Rafael Martins (footballer, born 1989)

In this Portuguese name, the first or maternal family name is De Souzaand the second or paternal family name is Ladislau.

Rafael Martins

Personal information
Full name	Clecildo Rafael Martins de Souza Ladislau [1]
Date of birth	(1989-03-17) 17 March 1989 (age 36) [1]
Place of birth	Santos, Brazil [1]
Height	1.77 m (5 ft 10 in) [1]
Position	Striker
Youth career
2003–2009	Audax
2005	→ Juventus-SP (loan)
2006	→ Internacional (loan)
2007–2009	→ Grêmio (loan)
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2009–2014	Audax	59	(36)
2009	→ Grêmio (loan)	2	(0)
2009–2010	→ Zaragoza B (loan)	28	(15)
2010	→ Grêmio Barueri (loan)	12	(1)
2011	→ ABC (loan)	4	(0)
2013	→ Chapecoense (loan)	19	(11)
2013–2014	→ Vitória Setúbal (loan)	28	(16)
2014–2017	Levante	22	(2)
2015–2016	→ Moreirense (loan)	27	(16)
2017–2018	Vitória Guimarães	36	(8)
2018–2020	Zhejiang Greentown	39	(20)
2021–2022	Moreirense	53	(14)
2022–2023	Casa Pia	28	(6)
2023–2024	Santa Clara	29	(4)
2024–2025	Leixões	27	(6)
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 24 August 2025

Clecildo Rafael Martins de Souza Ladislau (born 17 March 1989), known as Martins, is a Brazilian professional footballer who plays as a striker.

Club career

Born in Santos, São Paulo, Martins joined Audax São Paulo Esporte Clube's youth setup in 2003, aged 14. ^[2] In December 2007, he signed with Grêmio Foot-Ball Porto Alegrense on loan, ^[3] and was promoted to the latter's main squad in 2009.

Martins made his professional debut on 21 January 2009, coming on as a second-half substitute in a 1–1 draw at Esporte Clube Internacional. ^[4] He returned to his parent club in September, and subsequently served loans at Deportivo Aragón ^[5] and Grêmio Prudente Futebol before being assigned to Audax's first team.

Martins joined ABC Futebol Clube in March 2011 after impressing in the state leagues, ^[6] but was rarely used by his new team, returning to Audax in December. He continued to find the net at an excellent rate in the following two years, and moved to Vitória F.C. on loan on 8 July 2013. ^[7]

After ranking third in the goal charts for the Portuguese side to help them finish in seventh position in the Primeira Liga in his only season, Martins signed a three-year contract with La Liga's Levante UD on 18 July 2014. ^[8] He made his debut in the competition on 24 August, replacing David Barral in the 71st minute of a 0–2 home loss against Villarreal CF. ^[9]

On 25 August 2015, after being sparingly used by the Valencians, Martins returned to Portugal and its top division after agreeing to a one-year loan deal with Moreirense FC. ^[10] He scored 16 goals in his only season, being essential as the Miguel Leal-led side finished 12th and avoided relegation while becoming the club's all-time scorer in the competition after surpassing Nabil Ghilas. ^[11]

From January 2017 to June 2018, Martins represented Vitória S.C. also in the Portuguese top tier. ^[12] On 3 July 2018, he moved to the China League One with Zhejiang Greentown FC. ^[13]

Martins returned to Portugal in January 2021, joining Moreirense on a five-month contract. ^[14] Having netted seven times until the end of the top-flight campaign, he was rewarded with a one-year extension. ^[15]

On 27 July 2022, after suffering relegation to the Liga Portugal 2, Martins signed a two-year deal with Casa Pia A.C. who had in turn promoted. ^[16] He made his debut on 7 August in a 0–0 draw away to C.D. Santa Clara, ^[17] and scored his first goal two weeks later to open a 2–0 home win over Boavista FC. ^[18]

