Luís Carlos Rocha Rodrigues

Portuguese football has a nickname for Luís Rocha: "Senhor Subida" — Mister Promotion. The centre-back has taken five different clubs up to the Primeira Liga — Famalicão, Farense, Chaves, Moreirense and Santa Clara.

Rocha came through the youth ranks at Vitória SC before starting his senior career away from the top flight, moving through Torcatense, Oliveirense, Mirandela, Merelinense and Lousada as he built himself into a regular at second-tier level. A first spell at Vizela followed, then a longer stay at Feirense, before a move abroad to Dinamo Minsk in Belarus in 2018. He returned to Portugal the same year to join Famalicão, and it was there that his run of promotions began.

A loan at Farense brought a second promotion the following season, and further spells at Chaves, Moreirense and Santa Clara each ended the same way, with Rocha's side going up. Along the way he won the Liga Portugal 2 title twice, with Moreirense and then with Santa Clara, and was named in the division's Team of the Year for the 2022–23 campaign. He has passed 250 appearances in the second tier over the course of his career.

In February 2026, Rocha returned to Vizela on a free transfer after his contract with Santa Clara was terminated by mutual agreement.