Wikipedia

Rafa Mújica

In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Mujica and the second or maternal family name is García.

Rafael Sebastián Mujica García (Spanish pronunciation: [ˈrafa ˈmuxika]; born 29 October 1998) is a Spanish professional footballer who plays for Qatari club Al Sadd. Mainly a forward, he can also play as a winger.

Rafa Mujica
Personal information
Full name Rafael Sebastián Mujica García
Date of birth (1998-10-29) 29 October 1998 (age 26)
Place of birth Las Palmas, Spain
Height 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in)
Position(s) Forward, winger
Team information
Current team
 Al Sadd
Number 19
Youth career
Las Palmas
2015–2017 Barcelona
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2016–2019 Barcelona B 60 (10)
2018 → Cornellà (loan) 16 (6)
2019–2021 Leeds United 0 (0)
2019–2020 → Extremadura (loan) 7 (0)
2020 → Villarreal B (loan) 4 (3)
2020–2021 → Oviedo (loan) 4 (0)
2021 → Las Palmas (loan) 13 (1)
2021–2022 Las Palmas 14 (1)
2022–2024 Arouca 57 (28)
2024– Al Sadd 5 (5)
International career
2016 Spain U19 2 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 14:30, 21 September 2024 (UTC)

He represented Spain at under-19 level.

Club career

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Barcelona

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Born in Las Palmas, Canary Islands, Mújica joined Barcelona's youth setup on 19 May 2015, from Las Palmas.[1][2] On 26 March 2016, aged only 17, he made his senior debut with the reserves by coming on as a late substitute for Juan Cámara in a 2–0 Segunda División B away win against Llosetense.[3]

Mujica scored his first senior goal on 9 April 2016, netting his team's only strike in a 1–3 home loss against Sabadell.[4] He played for the first team during the 2016–17 pre-season under manager Luis Enrique, including scoring against English side Leicester City in a 4–2 victory during a pre-season friendly on 4 August.[5][6]

In February 2017, Mujica suffered a hamstring rupture which required surgery, which hampered his progress,[7] keeping him sidelined for nine-and-a-half months and missing out the club's promotion in the play-offs.[8] He made his professional debut on 6 January 2018, replacing Vitinho in a 1–1 away draw against Real Zaragoza in the Segunda División.[9]

On 31 January 2018, Mujica was loaned to Cornellà in the third division, until June.[10] He contributed with six goals in 16 matches for the side; highlights included scoring in the season's Copa Catalunya final in a 3–2 victory against UA Horta on 2 June, to help the club lift the trophy for the first time.[11]

After his loan spell, Mujica returned to Barcelona, training with the first team during the summer of 2018. He returned to the B-team for the 2018–19 season, and played 33 games for the side scoring seven goals and providing one assist in Segunda División B during the season.[12]

In January 2019, Mujica was also named by manager Ernesto Valverde in Barcelona's first team squad for the Copa del Rey fixture against Levante.[13][14] On 27 June, Mújica announced on his official Twitter page he would be leaving Barcelona,[15] and the club officially released him when his contract expired three days later.[16]

Leeds United

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On 4 July 2019, Leeds United announced the signing of Mujica on a three-year contract, running until the summer of 2022. He would initially be part of Carlos Corberán's under-23 team.[17] A few days later, he played in the first team under manager Marcelo Bielsa in the club's first pre-season friendly, as a second-half substitute against York City in a 5–0 win.[18]

On 23 August 2019, Mujica joined Extremadura in the Spanish Segunda División on a one-year loan deal,[19] with the option to buy.[20] He made his debut for the club on 1 September, in a 2–1 loss against Cadiz,[21] but returned to his parent club early in January 2020, having made just seven league appearances for Extremadura.[22][23]

On 24 January 2020, Mujica joined Villarreal on loan until the end of the season,[22] being assigned to the B-team.[24] On 26 August, he moved to second division club Real Oviedo on a season-long loan.[25]

Las Palmas

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On 1 February 2021, after leaving Oviedo early, Mujica joined his hometown club Las Palmas on loan until the end of the second-tier season.[26] On 2 July, the move was made permanent for an undisclosed fee.[27]

Arouca

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On 21 June 2022, Mujica moved to Portuguese Primeira Liga side Arouca on a two-year deal.[28]

Al Sadd

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On 30 May 2024, it was announced Mújica would join Qatari club Al Sadd SC at the opening of the transfer window on 1 July 2024, costing a fee of €10 million, and signing a four-year contract.[29][30][31]

International career

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He has represented Spain at international level up to under-19s.

