Following his move to St. Louis City, Santos's current-season form is up 55% on last season (Season 11→17), while his Rating climbed 28→30. His peak season for form remains 2023/24 (Season 33).

Domestic career

Season	Club	Apps	G	A	Match	RTG	Season
2026/27	St. Louis City · 2nd	16	1	1	6.25	29	18
2025/26	Orlando City SC · 8th	24	1	2	6.64	28	11
2024/25	Orlando City SC · 4th	37	1	3	6.9	41	28
2023/24	Orlando City SC · 2nd	37	1	2	6.88	43	33
2022/23	CoritibaLoan · 15th	15	0	0	6.82	59	13
2022/23	Cruzeiro	12	1	0	—	—	—

Domestic-league totals per season. RTG = Field Insider Rating (potential / ceiling); Season = age-blind form that year. 5 earlier seasons and 1 youth-team spell in the full career.

Scout report

Squad depthCentral midfielder

Rafael Santos is a 28-year-old central midfielder at St. Louis City, rated 29.5 overall by Field Insider's model, ranking 330th of 491 on scout potential in the Major League Soccer. An experienced operator, he has been a rotation option this season (45.6% of available minutes). His defensive output reads 1.95 tackles, blocks and interceptions per 90. Below: strengths, watch-points, market-value outlook and the latest transfer news on Santos.

Judged on this season alone, Santos graded 17 — a workmanlike campaign that ranks 58th of 86 of the 86 central midfielders in the Major League Soccer, on 1 goal, 1 assist and 1.951 defensive actions per 90.

Year-on-year, that's a clear step up on last season (Season 11 → 17). Over the 5 seasons on record his form has trended upward, peaking in 2023/24.

On long-term talent our Rating reads 30, 63rd of 86 of the 86 central midfielders in the Major League Soccer. At 28 Santos is in his prime years, and a market index of 3.3 reflects that trajectory.

From the career report

Read the full career report →

Past his 2023/24 peak — the recent trend is downward, so buyers are paying for what's left, not what was.

Peak: 2023/24Trending downBreakout: 2023/24

Current potential63rd of 86 central midfielders · Major League Soccer Current season58th of 86 central midfielders · Major League Soccer 58th-best central midfielder in the Major League Soccer 330th in the Major League Soccer · potential 63rd-highest potential central midfielder in the Major League Soccer

29.5

Ratingi

63rd of 86 central midfielders

Seasoni

below regular-starter level

45.6%

Minutes

rotation minutes

1.95

Def. actions / 90

light defensive volume

Output in context · St. Louis City finished 2nd of 15 · a title-challenging side

Apps

1.95

Def. / 90

Tackles

Interceptions

Clean sheets

1.95 tackles, blocks & interceptions per 90 — light defensive volume, with 2 clean sheets across 16 appearances. Behind a title-challenging side (2nd of 15) the side controls more games, so the defensive load is lighter — the value sits as much in composure and ball progression as in raw volume. Going forward he chipped in 1 goal and 1 assist — a useful bonus from the back.

Strengths

Attacking threat. Chips in from deep: 0.16 goal involvements per 90, useful for a central midfielder.

Watch points

Game time. Only 45.6% of available minutes — needs a settled run to prove the level.
Defensive numbers. Modest 1.95 defensive actions per 90 for the position.
Level. Rates below a nailed-on top-tier starter on our model.

Outlook

With a Rating of 29.5, Santos carries the 63rd-highest potential of the central midfielders in the Major League Soccer of 86. Defensively he reads as light defensive volume (1.95 tackles, blocks & interceptions per 90). Experienced and reliable, but the value curve is easing (1.2× now → 0.9× projected in three years).

Generated from Field Insider's rating model · AI-written analysis to follow.

Per 90 & availability

Minutes played %45.6%

Available fixtures27 of 27

Goals / 900.081

Assists / 900.081

Goal contribution / 900.163

Defensive actions / 901.951

Player flow

Goal involvements2

Shot conversion %12.5

Shot accuracy %80

Pass accuracy %81

Dribble success %23.5

Cards / 900.081

Foul involvement / 902.195

Season-by-season progression

Rating (potential)Season (form)

Value & potential by age

Market valueRating

Solid = now · dashed = projected

The gold line is market value — an index (not €) blending rating, age and league. It climbs through the early 20s, peaks around ages 23–27 (~6), then tapers with age. At 28, Santos sits on 3.3, past its peak and easing. The blue line is Santos's projected Rating — 29.5 today — recomputed at each age, so it follows the same rise-and-fall as a career matures and declines. Solid = up to today; dashed = projected.

