With Rafaelle confirmed to be leaving Arsenal after just eighteen months, the Brazilian defender spent time speaking to the media following the club’s defeat to Aston Villa. The Gunners have endured an injury-riddled season but ultimately managed to hold on to clinch third place – and the final spot in the UEFA Women’s Champions League – on goal difference over Manchester City.
Rafaelle joined the club in January 2022, making the move from Changchun Zhuoyue. Primarily operating in central defence, the Brazilian has shown incredible versatility and looked like a seasoned professional when filling in at left-back throughout the club’s injury crisis.
When asked what she has learned from her stint in North London, the Brazilian said that ‘you have to deal with all of this pressure from the fans – it has been a good thing, pushing me forwards and I think I’m going to take that to the next club.‘
The defender has popped up with some crucial goals during her eighteen months in an Arsenal shirt – but picked her bullet header against Tottenham Hotspur as her favourite, going on to say that ‘with all the fans there in such a big stadium, it was unbelievable and I will never forget it.’
When asked how Arsenal’s season has played out, Rafaelle said that ‘despite all the injuries, I think we have done a good season and qualified for the Champions League. We got to the semis [of the UWCL] and I feel like with all the support, I’m really thankful and it has been amazing all these eighteen months and I’m really proud to be here.’ Continuing to talk about the support at Meadow Park and the Emirates Stadium, she added that she is ‘going to miss the fans and playing around such amazing players.’ The incredible support from the Arsenal fans was a major talking point, as she went on to explain that she feels as if ‘this club has inspired me so much and I can feel the love from the fans, from the staff and from the whole team.‘
FromTheSpot’s Tariq Manshi was able to ask the Brazilian how winning the Conti Cup felt, despite missing out on reaching the Women’s Champions League final and falling short in the league. Rafaelle responded that ‘I told them that one of my goals here was to win titles and I think we did that, we won the Conti Cup and even though I’m leaving, I know that my name is going to be on the wall with that trophy and I’m really proud of that.‘