Hamza Rafia
Hamza Rafia (Arabic: حمزة رفيعة; born 2 April 1999) is a Tunisian professional footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder for Italian Serie A club Lecce and the Tunisia national team.
Personal information | |||
---|---|---|---|
Date of birth | 2 April 1999 | ||
Place of birth | Kalaat es Senam, Tunisia | ||
Height | 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)[1] | ||
Position(s) | Attacking midfielder | ||
Team information | |||
Current team | Lecce | ||
Number | 8 | ||
Youth career | |||
2005–2009 | Bron Terraillon | ||
2009–2010 | Bron Grand Lyon | ||
2010–2016 | Lyon | ||
Senior career* | |||
Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
2016–2019 | Lyon B | 26 | (5) |
2019–2023 | Juventus | 0 | (0) |
2019–2021 | → Juventus U23 (res.) | 43 | (2) |
2021–2022 | → Standard Liège (loan) | 9 | (0) |
2022 | → Cremonese (loan) | 12 | (0) |
2022–2023 | → Juventus Next Gen (res.) | 14 | (2) |
2023 | Pescara | 12 | (0) |
2023– | Lecce | 34 | (1) |
International career‡ | |||
2016 | France U17 | 1 | (0) |
2016 | France U18 | 1 | (0) |
2019– | Tunisia | 27 | (3) |
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 9 June 2024 ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 23:30, 20 January 2024 (UTC) |
Born in Tunisia, Rafia initially represented France at youth level, before switching allegiance to his native country, making his senior debut for Tunisia in 2019.
Early life
[edit]Born on 22 April 1999 in Kalaat es Senam, Tunisia,[2] Rafia moved to France as a child and played in the youth sectors of Bron Terraillon, Bron Grand Lyon, and Lyon.[3]
Club career
[edit]Lyon B
[edit]Coming through the youth system, Rafia played for the reserve team of Lyon in the Championnat de France Amateur, the fourth division of French football.[3] He made his debut on 28 May 2016,[2] during the 2015–16 season, in a 4–3 home defeat to Moulins Yzeure Foot.[4] His first goal for Lyon B came during the 2018–19 season, on 18 August 2018, helping his side win 5–2 against Monaco B.[5] Rafia scored five goals in 18 league games throughout the season.[2] In four seasons, he scored five goals in 26 games.[2]
Juventus U23
[edit]On 16 July 2019, Rafia joined Juventus on a three-year contract,[3] for a fee of €400,000, which can reach €5 million in add-ons, and 20% on his future sale.[6] Rafia played for Juventus' reserve team in the Serie C – Juventus U23 – making his professional debut in a 2–0 away loss to Novara in the league on 26 August 2019.[7]
On 18 December, Rafia scored his first goal for Juventus U23 in a 2–1 away victory over Piacenza, in the quarter-finals of the Coppa Italia Serie C.[8] He helped Juventus U23 win the tournament, scoring against Ternana in the final, which ended 2–1.[9] During the 2019–20 season, Rafia played 20 games in the league, two in the promotion play-offs,[2] and scored three goals and made three assists in the Coppa Italia Serie C.[9] On 29 November 2020, Rafia scored his first goal in Serie C in a 2–1 away loss against Olbia.[10]
Juventus
[edit]On 13 January 2021, Rafia made his senior debut for Juventus, coming on as a 77th-minute substitute in a Coppa Italia match against Genoa; he scored in the 104th minute, helping Juventus win 3–2 after extra time.[9]
Loan to Standard Liège
[edit]On 18 August 2021, Rafia moved to Belgian side Standard Liège on loan.[11]
Loan to Cremonese
[edit]On 31 January 2022, Rafia moved to Serie B side Cremonese.[12]
Pescara
[edit]On 27 January 2023, Rafia signed a 2.5-year contract with Serie C club Pescara.[13]
Lecce
[edit]On 18 July 2023, Rafia signed a three-year contract with Serie A club Lecce.[14] He made his top-tier debut in their season opener against Lazio on 20 August 2023.