Season statistics

Bars = where he ranks among central midfielders in the Major League Soccer with 600+ minutes this season.

Shooting

Goals1

Shots on target8

Shots10

Passing

Assists1

Chances created17

Passes377

Pass accuracy81%

Possession

Successful dribbles4

Dribble success23.5%

Duels won29

Duels won %33.3%

Fouls won8

Defending

Tackles8

Interceptions11

Blocks5

Fouls committed19

Yellow/red cards

Yellow cards1

Red cards0

Transfer history

St. Louis CityJan 2026 – nowFree

Colorado Rapidsuntil Jan 2026

Free agentDec 2025 – Jan 2026Free

Colorado RapidsAug 2025 – Dec 2025

Orlando City SCJan 2023 – Aug 2025

CCoritiba(on loan)Aug 2022 – Jan 2023

Cruzeiro(back from loan)Dec 2021 – Aug 2022

PPonte Preta(on loan)May 2021 – Dec 2021

Inter(on loan)Feb 2021 – May 2021

CChapecoense-sc(on loan)Jun 2020 – Feb 2021

CruzeiroJan 2019 – Jun 2020

Cruzeiro(on loan)Jan 2018 – Jan 2019

Mirassoluntil Jan 2018

About Rafael Santos

Rafael Lucas Cardoso dos Santos is a 28-year-old central midfielder who plays for St. Louis City, born on February 5, 1998 in Londrina, standing 180 cm tall. He is from Brazil. St. Louis City currently sit 2nd of 15 in the Major League Soccer.

This season

In the current season, Rafael Santos has made 16 appearances with 1 goal and 1 assist across 1,107 minutes, averaging a 6.69 match rating over his last 10 rated games, with 1 yellow card. Though primarily a central midfielder, he has also lined up in defence this season.

When Rafael Santos plays, St. Louis City's record this season is 6W-5D-5L — and his match ratings average 6.71 at home against 6.59 on the road.

Recent matches

September 13, 2026: 4-2 win at home vs Minnesota United FC (59 minutes, 6.44 rating)
September 10, 2026: 2-2 draw away at Portland Timbers (80 minutes, 6.3 rating)
July 23, 2026: 3-1 win away at Los Angeles Galaxy (28 minutes, 6.2 rating)
July 17, 2026: 3-2 win at home vs Sporting Kansas City (45 minutes, 6.5 rating)
May 23, 2026: 3-0 win at home vs Austin (90 minutes, 7 rating)
May 16, 2026: 1-1 draw away at DC United (78 minutes, 7.3 rating)
May 14, 2026: 2-1 win at home vs Los Angeles FC (80 minutes, 1 goal, 7.3 rating)
April 26, 2026: 2-3 loss at home vs San Jose Earthquakes (13 minutes, 6.7 rating)
April 19, 2026: 1-4 loss away at Seattle Sounders (62 minutes, 6.3 rating)
April 12, 2026: 1-1 draw away at FC Dallas (89 minutes, 6.9 rating)

Rafael Santos's next match is on October 11, 2026, when St. Louis City face Los Angeles Galaxy at home in the Major League Soccer.

Field Insider's view

Field Insider currently rates Rafael Santos at 29.5 with a Season form score of 17, ranking 330th of 491 central midfielders in the Major League Soccer. See the full scout report for strengths, watch-points and the market-value outlook.

His honours include 10 career titles — among them the Serie B and the Catarinense 1. Full list in the career record.

Career

Across 10 recorded seasons, Rafael Santos has totalled 204 club appearances with 10 goals and 12 assists for 9 different clubs. His busiest campaign came in 2023/24, with 37 appearances for Orlando City SC.

Rafael Santos's career has also included time at Colorado Rapids, Orlando City SC, CCoritiba, Cruzeiro, PPonte Preta, Inter, CChapecoense-sc and Mirassol.

Transfer news

No transfer news found for this player.

Profile

Season stats

Performance data · by competition

Career

Scout report

Output in context · St. Louis City finished 2nd of 15 · a title-challenging side

Strengths

Watch points