Author: Vishwajit Sawant
In a surprising revelation after São Paulo’s 2-1 win over Corinthians on Saturday, veteran right-back Rafinha confirmed his intention to retire, but left room for uncertainty about the exact timing of his departure. The 38-year-old declared: “I’ve experienced great emotions in my career… next year, I’m going to stop, yes, it’s decided”, but didn’t give specific details about his retirement plans.
However, the statement left room for speculation, as São Paulo’s press office later informed journalists that Rafinha could continue playing in 2024, possibly for another six months or until the end of next season.
The match itself was marked by two goals from Argentine striker Calleri, which secured victory for São Paulo. Rafinha spoke about the team’s recovery after recently winning the Copa do Brasil and stressed the importance of refocusing on the Brazilian Championship.
“The euphoria is for the fans,” said Rafinha, acknowledging their support. “We were coming off bad results in the Brazilian championship, but thank God we got a win on Wednesday. Classic games are tricky, but we played a great match.“
São Paulo will face Vasco in the next round of the Brazilian Championship on October 7 at São Januário. Unfortunately, Rafinha won’t be available for the match as he’s serving a suspension for three yellow cards.
As Rafinha’s retirement plans remain uncertain, São Paulo fans are anxiously awaiting more information about the experienced right-back’s future.