Rafael Nel
Forward · Sporting CP · №9
Recent matches
| Date | Match | Score |
|---|---|---|
Sporting CP
Galatasaray
UEFA Champions League
|
3:1 | |
Sporting CP
Nacional
Primeira Liga
|
2:0 | |
Sporting CP B
Farense
Liga Portugal 2
|
2:1 | |
Rio Ave FC
Sporting CP
Primeira Liga
|
0:4 | |
Sporting CP
Alverca
Primeira Liga
|
3:1 | |
Sporting CP
Guimaraes
Primeira Liga
|
3:2 | |
Estrela da Amadora
Sporting CP
Primeira Liga
|
2:2 | |
Sporting CP
GIL Vicente
Primeira Liga
|
3:0 | |
|
Rio Ave FC
Sporting CP
Primeira Liga
|
1:4 | |
|
Sporting CP
Guimaraes
Primeira Liga
|
5:1 |
Season statistics
| Competition | Season | Games |
|---|---|---|
| Primeira Liga | 2025 | 12 |
| UEFA Champions League | 2025 | 6 |
| Primeira Liga | 2026 | 5 |
| Liga Portugal 2 | 2025 | 5 |
| Taça de Portugal | 2025 | 2 |
| Liga Portugal 2 | 2026 | 1 |
About the player
Rafael Nel came through Sporting CP's own academy after early years at Benfica and Belenenses, joining the club's youth ranks in 2020 and signing his first professional contract in November 2022. Rather than going out on loan, he progressed directly to Sporting CP B in 2023.
His breakthrough with the first team came in the UEFA Europa League, coming off the bench against Young Boys in February 2024. Two years later he made his Primeira Liga debut in a win over Famalicão, and days after that produced a stoppage-time goal in extra time to seal a 5–0 rout of Bodø/Glimt in the Champions League last 16. He followed it with his first league goal, in a 4–2 win over Santa Clara, and has since added an assist in the top flight. Sporting CP rewarded him with a contract extension to 2029.
Nel has already collected silverware at club level, winning the Liga Portugal in successive seasons and the Taça de Portugal with Sporting CP. At international level he has represented Portugal at Under-19 and Under-20 level, and was central to the Under-20s' success at the 2026 Maurice Revello Tournament, scoring and setting up a goal in the final win over Tunisia.
Career path
- 2024 — 2027 — now Sporting CP 13 matches
- 2024 — 2027 Sporting CP B 66 matches
- 2023 — 2025 Sporting CP Youth League 8 matches
- 2023 Sporting CP U23 8 matches
Career
| Season | Club | Competition | Games | Goals | Assists | Minutes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 26/27 | Sporting CP | Liga Portugal | 1 | 0 | 0 | 15 |
| 26/27 | Sporting CP B | Liga Portugal 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 83 |
| 25/26 | Sporting CP B | Liga Portugal 2 | 23 | 7 | 4 | 1 504 |
| 25/26 | Sporting CP | Liga Portugal | 7 | 2 | 1 | 173 |
| 25/26 | Sporting CP | UEFA Champions League | 3 | 1 | 0 | 20 |
| 25/26 | Sporting CP | Taça de Portugal | 1 | 0 | 0 | 20 |
| 24/25 | Sporting CP B | Liga 3 - Promotion stage | 8 | 3 | 1 | 577 |
| 24/25 | Sporting CP B | Liga 3 | 6 | 3 | 1 | 420 |
| 24/25 | Sporting CP B | Premier League International Cup U21 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 45 |
| 24/25 | Sporting CP Youth League | UEFA Youth League | 1 | 1 | 0 | 90 |
| 23/24 | Sporting CP B | Liga 3 | 18 | 5 | 0 | 1 097 |
| 23/24 | Sporting CP B | Liga 3 - Relegation round | 9 | 3 | 0 | 753 |
| 23/24 | Sporting CP | UEFA Europa League | 1 | 0 | 0 | 6 |
| 22/23 | Sporting CP Youth League | UEFA Youth League | 7 | 0 | 0 | 45 |
| 22/23 | Sporting CP U23 | Liga Revelação U23 - Cup Qualifying | 4 | 2 | 0 | 360 |
| 22/23 | Sporting CP U23 | Liga Next Gen U23 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 201 |
| Total | Sporting CP B | 66 | 21 | 6 | 4 479 | |
| Total | Sporting CP | 13 | 3 | 1 | 234 | |
| Total | Sporting CP Youth League | 8 | 1 | 0 | 135 | |
| Total | Sporting CP U23 | 8 | 4 | 2 | 561 | |
| Total | Portugal U20 | 7 | 1 | 2 | 375 | |
| Total | Portugal U19 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 245 |
Transfers
Transfers- 25/26 Sporting B Sporting
- 23/24 Sporting U19 Sporting B
- 22/23 Sporting U17 Sporting U19
- 20/21 Belenenses Yth Sporting U17
- 18/19 Benfica Yth Belenenses Yth