Career statistics

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As of match played 22 September 2024[23]
Club Season League National cup[a] League cup[b] Continental Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Barcelona B 2015–16 Segunda División B 6 1 — — — 6 1
2016–17 18 2 — — — 18 2
2017–18 Segunda División 3 0 — — — 3 0
2018–19 Segunda División B 33 7 — — — 33 7
Total 60 10 — — — 60 10
Cornellà (loan) 2017–18 Segunda División B 16 6 — — — 16 6
Leeds United U21 2019–20 — 0 0 — — — 0 0
Extremadura (loan) 2019–20 Segunda División 7 0 1 0 — — 8 0
Villarreal B (loan) 2019–20 Segunda División B 7 4 — — — 7 4
Real Oviedo (loan) 2020–21 Segunda División 4 0 1 2 — — 5 2
Las Palmas (loan) 2020–21 Segunda División 13 1 — — — 13 1
Las Palmas 2021–22 Segunda División 16 1 1 0 — — 17 1
Total 29 2 1 0 — — 30 2
Arouca 2022–23 Primeira Liga 27 8 1 3 4 3 — 32 14
2023–24 30 20 3 1 2 1 2[c] 1 36 23
Total 57 28 4 4 6 4 2 1 68 37
Al Sadd 2024–25 Qatar Stars League 5 5 0 0 0 0 1[d] 0 6 5
Career total 185 55 6 6 6 4 3 1 200 64
  1. ^ Includes Copa del Rey, Taça de Portugal
  2. ^ Includes Taça da Liga
  3. ^ Appearances in UEFA Europa Conference League
  4. ^ Appearance in AFC Champions League

Honours

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Barcelona
Barcelona B
UE Cornellà
Individual