Martins went back to the second tier on 30 August 2023, on a two-year contract at recently-relegated Santa Clara. ^[19]

On 28 August 2025, Martins left Leixões by mutual consent. ^[20]

Career statistics

As of match played 12 May 2024 ^[21]

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition

Club	Season	League			State league		National cup		League cup		Continental		Other		Total
		Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Grêmio (loan)	2009	Série A	—		2 [a]	0	—		—		—		—		2	0
Grêmio Barueri (loan)	2010	Série A	12	1	—		—		—		2 [b]	0	—		14	1
Audax	2011	—	—		12 [c]	9	—		—		—		—		12	9
	2012	—	—		23 [c]	17	—		—		—		—		23	17
	2013	—	—		24 [c]	10	—		—		—		—		24	10
	Total		—		59	36	—		—		—		—		59	36
ABC (loan)	2011	Série B	4	0	—		0	0	—		—		—		4	0
Vitória Setúbal (loan)	2013–14	Primeira Liga	28	16	—		2	0	3	0	—		—		33	16
Levante	2014–15	La Liga	13	1	—		4	0	—		—		—		17	1
	2016–17	Segunda División	9	1	—		1	0	—		—		—		10	1
	Total		22	2	—		5	0	—		—		—		27	2
Moreirense (loan)	2015–16	Primeira Liga	27	16	—		0	0	3	3	—		—		30	19
Vitória Guimarães	2016–17	Primeira Liga	9	2	—		1	0	0	0	—		—		10	2
	2017–18	Primeira Liga	27	6	—		1	0	3	0	4 [d]	1	1 [e]	0	36	7
	Total		36	8	—		2	0	3	0	4	1	1	0	46	9
Zhejiang Greentown	2018	China League One	15	10	—		0	0	—		—		—		15	10
	2019	China League One	12	4	—		1	2	—		—		—		13	6
	2020	China League One	12	6	—		0	0	—		—		1 [f]	0	13	6
	Total		39	20	—		1	2	—		—		1	0	41	22
Moreirense	2020–21	Primeira Liga	19	7	—		1	0	—		—		—		20	7
	2021–22	Primeira Liga	34	7	—		2	1	1	0	—		2 [g]	0	39	8
	Total		53	14	—		3	1	1	0	—		2	0	59	15
Casa Pia	2022–23	Primeira Liga	26	6	—		4	3	2	0	—		—		32	9
	2023–24	Primeira Liga	2	0	—		0	0	2	0	—		—		4	0
	Total		28	6	—		4	3	4	0	—		—		36	9
Santa Clara	2023–24	Liga Portugal 2	29	4	—		3	1	0	0	—		0	0	32	5
Career total			278	87	64	37	17	6	14	3	6	1	4	0	383	134

1. Appearances in Campeonato Gaúcho
2. Appearances in Copa Sudamericana
3. Appearances in Campeonato Paulista Série A2
4. Appearances in UEFA Europa League
5. Appearance in Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira
6. Appearance in China League One promotion play-offs
7. Appearances in Primeira Liga relegation play-offs

Honours

Santa Clara

• Liga Portugal 2: 2023–24 ^[22]

