Orlando Pride Re-Sign Defender Rafaelle through 2028

The Orlando Pride took a big step toward roster construction for 2026 today by re-signing Brazilian international center back Rafaelle to a new contract through the 2028 NWSL sesaon. The 34-year-old native of Bahia, Brazil was set to be out of contract following the 2025 season but Orlando Pride Senior Vice President of Soccer Operations and Sporting Director Haley Carter obviously prioritized a new deal for the defender with a deal that will keep her in Orlando beyond her 37th birthday.

“Since arriving at our club, Rafaelle has proven to be an exceptional leader both on the pitch and in the locker room,” Carter said. “She’s one of the best center backs in the world, and her experience, composure under pressure, and tactical awareness have been instrumental in strengthening our back line. Securing her commitment through 2028 is a major statement as we continue building a championship-caliber squad for Orlando.” 

Rafaelle signed with the Pride on July 3, 2023, with the club using Allocation Money to secure her services. However, she did not join her new team until after the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup

Since joining the Pride, Rafaelle has made 29 appearances across all competitions, scoring two goals. She made seven appearances in 2023 (all starts), playing 610 minutes. The center back finished the season with 31 clearances, seven blocks, and 11 interceptions. She won nine of her 11 tackles (81.8%), 32 of her 50 duels (64%), and 17 of her 23 aerial duels (73.9%). Rafaelle completed 79.7% of her 305 passes. She did not register an assist, a key pass, or a cross on the season, but she took seven shots, putting four on target, and scored her lone goal of 2023 in her Pride debut. Additionally, she won one foul and conceded six, but no penalties and she was not booked. In her first season with Orlando, The Mane Land gave Rafaelle a composite rating of 6.5 out of 10 for her play as she upgraded the Pride back line.

Injuries limited Rafaelle to just nine appearances (six starts) for the Pride in 2024 — all in the regular season, in which she played a total of just 618 minutes. The Brazilian defender did not record a goal contribution in 2024, attempting three shots and putting one on target. She completed 86% of her 324 passes without a key pass or successful cross, however, she managed to connect on 30 long balls in her short season, which is impressive. Defensively, she contributed nine tackles, nine interceptions, and 23 headed duel wins. She committed four fouls, suffered one, and was booked once. Due to injury, Rafaelle did not appear in Orlando’s playoff run, and because she was away at the Olympics, Rafaelle also did not participate in the NWSL x Liga MX Femenina Summer Cup. The Mane Land gave Rafaelle a composite score of 7 out of 10 for her 2024 season performance, as she was great when healthy.

This season, Rafaelle has again battled injuries, but she started the season strong, scoring her second Pride goal in the season-opening Challenge Cup draw against the Washington Spirit, with Orlando losing the trophy on penalties. Rafaelle has appeared in just 11 matches (nine starts) during the 2025 NWSL regular season, logging 723 minutes heading into the season finale on Sunday against Seattle. She has no goal contributions and has attempted six shots, putting one on frame. Rafaelle is passing at an 85.3% rate this season with two key passes. Defensively, she’s contributed 12 tackles, 11 interceptions, and eight blocks and has won 63.5% of her duels and 83.3% of her aerial duels. She has been disciplined, committing seven fouls, winning three, and receiving three yellow cards with no red cards.

Orlando is 16-5-5 in the 26 NWSL regular-season matches in which Rafaelle has appeared, and she’s helped the Pride reach the postseason in two of her three seasons in Orlando, with just a goal differential tiebreaker preventing a perfect three-for-three.

Prior to joining Orlando, Rafaelle was with Arsenal in 2022-2023, playing 35 games with the Gunners. She contributed four goals playing mainly center back, although she can also play midfield. Rafaelle helped the Gunners win the Conti Cup — the FA Women’s League Cup — in March of 2023, causing an own goal in the tournament’s final, which Arsenal won, 3-1.

Prior to joining Arsenal, Rafaelle spent the 2021-2022 season with Palmeiras in Brazil, where she helped win the Copa Paulista in 2021. Before Palmeiras, she spent 2016-2021 with Changchun Shuoyue in China. She began her professional career in the NWSL in 2014 with the Houston Dash, where she was Carter’s teammate. With the Dash, Rafaelle made 16 appearances, contributing one assist for expansion Houston. 

Rafaelle played three years of college soccer in the U.S. for the University of Mississippi. She ranks second in school history in career points (108) and goals (44) and single-season points (33) and goals (22).   

On the international stage, Rafaelle made her debut with the Brazilian Women’s National Team in 2012 and has logged more than 80 caps, representing As Canarinhas in the 2015 and 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cups and the 2016, 2020, and 2024 Olympics.

What It Means for the Pride

When healthy, Rafaelle is (as Carter said above) one of the best center backs in the world. The problem in each of the last two seasons has been that she’s missed a considerable amount of time due to injuries. Players as physical as Rafaelle likes to play is more prone to picking up knocks at this stage of their careers. However, if she can stay on the pitch for the majority of the next three seasons and maintain her level of play, this move will be an outstanding one for Orlando.

It’s almost too much of a good thing to have Rafaelle healthy, as Orlando Pride Head Coach Seb Hines tends to push Emily Sams out to right back when he has his top three center backs available. Sams can play wide, as she did with the USWNT Wednesday night, but fits more naturally at center back, and at least to the eye test, Rafaelle and Sams seem to make up the club’s best pairing in the middle of defense. When Kylie Nadaner is available, however, Hines seems loathe to push her out to the left to allow his best center back pairing to play together, and he likes Nadaner’s leadership too much to keep her on the bench as a quality backup. Using all three center backs together, playing with wingbacks, would seem a good solution, but that doesn’t seem to be the preferred choice.

With Rafaelle signed through 2028, Sams through 2027, and Nadaner through 2026, the middle of Orlando’s defense is set for the next couple of years.