Brazilian player and former Barcelona midfielder Rafinha Alcantara officially announced his retirement through a video on his personal social media platform at the young age of 32. Since he has been rarely seen in public for nearly half a year, the outside world had already suspected he had left professional football early, and now he has confirmed this decision.
Both Rafinha and his brother Thiago came through La Masia's youth academy. He was promoted to Barcelona's first team in 2011 and was loaned to Celta Vigo and Inter Milan during his time at the club. He won the treble of La Liga, Copa del Rey, and Champions League with Barcelona in the 2014-15 season. In 2020, he transferred to Paris Saint-Germain, was loaned to Real Sociedad during his time there, and then moved to Qatar to join Al Arabi in 2022.
On the national team front, he represented Spain's U16, U17, and U19 national teams in his early years, before choosing to play for Brazil. He made 2 appearances for the Brazilian national team, and one of his important achievements was winning the men's football gold medal at the Rio Olympics.
Full text of Rafinha Alcantara's farewell video:
"After being away from the field for some time and going through a long recovery, I feel it's time to share something very important with you all. I have decided to retire. A little over a year ago, I suffered a knee injury that, unfortunately, has prevented me from returning to the highest level of competitive football.
Accepting that I can no longer play football was not easy. Football has been a part of my life almost since I can remember, and now I understand that I can't fully commit to it the way I used to. It was a difficult process, but over time I've come to realize how beautiful this journey has been.
Being able to live in multiple countries, learn different languages, experience different cultures, and meet people who have left a mark on my life has been incredible. I've been fortunate enough to share a dressing room with my idols, play alongside extraordinary teammates, wear the crest I've dreamed of since childhood, and feel the passion of fans in every stadium.
Football has given me countless unforgettable moments and the opportunity to work with many professionals who made me realize how lucky I am to call myself a professional footballer. My first gift was a football, and my childhood memories are always connected to playing with my brother and father.
For the past 20 years, football has been my daily life, my driving force, and part of my identity. Now a new stage is beginning, one without the excitement of top-level competition, but life still has many reasons to smile. I'm building a beautiful family that gives me immense pride and happiness, and has provided
crucial support during this process. Thank you to my family for always being by my side, and thank you to everyone for your love and support. Thank you, football, for making me who I am today. Looking forward to seeing you all again."