References

1. "Rafael Martins" (in Portuguese). Mais Futebol. Retrieved 24 January 2021.
2. "Artilheiro da A2 é também o maior artilheiro de todas as Copas SP Jr" [A2 gunner is also top scorer of all SP Jr. Cups] (in Portuguese). Futebol Interior. 23 March 2012. Retrieved 18 September 2023.
3. "Destaque da Copa SP não pertence ao Grêmio" [SP Cup's spotlight does not belong to Grêmio]. Diário Gaúcho (in Portuguese). 7 January 2008. Retrieved 18 September 2023.
4. "Grêmio empata em 1 a 1 com o Inter-SM na estreia no Gauchão" [Grêmio draw 1 all with Inter-SM in Gauchão opener]. Diário Gaúcho (in Portuguese). 21 January 2009. Retrieved 18 September 2023.
5. Giménez, Paco (10 September 2016). "Hasta siete jugadores cruzan sus caminos en el Levante-R. Zaragoza" [Up to seven players cross their paths in Levante-R. Zaragoza]. Heraldo de Aragón (in Spanish). Retrieved 18 September 2023.
6. Lopes, Marcos (29 March 2011). "ABC contrata atacante da A2" [ABC sign A2 forward]. Tribuna do Norte (in Portuguese). Archived from the original on 19 October 2014. Retrieved 29 July 2014.
7. "Rafael Martins reforça ataque" [Rafael Martins bolsters attack]. Record (in Portuguese). 8 July 2013. Retrieved 18 September 2023.
8. "El Levante ficha al delantero Rafael Martins" [Levante sign forward Rafael Martins]. Marca (in Spanish). 18 July 2014. Retrieved 29 July 2014.
9. Olmedo, Álvaro (25 August 2014). "El Villarreal sigue disfrutando del verano" [Villarreal keep enjoying the summer]. Marca (in Spanish). Retrieved 3 September 2014.
10. "Rafael Martins jugará cedido en el Moreirense FC" [Rafael Martins will play on loan at Moreirense FC] (in Spanish). Levante UD. 25 August 2015. Retrieved 18 September 2023.
11. "Moreirense vence Marítimo e acaba I Liga no 12.º lugar" [Moreirense beat Marítimo and finish I League in 12th place]. O Jogo (in Portuguese). 15 May 2016. Retrieved 13 November 2018.
12. "Oficial: Rafael Martins é o substituto de Soares" [Official: Rafael Martins is Soares' replacement]. Diário de Notícias (in Portuguese). 24 January 2017. Retrieved 13 November 2018.
13. "绿城官方宣布新攻击手加盟" (in Chinese). Sina Sports. 3 July 2018. Retrieved 3 July 2018.
14. "Avançado Rafael Martins regressa ao Moreirense e assina até final da época" [Forward Rafael Martins returns to Moreirense and signs until end of the season]. O Minho (in Portuguese). 5 January 2021. Retrieved 30 August 2023.
15. "Oficial: Rafael Martins fica no Moreirense mais um ano" [Official: Rafael Martins stays at Moreirense for another year]. O Jogo (in Portuguese). 10 June 2021. Retrieved 30 August 2023.
16. "Casa Pia oficializa contratação de Rafael Martins" [Casa Pia make signing of Rafael Martins official]. O Jogo (in Portuguese). 27 July 2022. Retrieved 30 August 2023.
17. "O resumo do Santa Clara-Casa Pia: casos e outros lances" [Santa Clara-Casa Pia highlights: controversies and other plays]. Record (in Portuguese). 7 August 2022. Retrieved 30 August 2023.
18. "83 anos depois, Casa Pia volta a ganhar um jogo na I Liga" [83 years later, Casa Pia win I League match again]. Diário de Notícias (in Portuguese). 21 August 2022. Retrieved 30 August 2023.
19. "Rafael Martins é reforço!" [Rafael Martins is an addition!] (in Portuguese). C.D. Santa Clara. 30 August 2023. Retrieved 30 August 2023.
20. "Obrigado, Rafael Martins" (in Portuguese). Leixões S.C. 28 August 2025. Retrieved 19 November 2025.
21. Rafael Martins at Soccerway
22. Gonçalves, João (24 May 2024). "Ricardo Pacheco, presidente do Santa Clara: 'Vamos para a Primeira Liga para lá ficar.'" [Ricardo Pacheco, Santa Clara president: 'We go to the First League to stay there.']. The Herald News (in Portuguese). Retrieved 3 June 2024.

External links

• Rafael Martins at Sambafoot (archived)
• Rafael Martins at BDFutbol
• Rafael Martins at ForaDeJogo (archived)