Rafael Nicanor Guarderas Saravia

Rafael Guarderas came through Universitario de Deportes, breaking into the first team in January 2012 after progressing through the club's youth ranks. Rather than settling straight into the senior side, he spent his early twenties out on loan, first at Universidad San Martín de Porres and then at Universidad Técnica de Cajamarca, before a permanent move to Deportivo Municipal in 2017. He returned to Universitario in June 2019, a second spell that brought his most significant honour: the Torneo Apertura title in 2020, adding to the Torneo Descentralizado he had already won with the club back in 2013.

Guarderas has built a career defined by movement between clubs rather than long stays at one. A loan at Alianza Atlético in 2022 was followed by a free transfer to Academia Deportiva Cantolao in 2023, and he joined Atlético Grau in 2024 on the same basis. Across his time in Peruvian football he has made over 300 professional appearances and scored eight goals.

At international level, Guarderas represented Peru at youth level, making nine appearances for the under-20 side, including a spell at the 2013 South American U-20 Championship, and two more for the under-23s at the 2015 Pan American Games. A senior call-up has so far eluded him, despite having spoken publicly about wanting the chance to represent the full national team.