Style of play
[edit]Rafia is an attacking midfielder also capable of playing as a right winger.[3]
International career
[edit]Rafia represented France at under-17 and under-18 levels, but decided to represent Tunisia at senior level.[3] He made his senior debut on 6 September 2019, coming off the bench in a 1–0 friendly win over Mauritania.[15]
Career statistics
[edit]International
[edit]No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | 12 September 2023 | 30 June Stadium, Cairo, Egypt | Egypt | 3–1 | 3–1 | Friendly |
2. | 17 November 2023 | Hammadi Agrebi Stadium, Tunis, Tunisia | São Tomé and Príncipe | 3–0 | 4–0 | 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification |
3. | 20 January 2024 | Amadou Gon Coulibaly Stadium, Korhogo, Ivory Coast | Mali | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2023 Africa Cup of Nations |
Club
[edit]- As of match played 4 June 2023[2]
Club | Season | League | National cup[a] | Continental | Other | Total | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
Lyon B | 2015–16 | Amateur | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | 2 | 0 | |||
2016–17 | Amateur | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | 0 | 0 | ||||
2017–18 | National 2 | 6 | 0 | — | — | — | 6 | 0 | ||||
2018–19 | National 2 | 18 | 5 | — | — | — | 18 | 5 | ||||
Total | 26 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 26 | 5 | ||
Juventus U23 | 2019–20 | Serie C | 20 | 0 | — | — | 9[b] | 3 | 29 | 3 | ||
2020–21 | Serie C | 23 | 2 | — | — | 1[c] | 0 | 24 | 2 | |||
2022–23 | Serie C | 13 | 2 | — | — | 1 | 0 | 14 | 2 | |||
Total | 55 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 3 | 65 | 7 | ||
Juventus | 2020–21 | Serie A | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | 1 | 1 | |
Standard Liège (loan) | 2021–22 | Division A | 9 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 11 | 0 | |
Cremonese (loan) | 2021–22 | Serie B | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 12 | 0 | |
Pescara | 2022–23 | Serie C | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6[d] | 1 | 18 | 1 |
Lecce | 2023–24 | Serie A | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Career total | 118 | 9 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 17 | 4 | 135 | 14 |
- ^ Includes Coupe de France, Coppa Italia
- ^ Two appearances in Serie C promotion play-offs, seven appearances and three goals in Coppa Italia Serie C
- ^ Appearance in Serie C promotion play-offs
- ^ Six appearances in Serie C promotion play-off.
Honours
[edit]Juventus U23
Juventus
References
[edit]- ^ "Hamza Rafia". National Football Teams. Benjamin Strack-Zimmermann. Retrieved 24 September 2021.
- ^ a b c d e f Hamza Rafia at Soccerway. Retrieved 18 April 2020.
- ^ a b c d e "Who is Juventus match winner Rafia? | Football Italia". www.football-italia.net. Retrieved 13 January 2021.
- ^ "Olympique Lyonnais II vs. Moulins Yzeure Foot - 28 May 2016 - Soccerway". int.soccerway.com. Retrieved 13 January 2021.
- ^ "Olympique Lyonnais II vs. Monaco II - 18 August 2018 - Soccerway". int.soccerway.com. Retrieved 13 January 2021.
- ^ "Hamza Rafia completes transfer to Juventus". www.OL.fr. Retrieved 13 January 2021.
- ^ "Novara vs. Juventus II - 26 August 2019 - Soccerway". ca.soccerway.com.
- ^ JuventusNews24, Redazione (18 December 2019). "Piacenza-Juventus U23 1-2: bianconeri in semifinale di Coppa Italia". Juventus News 24 (in Italian). Retrieved 12 June 2021.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^ a b c d "Chi è Rafia, il trequartista a segno all'esordio con la Juventus". Goal.com (in Italian). 14 January 2021. Retrieved 14 January 2021.
- ^ Carinci, Josephine (29 November 2020). "Olbia-Juventus U23 2-1: bianconeri sconfitti in Sardegna". Juventus News 24 (in Italian). Retrieved 14 July 2021.
- ^ Juventus.com. "Under 23, Hamza Rafia in prestito allo Standard Liegi - Juventus". Juventus F.C. (in Italian). Retrieved 18 August 2021.
- ^ "RAFIA NUOVO CALCIATORE GRIGIOROSSO" (Press release) (in Italian). Cremonese. 31 January 2022. Archived from the original on 31 January 2022. Retrieved 31 January 2022.
- ^ "HAMZA RAFIA E' BIANCAZZURRO" (in Italian). Delfino Pescara 1936. 27 January 2023. Retrieved 27 January 2023.
- ^ "HAMZA RAFIA È UN CALCIATORE DEL LECCE" [HAMZA RAFIA IS A LECCE FOOTBALLER] (in Italian). Lecce. 18 July 2023. Retrieved 22 August 2023.
- ^ "Tunisia vs. Mauritania - 6 September 2019 - Soccerway". ca.soccerway.com.
External links
[edit]- Hamza Rafia at National-Football-Teams.com
- Hamza Rafia at Soccerway
- Hamza Rafia at the French Football Federation (in French)
- 1999 births
- Living people
- People from Kef Governorate
- Tunisian emigrants to France
- Tunisian men's footballers
- Naturalized citizens of France
- French men's footballers
- Men's association football midfielders
- Olympique Lyonnais players
- Juventus Next Gen players
- Juventus FC players
- Standard Liège players
- US Cremonese players
- Delfino Pescara 1936 players
- US Lecce players
- Championnat National 2 players
- Serie B players
- Serie C players
- Belgian Pro League players
- Serie A players
- France men's youth international footballers
- Tunisia men's international footballers
- Tunisian expatriate men's footballers
- Tunisian expatriate sportspeople in Italy
- Tunisian expatriate sportspeople in Belgium
- French expatriate men's footballers
- French expatriate sportspeople in Italy
- French expatriate sportspeople in Belgium
- Expatriate men's footballers in Italy
- Expatriate men's footballers in Belgium
- 2021 Africa Cup of Nations players
- 2023 Africa Cup of Nations players
- 21st-century French sportsmen