Rafael Profini

Rafael Profini
Personal information
Date of birth (2003-09-09) 9 September 2003
Place of birth San José de la Esquina, Santa Fe Province, Argentina
Height 1.84 m (6 ft 0 in)
Position Defensive midfielder
Team information
Current team
 Kharkiv
Number 6
Youth career
2015–2016 Centenario MSDyB
Newell's Old Boys
–2020 Belgrano San José de la Esquina
2020–2023 Unión de Santa Fe
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2023–2026 Unión de Santa Fe 37 (1)
2026– Kharkiv 0 (0)
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 30 June 2026

Rafael Profini (born 9 September 2003) is an Argentine professional footballer who plays as a defensive midfielder or central defender for Ukrainian Premier League club Kharkiv.[1]

Early life

Born in San José de la Esquina in the Santa Fe Province, Argentina, Profini began playing youth football locally with Centenario MSDyB.[2] He had a brief stint in the youth academy of Newell's Old Boys before returning to his hometown to join Belgrano.[3]

In 2020, after successfully passing a trial, he joined the youth system of Unión de Santa Fe.

Career

Unión de Santa Fe

By 2023, Profini began playing for Unión de Santa Fe's reserve team. Within six months, manager Kily González promoted him to first-team training. Although he did not play official first-team minutes in late 2023, he frequently made the substitutes' bench and started in the match where Unión's squad won the regional Copa Santa Fe.[4] On 29 December 2023, he signed his first professional contract with the club.[5]

Profini made his official professional debut during the 2024 season, appearing in a 1–0 home victory over Atlético Tucumán.[6] In early 2025, he was converted from a central defender into a defensive midfielder by manager Kily González. He excelled in this new role, consolidating himself as a key starter. Over his entire tenure with the senior squad, he made 60 total appearances across all competitions, scoring one goal.[7]

Kharkiv

On 30 June 2026, Ukrainian Premier League club Kharkiv announced the permanent signing of Profini on a three-year contract.[8] The transfer fee was reported to be approximately €3 million.[8] Upon his arrival, he was assigned the number 6 shirt and became the first Argentine player in the club's history.[8]

Honours

Unión de Santa Fe

  • Copa Santa Fe: 2023[4]

References

  1. ↑ "Rafael Profini Profile". fckharkiv.com (in Ukrainian). FC Kharkiv. Retrieved 3 July 2026.
  2. ↑ "Rafael Profini vistió los colores de nuestro club en inferiores" [Rafael Profini wore the colors of our club in youth divisions]. facebook.com (in Spanish). Club Atlético El Centenario. 2 January 2024. Retrieved 3 July 2026.
  3. ↑ "Hoy es el cumple de Rafael Profini, jugador de quinta división" [Today is the birthday of Rafael Profini, fifth division player]. facebook.com (in Spanish). Club Atlético Belgrano de San José de la Esquina. 9 September 2019. Retrieved 3 July 2026.
  4. 1 2 "Unión superó a Rosario Central y es el campeón de la Copa Santa Fe" [Unión defeated Rosario Central and is the champion of the Copa Santa Fe]. unosantafe.com.ar (in Spanish). UNO Santa Fe. 30 November 2023. Retrieved 3 July 2026.
  5. ↑ "Rafael Profini firmó su primer contrato profesional en Unión". Santa Fe Deportivo (in Spanish).
  6. ↑ "El "pelotero" tatengue con Dómina, Verde y Profini" [The Tatengue "youth academy" with Dómina, Verde, and Profini]. ellitoral.com (in Spanish). El Litoral. 9 November 2024. Retrieved 3 July 2026.
  7. ↑ "Riestra presentó al "Rayo" y el martes viaja Profini a Europa". El Litoral (in Spanish).
  8. 1 2 3 "Рафаель Профіні — гравець футбольного клубу «Харків»" [Rafael Profini is a player of the football club "Kharkiv"]. fckharkiv.com (in Ukrainian). FC Kharkiv. 30 June 2026. Retrieved 3 July 2026.
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