Cláudio Braga (footballer, born 1999)
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Cláudio Rafael Soares Braga | ||
| Date of birth | 28 October 1999 | ||
| Place of birth | Mafamude, Portugal | ||
| Position(s) | Forward | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Heart of Midlothian | ||
| Number | 10 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| –2011 | CD Candal | ||
| 2011–2013 | Boavista FC | ||
| 2013–2015 | CD Candal | ||
| 2015–2016 | FC Paços de Ferreira | ||
| 2016–2018 | Rio Ave FC | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2018–2019 | Rio Ave FC B | ||
| 2020 | Valadares Gaia Futebol Clube | ||
| 2020 | CD Fátima | ||
| 2020–2021 | SC Ideal | ||
| 2021 | AC Vila Meã | ||
| 2022–2023 | Moss FK | 52 | (21) |
| 2024–2025 | Aalesunds FK | 37 | (12) |
| 2025– | Heart of Midlothian | 3 | (2) |
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 24 August 2025 | |||
Cláudio Rafael Soares Braga (born 28 October 1999) is a Portuguese professional footballer who plays as a forward for Heart of Midlothian.
Career
[edit]Braga started his career with the reserve team of Portuguese side Rio Ave. In 2020, he signed for Portuguese side Valadares Gaia Futebol Clube. The same year, he signed for Portuguese side CD Fátima. During the summer of 2020, he signed for Portuguese side SC Ideal. One year later, he signed for Portuguese side AC Vila Meã.[1]
Ahead of the 2022 season, he signed for Norwegian side Moss FK, where he made fifty-two league appearances and scored twenty-one goals and helped the club achieve promotion from the third tier to the second tier. Following his stint there, he signed for Norwegian side Aalesunds FK in 2024, where he made thirty-seven league appearances and scored twelve goals. Subsequently, he signed for Scottish side Heart of Midlothian in 2025.[2]
Style of play
[edit]Braga plays as a forward and is right-footed. Prior to signing for the club in July 2025, Heart of Midlothian newspaper Hearts Standard described him as a "versatile and multi-faceted forward who can play off the left or through the middle".[3]
Career statistics
[edit]- As of 24 August 2025[4]
| Club | Season | League | Cup | League Cup | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Moss FK | 2022 | 1. divisjon | 24 | 11 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 27 | 13 |
| 2023 | 1. divisjon | 28 | 10 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 31 | 10 | |
| Total | 52 | 21 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 58 | 23 | ||
| Aalesunds FK | 2024 | 1. divisjon | 29 | 9 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 31 | 10 |
| 2025 | 1. divisjon | 8 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 4 | |
| Total | 37 | 12 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 41 | 14 | ||
| Heart of Midlothian | 2025–26 | Scottish Premiership | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 5 |
| Total | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 5 | ||
| Career total | 92 | 35 | 10 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 107 | 42 | ||
References
[edit]- ^ Cláudio Braga at Soccerway
- ^ "Braga expects 'amazing' experience with Hearts". BBC Sport. 16 June 2025. Retrieved 24 June 2025.
- ^ "Hearts eye Portuguese forward and make him top target". Hearts Standard. 8 June 2025. Retrieved 24 June 2025.
- ^ https://int.soccerway.com/players/cl-udio-rafael-soares-braga/624672/