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Wed 24 February 2021 | 20:29

Top Facts about Rafael Leao

We’re going to get into the details of Rafael Leao’s life story and point out to some of the interesting facts about him

In a summary, we're going to tell you the story of a Portuguese footballer from Almada.

It starts from the early days of his life, to when AC Milan became famous. Here's a textual description of his life to give you a sweet taste of the exciting nature of Bio's Rafael Leao.

Yes, some fans are aware that the forward is dubbed 'Portuguese Mbappe.' This is because he has drawn comparisons with French star Kylian Mbappe for his incredible style of play.

Despite the achievements, we know that only a few people have read Rafael Leao's concise life story.

For the love of the game, Sportmob has gotten it prepared. Now, let's begin without further ado.

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Top Facts about Rafael Leao

This article is going to give you all the

Top Facts about Rafael Leao

we're aware of, but first let’s look at some general information about him

Quick Facts

  • Full Name:

     Rafael Alexandre Conceicao Leao

  • Rafael Leao Nicknames:

     Rafblinks

  • Rafael Leao Date of Birth:

     10th day of June 1999

  • Rafael Leao Place of Birth:

     the town of Almada in Portugal

  • Rafael Leao Age:

     21

  • Rafael Leao Nationality:

     Portuguese

  • Rafael Leao Height:

     1.88 m (6 ft 2 in)

  • Rafael Leao Weight:

     81 kg

  • Rafael Leao Marital Status:

     Unmarried

  • Rafael Leao Wife:

     N/A

  • Rafael Leao Position:

     Forward

  • Rafael Leao Current Team:

     A.C. Milan

  • Rafael Leao Jersey Number:

     17

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Rafael Leao Childhood Story

He bears the nickname Rafblinks. Rafael was born in the city of Almada, Portugal, on the 10th day of June 1999 to his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Conceicao Leao.

One of the first Top Facts about Rafael Leao you should know is that he was given a name after his birth, which means Lion-Heart.

One of the six children (four brothers and twin sisters) born from the union between his mother and father is the footballer who is pictured above.

The native of Almada spent his childhood with a lot of siblings who remained the best link to his past.

Starting from his sisters are Paulo and Bianca Leao (twins). Another female Rafael’s sibling is Nadia Leao who is less than 10 at the time of writing his Bio. 

The forward had spent his childhood in Almada Town. It is on the banks of the Tagus, across from Lisbon.

Another one of the Top Facts about Rafael Leao is that the AC Milan forward lived a tough childhood alongside his brothers, one that saw them making plenty of sacrifices.

Rafael was different from all his siblings, as his parents gave him a patronymic name. Have you realized that Leao means "lion"? The footballer was destined to live a life of supremacy and strength.

Rafael Leao Family Background

Even though the parents of the forward were immigrants, they were far from being poor, but not wealthy either.

Even so, Leao has a near-bourgeois upbringing and is from a very humble family background.

His parents still go to work like the ordinary people in Lisbon, even as a millionaire footballer.

Rafael Leao's mother is a hairdresser and his father is a civil servant.

The sharpshooter, digging out the past of his poor background, once gave fans a peek of the building where he grew up in Portugal.

With this photo, the AC Milan star acknowledges his family’s lack.

One of the Top Facts about Rafael Leao is that he also vowed that he would use his football money to repair this house.

Yeah, we know that he's from Portugal. The truth is, the football star has ancestral roots in Africa.

Simply put, the parents of Rafael Leao come from Africa, from different countries.

His father was from Angola, while his mother was from Sao-Tome-Et-Principe.

They both met in Portugal as migrants and chose to build a family.

Rafael Leao Football Story

He grew up in the town of Almada and, from a very young age, became obsessed with soccer.

In reality, Leao's native town's fields and riverbanks treasure his childhood memories of football.

The AC Milan forward once said, recalling what he considers history;

“WHEN I WAS YOUNGER, I USED TO PLAY BALL EVERY DAY. SOMETIMES I DIDN’T EVEN GET TO LUNCH OR SNACK FROM MY PARENTS.

I ONLY CAME HOME AT DINNER TIME WITH DIRTY SHORTS. IN FACT, THE NEW SNEAKERS MY FATHER HAD BOUGHT WERE ALREADY BEING USED”

One of the 

Top Facts about Rafael Leao

 is that Like Cristiano Ronaldo, whenever he lost games, Rafael Leao cried.

His friends never named him Cry Baby though. He was a genuinely emotional boy, one who was worried about not losing matches.

Rafael Leao Education Facts

Originally, the footballer's parents advised him to concentrate solely on academics.

He was successful at reconciling the two, Rafael told them.

Back then, the only happiness was winning football games and not reading books.

Leao went to elementary school, but was forced to leave so that he could fulfill a dream. During an interview, in his words;

“I COULDN’T KEEP FOCUSED ON EDUCATION BECAUSE I WAS FOLLOWING A DREAM. IN THE MIDDLE OF SOME CLASSES I HAD TO GO OUT FOR TRAINING. I DIDN’T HAVE THE SCHOOLING LIFE THAT MOST HAD.”

