José Rafael Vivian (born 16 June 1993), known as Zé Rafael, is a Brazilian professional footballer who plays as a defensive midfielder for Primeira Liga club Alverca.
Club career Coritiba Born in Ponta Grossa, Paraná, Zé Rafael joined Coritiba's youth setup in 2009, aged 16, as an attacking midfielder. He made his first team debut on 29 April 2012, coming on as a half-time substitute for Rafael Silva in a 3–1 Campeonato Paranaense away win against Roma.
Zé Rafael was definitely promoted to the first team ahead of the 2013 season, and made his Série A debut on 11 August of that year by replacing Lincoln in a 1–0 loss at Vasco da Gama. On 12 February 2014, after appearing sparingly, he was loaned to Novo Hamburgo until the end of the 2014 Campeonato Gaúcho.
Zé Rafael scored his first senior goal on 27 February 2014, netting the first in a 2–1 home win against Passo Fundo. Upon returning, he only featured rarely before joining Londrina on loan on 5 May 2015, with Paulinho moving in the opposite direction.
Zé Rafael became a regular starter at the Tubarão, helping in their promotion to Série B with two goals. He subsequently returned to Coxa, but after failing to make an appearance, he requested to leave and returned to Londrina on 11 February 2016, on loan until December.
Zé Rafael was an undisputed starter during the second division, scoring four goals in 32 appearances as his side finished sixth, three points away from another promotion; highlights included a brace in a 2–1 away win against Vila Nova.
Bahia
On 6 January 2017, Zé Rafael signed a three-year deal with Bahia, in the first division. He immediately became a starter for the new side, winning the 2017 Copa do Nordeste.
Zé Rafael scored his first top tier goal on 14 May 2017, netting the equalizer in a 6–2 home routing of Atlético Paranaense. He only missed two league matches in his first season, both due to suspension, and also won the 2018 Campeonato Baiano.
Palmeiras
Zé Rafael signed a five-year deal with Palmeiras on 29 November 2018; the signing cost R$ 14.5 million for Palmeiras and became the biggest sale in Bahia's history. After the arrival of Vanderlei Luxemburgo as coach, he was moved back to a defensive midfielder position.
Established as a regular starter, Zé Rafael won two Copa Libertadores titles with Verdão, being a first-choice in both campaigns. He renewed his contract until 2025 on 6 January 2023, and further extended his link for another year exactly one year later.
After the arrival of new signing Aníbal Moreno and the proeminence of Richard Ríos, Zé Rafael played most of the 2024 Campeonato Paulista as a left midfielder. He reached 300 matches for the club in July of that year, but struggled with injuries throughout the season, subsequently losing his starting spot.
Santos
On 26 February 2025, Santos announced the signing of Zé Rafael on a three-year contract. After nursing a back injury, he made his debut for the club on 12 May, replacing Tomás Rincón late into a 0–0 draw against Ceará at the Allianz Parque, stadium of his former side Palmeiras.
Zé Rafael scored his first goal for Peixe on 16 October 2025, netting the opener in a 3–1 home win over rivals Corinthians. In the following season, however, he lost space due to injuries and was subsequently separated from the squad in July 2026. On 3 August of that year, he officially terminated his link with the club.
Alverca On 24 August 2026, Zé Rafael moved to Europe for the first time and signed with Alverca in Portugal.
Career statistics
ClubSeasonLeagueState LeagueCupContinentalOtherTotalDivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsCoritiba2012Série A001000——1020137050202Appearance(s) in Copa Sudamericana0—16020143050———802015001000——102016000000—0000Subtotal100120202000260Novo Hamburgo (loan)2014Gaúcho—6340——103Londrina (loan)2015Série C162————1622016Série B32410410——438Subtotal48610420——5910Bahia2017Série A36310120—12Appearance(s) in Copa do Nordeste1605201833412341831126813Subtotal697224618323312818Palmeiras2019Série A27540324Appearance(s) in Copa Libertadores0—3872020262161701221Appearance(s) in FIFA Club World Cup0625202126180201024One appearance in Supercopa do Brasil, one appearance in Recopa Sudamericana, two appearances in FIFA Club World Cup05032022333112401112Appearance(s) in Recopa Sudamericana16172023313140401001Appearance(s) in Supercopa do Brasil06032024180130203010370Subtotal161146632225059130825Santos2025Série A271—10——281202651501010—121Subtotal322502010—402Career total320291211438361830457058
Honours Club Coritiba Campeonato Paranaense: 2012, 2013
Bahia Copa do Nordeste: 2017 Campeonato Baiano: 2018
Palmeiras Campeonato Paulista: 2020, 2022, 2023, 2024 Copa do Brasil: 2020 Copa Libertadores: 2020, 2021 Recopa Sudamericana: 2022 Campeonato Brasileiro Série A: 2022, 2023 Supercopa do Brasil: 2023 FIFA Club World Cup Runner Up: 2021
Individual Bola de Prata: 2022 Best Central Midfielder in Brazil: 2022 Campeonato Paulista Team of the Year: 2023
References
External links