Rafa Mir
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Rafael Mir Vicente | ||
| Date of birth | 18 June 1997 | ||
| Place of birth | Murcia, Spain | ||
| Height | 1.89 m (6 ft 2 in) | ||
| Playing position | Forward | ||
| Club information | |||
Current team | Valencia B | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Javalí Nuevo | |||
| 2006–2007 | ElPozo Murcia | ||
| 2007–2009 | Ranero | ||
| 2009–2011 | Barcelona | ||
| 2011–2012 | Murcia | ||
| 2012– | Valencia | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| 2015– | Valencia B | 6 | (1) |
| 2015– | Valencia | 0 | (0) |
|
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 24 November 2015. | |||
Rafael "Rafa" Mir Vicente (born 18 June 1997) is a Spanish footballer who plays for Valencia CF Mestalla as a forward.
Career
Born in Murcia, Mir began his career playing futsal with CD Javalí Nuevo. After a 120-goal spell at ElPozo Murcia FS he began playing full football with Ranero CF, scoring 57 and 84 goals in his respective seasons before joining FC Barcelona.[1]
Mir's 32 goals at La Masia earned him a return to his native region and Real Murcia, where a 45-goal haul led to the attention of Valencia CF.[1] He made his senior debut for the reserves on 1 March 2015, as an 88th-minute substitute for Wilfried Zahibo in a 2–1 Segunda División B loss at CE L'Hospitalet.
Mir scored his first senior goal on 7 March 2015, netting the last in a 2–0 win over CF Badalona at the Ciudad Deportiva de Paterna.[2] He finished the campaign with four appearances, as his side narrowly avoided relegation.
The following season, Mir excelled in the UEFA Youth League, scoring consecutive braces in victories over K.A.A. Gent.[3][4] On 14 November 2015, he was given his first start for the B-side, playing the full 90 minutes in a 2–4 loss at another reserve team, Villarreal CF B.[5]
On 24 November 2015, Mir was called up to the main squad by manager Nuno Espírito Santo for a La Liga game against UD Las Palmas;[6] he was an unused substitute in the 1–1 draw at the Mestalla Stadium.[7] He made his professional debut on 25 November, starting in a UEFA Champions League group stage match away to FC Zenit Saint Petersburg,[8] being substituted for Santi Mina in the 56th minute of an eventual 2–0 defeat.[9]
Personal life
Mir, who idolised German forward Mario Gómez, is the son of former defender Magín Mir, whose clubs included RCD Mallorca and Murcia.[1]
References
- 1 2 3 "Rafa Mir, el ´gigante´ de los mil goles del Valencia CF" [Rafa Mir, Valencia CF's 1000-goal 'giant'] (in Spanish). Superdeporte. 11 November 2015. Retrieved 24 November 2015.
- ↑ "El Mestalla sufre pero se impone" [Mestalla suffer but impose themselves] (in Spanish). Levante EMV. 9 March 2015. Retrieved 24 November 2015.
- ↑ "Perfect Arsenal forge on in Youth League". UEFA. 20 October 2015. Retrieved 24 November 2015.
- ↑ "Holders Chelsea assured of top-two finish". UEFA. 4 November 2015. Retrieved 24 November 2015.
- ↑ "El Valencia Mestalla naufraga ante el Villarreal B" [Valencia Mestalla sink against Villarreal B] (in Spanish). Super Deporte. 14 November 2015. Retrieved 24 November 2015.
- ↑ Gimeno, Manu (20 November 2015). "Nuno se lleva a Rafa Mir y recupera a pesos pesados" [Nuno brings in Rafa Mir and regains heavyweights] (in Spanish). El Desmarque. Retrieved 24 November 2015.
- ↑ "Viera gets the point for Las Palmas as Valencia are left frustrated". ESPN. 21 November 2015. Retrieved 24 November 2015.
- ↑ Rocha Rodrigues, Luís; Sousa, Vasco (24 November 2015). "Para sacudir a crise, Nuno estreia Rafa Mir, de 18 anos" [To end the crisis, Nuno chooses, Rafa Mir, 18] (in Portuguese). ZeroZero. Retrieved 24 November 2015.
- ↑ "Zenit stay perfect at Valencia's expense". UEFA. 24 November 2015. Retrieved 24 November 2015.
External links
- Rafa Mir profile at BDFutbol
- Rafa Mir profile at Soccerway