Towards the end of last season, Jonas Eidevall must have received some bad news when he was told his dependable defender Rafaelle Souza was leaving. In a press conference after news broke that the Brazilian was leaving, he admitted how sad that exit made him feel and how worthy she was in the team that her memories would be cherished even after just a year together.
The Arsenal boss said, “She’s sad for it; we’re sad for it, but I really cherished the memories we had with her. I want to thank her for all the contributions she made to the club, and I hope she can have a really strong performance tomorrow and we can have a really nice sending off.”
More than a month later, Rafaelle has found herself a new home and adventure in the NWSL as she has inked a deal with Orlando Pride. Having already been in Orlando (she left them back in 2014), it wasn’t surprising to see her rejoin them. But even so, she’s not back to warm the benches there; she’s back there to help the club fight for the NWSL title, as she claims, “Anyone dreams of living in a city like Orlando and playing in a league as strong as the NWSL.
“With my experience of having played in other leagues and other countries, for everything I’ve experienced in soccer, I think I can add a lot to the team.
“I dedicate myself a lot, and I think fans will see that, my dedication every day and in every game. I really hope and want to help the team a lot, be with the girls and join the group, and adapt as soon as possible.
“My main goal now is to help the team qualify for the play-offs. Orlando deserves it for all the investment it has made and for all of their support for women’s soccer.”
At Orlando, Rafaelle will link up with her Brazilian compatriots, Marta and Adriana. The hope is that she gets to thrive there. Gooners will miss her and may feel she is irreplaceable, but hopefully Amanda Ilestedt, who joins on a free transfer from PSG, can capably replace her.
Good luck Rafaelle, at least you won one trophy with the Gooner Women…
Michelle Maxwell
Follow Michelle on Just Gooner Women on Twitter for regular updates on the Arsenal Womens Team!
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