One of the Top Facts about Rafael Leao is that as his brothers and sisters went to school back then, Rafael would stay at his family's home so that he could prepare for training.

He would rest during Sundays to be physically strong for the week.

The Story of How Football Began for Rafael

Rafael began playing the game with friends at the bottom of his building.

One of the

Top Facts about Rafael Leao

is that luckily, it turns out that the Amora football club president's place of residence was right around his family house.

“ONE DAY, AROUND 7 OR 8 YEARS OLD, HE SPOKE TO ME AFTER SEEING ME DRIBBLING MY FRIENDS THROUGH HIS WINDOW. AMORA BOSS TOLD ME IF I COULD JOIN HIS CLUB. WITH MUCH HAPPINESS, I WENT THERE – HONOURING HIS INVITATION. IN MY FIRST GAME, I DISCOVERED THAT STREET FOOTBALL WAS VERY DIFFERENT FROM ACADEMY FOOTBALL.”

The Amora Tournament and Benfica Loss

Rafael Leao only spent three weeks at

Amora FC

. He was picked for a major tournament in his first two.

Rafael was selected by Benfica after impressing fans who then sent him to Foot 21, a structure that ceases to exist today.

Rafael Leao's parents and Benfica decided at the end of the season that he would join them.

Unfortunately, there was a problem here. His father and mother could not afford their son's frequent transportation for training.

This prompted Rafael to opt-out and joine Sporting CP's popular youth academy, which offered more favorable grounds.

Early Academy Life with the Green and Whites

The then soccer prodigy grew up in the youth system of Sporting Lisbon.

His talent was impossible to ignore by the time Leao was 14.

Tiago Fernandes, the boy's youth coach and mentor at the time, told France Football that:

“I HAVE NEVER SEEN A KID LIKE LEAO DOING THINGS WITH THE BALL. HE DOES THINGS THAT NO-ONE COULD DO.”

Just after that, Tiago Fernandes then labeled Leao as "the best player in Sporting Academy history."

He also told L'Equipe that at the same age, Rafael was certified as a leader (a youth captain) better than Cristiano Ronaldo.

Currently, there is still a clear argument that this boy holds the honour of being the greatest player in the history of the

Sporting CP

Academy, One of the Top Facts about Rafael Leao.

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Rafael Leao, The Road to Fame

Leao was, indeed, worth the hype for the next eight years, the youngster advanced through the Sporting CP youth ranks before making his debut at just 17 years old.

He came on in the second half of that match and netted against Braga.

He also went into history books as the youngest player of the club to score in a 1-2 away loss against

Porto

.

Hilariously, by nutmegging the big Iker Casillas, Leao found the net.

Leao was actually part of the squad that won the title of the Portuguese league cup.

He had no choice but to leave, as much as he would have loved to remain with the Verde e brancos.

One of the Top Facts about Rafael Leao is that his departure was linked to an attack on the club's coach and players by disgruntled fans.

With his alleged mutinous exit, Leao (aged 19) became a free agent and signed for Lille.

Rafael Leao, Rise to Fame

The Almada native happily accepted when Milan came calling due to the Red and Black's commitment to supporting young players.

It was with

Milan

that Leao became known in six seconds for scoring the fastest goal in Serie A history.

This is the quickest ever goal scored in the top five leagues in Europe.

The big striker, standing at 6 ft 2, has demonstrated that he already has key attributes required by the modern-day forward.

His movement has been compared to that of Sergio Aguero, while his strength makes him ideal as Romelu Lukaku.

For the young Lion, better days lie ahead with a competitive nature and sharp claws in front of the goal. The rest, as we say is history.

Rafael Leao Girlfriend

Are you here to get details on the forward in love? Do you have an overwhelming urge to find out who Rafael Leao's girlfriend is?

So are we, and in all honesty, we've been looking all over, with no signs of a Wag.

Might he be dating secretly? If so, then it's just a matter of time before he goes public with his private life, because soccer abhors secrets.

But we think someone as sharp as Leao wouldn't have trouble handling a private affair in front of goal.

Sportmob concludes that Rafael is likely to have a girlfriend. 

perhaps someone who is approved by his parents as his future wife and his children's mother.

He wants to make the relationship private at this time. The nearest we could come to an alleged girlfriend was this.

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Rafael Leao Personal Life

We'll inform you more about the striker from Angola and the family origins of Sao-Tome-Et-Principe to get a better picture.

First and foremost, Rafael Leao agrees that he's a shy boy and enjoys the feel/sight of bodies of water.

To regain his inner power, the striker spends the most of his free time on his own and away from anything else.