References

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  1. ^ "Rafael Mujica, nuevo fichaje del FC Barcelona para el Juvenil" [Rafael Mujica, new signing of FC Barcelona for the youth squad] (in Spanish). Mundo Deportivo. 19 May 2015. Retrieved 13 January 2018.
  2. ^ "Barcelona sign Spanish starlet Rafa Mujica – despite transfer embargo until January 2016". Daily Mirror. 19 May 2015. Retrieved 3 July 2019.
  3. ^ "CD Llosetense v FC Barcelona B: Back to winning ways (0–2)". FC Barcelona. 26 March 2016. Retrieved 13 January 2018.
  4. ^ "FC Barcelona B v CE Sabadell: Second half dismay (1–3)". FC Barcelona. 9 April 2016. Retrieved 13 January 2018.
  5. ^ "The happiest goal of Rafa Mujica". FC Barcelona. 5 August 2016. Retrieved 5 August 2016.
  6. ^ "Barcelona 4 Leicester City 2". Sky Sports. 4 August 2016. Retrieved 27 June 2019.
  7. ^ "Rafa Mujica, seis semanas KO" [Rafa Mújica, six weeks out] (in Spanish). Vavel. 24 February 2017. Retrieved 13 January 2018.
  8. ^ "Rafa Mujica (Barça B) recibe el alta tras 9 meses y medio de baja" [Rafa Mujica (Barça B) is declared fit to play after 9 and a half months sidelined] (in Spanish). Mundo Deportivo. 4 December 2017. Retrieved 13 January 2018.
  9. ^ "El Zaragoza y Barça B no salen a flote en La Romareda" [Zaragoza and Barça B do not come afloat at the La Romareda] (in Spanish). Marca. 6 January 2018. Retrieved 13 January 2018.
  10. ^ "Anthony Lozano, Wilfrid Kaptoum and Rafa Mujica leave Barcelona B". Barca Blaugrane. 31 January 2018. Retrieved 27 June 2019.
  11. ^ "El Cornellà fa història i conquereix la Copa Catalunya absoluta" [Cornellà make history and conquer the senior Copa Catalunya] (in Catalan). Catalan Football Federation. 2 June 2018. Retrieved 3 July 2019.
  12. ^ "Barcelona B forward close to joining Bielsa's Leeds". Marca. 13 May 2019. Retrieved 27 June 2019.
  13. ^ "Focus back on Copa del Rey". FC Barcelona. 15 January 2019. Retrieved 27 June 2019.
  14. ^ "Ernesto Valverde insists Barcelona didn't field ineligible player in Copa del Rey". The Independent. 18 January 2019. Retrieved 27 June 2019.
  15. ^ "Rafa Mújica". Rafa Mújica Official Twitter. 27 June 2019. Retrieved 27 June 2019.
  16. ^ "Jokin Ezkieta, Mate, Mujica and Merveil will not continue next season at Barça B". FC Barcelona. 30 June 2019. Retrieved 1 July 2019.
  17. ^ "Rafa Mujica joins Leeds United". Leeds United. 4 July 2019. Retrieved 4 July 2019.
  18. ^ "Report: York City 0–5 Leeds United". Leeds United. 10 July 2019. Retrieved 13 July 2019.
  19. ^ "Rafa Mujica makes loan move". Leeds United. 23 August 2019. Retrieved 23 August 2019.
  20. ^ "Rafa Mujica, nueva incorporación Azulgrana" [Rafa Mujica, new Azulgrana signing]. Extremadura UD. 23 August 2019. Archived from the original on 27 August 2019. Retrieved 23 August 2019.
  21. ^ "Así hemos narrado el Cádiz-Extremadura" [How we narrated Cádiz-Extremadura]. Hoy (in Spanish). 1 September 2019. Retrieved 4 September 2019.
  22. ^ a b "Rafa Mujica joins Villarreal on loan until end of the season". www.leedsunited.com. 24 January 2020. Retrieved 24 January 2020.
  23. ^ a b Rafa Mújica at Soccerway
  24. ^ "Villarreal B winter transfer movements". Villarreal CF. 1 February 2020. Retrieved 19 February 2020.
  25. ^ Sobot, Lee (26 August 2020). "Young Leeds United forward heads for season-long loan in Spain". Yorkshire Evening Post. Retrieved 26 August 2020.
  26. ^ "Rafa Mújica, nuevo jugador de la UD Las Palmas" [Rafa Mujica, new UD Las Palmas player]. UD Las Palmas. 1 February 2021. Retrieved 1 February 2021.
  27. ^ "Rafa Mujica joins UD Las Palmas". Leeds United. 2 July 2021. Retrieved 2 July 2021.
  28. ^ "Rafa Mujica, com passagem pelo Barcelona, é o segundo reforço do Arouca" [Rafa Mujica, with a stint at Barcelona, is the second addition of Arouca] (in Portuguese). O Jogo. 21 June 2022. Retrieved 8 August 2022.
  29. ^ "Al-Sadd sign Rafa Mujica on four-year deal". Al Sadd SC. 30 May 2024.
  30. ^ "Leeds United set to receive financial boost as ex-player poised to make €10m transfer". Football League World. 14 May 2024.
  31. ^ "Al Sadd sign Spanish forward Rafa Mujica". AFC. 30 May 2024.
  32. ^ "Chelsea 0–3 Barcelona". UEFA.com. Retrieved 13 July 2020.
  33. ^ "Jota Silva fecha o 'Onze do Ano' da Primeira Liga". Sapo Desporto (in Portuguese). 13 June 2024. Retrieved 14 June 2024.
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