After having been linked with a move to AIK, Rafael instead joined Allsvenskan club Gefle IF on loan in August 2016. He made his Gefle debut in Svenska Cupen, playing 90 minutes against Söderhamns FF on August 24. It was followed up with his professional debut in Allsvenskan three days later against Djurgårdens IF, in which he came on as a substitute in the final minutes.
International career
He won his first youth international cap for Sweden U17 on 4 August 2015, in Sweden's 3–0 win against Iceland. He played six games in total for U17, for which he is still eligible to play for, until he was called up to Sweden's U19 squad in September 2016. He has scored one goal in three games so far.
Due to his dual citizenship with Rwanda, he was invited to play for Rwanda national football team in 2015. However, he has not decided which nation to represent at the senior level.
Personal life
Rafael is of Rwandan descent, but was born and raised in Gävle, Sweden, to an Angolan mother and Portuguese father. He is a practicing christian.
He cites Bayern Munich winger Arjen Robben as his idol.