Once upon a time, he reflected soberly on his experience and told his fans while recovering his energies, far away from football:

“IN THIS LIFE, YOU WILL NEVER BE ABLE TO PLEASE EVERYONE NO MATTER HOW GOOD A PERSON YOU ARE. THEY WILL FIND COUNTLESS THINGS TO TRY TO HIT YOU AND THAT IS WHERE YOU HAVE TO BE STRONG. ALSO IN THIS WORLD, NOT EVERYBODY WANTS TO SEE YOU WIN. IN FACT, NOT EVERYTHING ON PLANET EARTH IS WONDERFUL.”

Rafael Leao Lifestyle

Let's examine how the sharpshooter makes his money and spends it.

Rafael Leao’s Net worth

is estimated at approximately EUR 3 million to begin with (2020 stats).

We do not need the numbers, however, to realize that Leao lives a luxurious lifestyle, easily recognizable by his looks and vehicles.

The spacious house/apartment in which he lives in Milan offers evidence of such a lifestyle.

Their maintenance is legally funded by Leao's whooping salary of EUR 39,473 per month and EUR 1,4 million per year.

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Rafael Leao Family Life

His household is described by the forward as his greatest treasure anchored with him during the waters.

Here, we will bring you facts about the parents of Rafael Leao. We will also make details about his siblings and relatives.

Rafael Leao Father

You know why he mimes the phone when he scores? That's what the striker does for his dad, who watches all his games and then calls him to talk about it afterwards.

The phone call celebration is just a way to tell his Daddy that he has just scored another goal.

The striker's score form is fueled by a desire to please his dad.

The father of Rafael Leao is someone who means a lot to him.

He defines him as a person who can be nice, cold, challenging and very straightforward. In his own terms:

“IF HE HAS SOMETHING TO TELL ME, HE WILL SAY IT STRAIGHT OUT. MY DAD IS SOMETIMES HARD TO HEAR, BUT IN THE END, HE IS ALWAYS RIGHT.”

Rafael Leao’s Mother

The footballer honored the woman who gave birth to him in a hair salon around February 2019.

The surprise took place in Lisbon's core business district, Avenida Paiva Couceiro.

Behold, thanks to the realization of her dreams, his mother opened the salon by making his son her first client.

Mummy's boy once said, talking to the Newspaper Accord;

“HAVING A HAIR SALON IS SOMETHING MY MUM WANTS. WHAT I CAN DO IS HELP MY FAMILY AND GIVE THEM THE BEST I CAN AFFORD. THIS IS ALSO AN INVESTMENT”

Rafael Leao Brothers

The AC Milan star said in an interview that he has three brothers.

These three boys were standing by him at the time he signed for the club, a feat that made fans believe they were his siblings.

It is sooner or later, however, that we find out about the names of his three brothers.

Rafael Leao Sisters

The family of the footballer is blessed with twins—Paulo and Bianca.

They were ten years old (around 2019). That's not all of it! Rafael has another baby sister, Nadia, who is four years younger than Bianca and Paulo.

Rafael Leao’s Relatives

Like our esteemed readers, we are interested in knowing his maternal and paternal grandparents.

There is also a shroud of obscurity over the identities of Rafael's uncles, aunts, cousins, nephews, and nieces. We're going to let you know when we find out.

Untold Facts about Rafael Leao

See lesser-known details and trivia about him to sum up this article on Top Facts about Rafael Leao.

His Neighbours called Police on him

Rafael Leao returned to his family in Portugal after the COVID-19 outbreak, after the

Italian League

had ended.

He turned his music loud in the attempt to keep up his training speed in order not to lose his form, which annoyed his neighbors.

They made a complaint at the police station for Noise Nuisance.

According to the concerns of the inhabitants of Avenida Central do Pinhal Conde da Cunha, they said in Amora;

“EVERY DAY, RAFAEL LEAO TAKES A FRIEND WHO WE KNOW AS A DJ TO HIS HOUSE. TOGETHER, THEY AGREE TO PUT ON LOUD MUSIC.”

The Portuguese authorities tried to talk to the athlete moments after the report, but they received no response.

How he sees Zlatan

In Serie A, scoring the quickest goal means that he is a cheetah and a lion.

Leao's post on his Instagram around November 2020 made fans understand his stance on whom the King of Milan is—also where he stands.

Leao must be very proud to be playing with Ibrahimovic Zlatan in real life. The striker sees him as his older brother.

Similarity with Kylian

The AC Milan forward is named the Portuguese Mbappe for a reason.

If you look carefully, you'll find that his playing style, age, and pace are similar to that of the French star.

Kylian Mbappe is, moreover, a source of inspiration for Leao, who wants to win medals and titles like a French star.

Rafael Leao FIFA 2020 Ratings

Rafael Leao has a 74-point overall ranking with a potential of 83.

If you ask us, that isn't too sweet. Record holders deserve more, and we hope this will be resolved by FIFA in no time.

Rafael Leao Religion

There is a high chance, as his name suggests, that the striker is a believer.

Leao must be a Christian. One of the Top Facts about Rafael Leao is that his name Rafael is a variant of the name Raphael.


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