Rayan (footballer, born 2006)

In this Portuguese name, the first or maternal family name is Simplício and the second or paternal family name is Rocha.
Rayan
Rayan with Bournemouth in 2026
Personal information
Full name Rayan Vitor Simplício Rocha[1]
Date of birth (2006-08-03) 3 August 2006
Place of birth Rio de Janeiro, Brazil[2]
Height 1.87 m (6 ft 2 in)[3]
Position(s)
Team information
Current team
 Bournemouth
Number 37
Youth career
2012–2023 Vasco da Gama
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2023–2026 Vasco da Gama 74 (19)
2026– Bournemouth 7 (2)
International career‡
2023 Brazil U17 14 (8)
2024– Brazil U20 11 (2)
Medal record
Men's football
Representing  Brazil
South American U-20 Championship
Winner 2025 Venezuela
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 23:17, 14 March 2026 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals as of 00:14, 15 December 2025 (UTC)

Rayan Vitor Simplício Rocha (born 3 August 2006), known simply as Rayan, is a Brazilian professional footballer who plays as a right midfielder or forward for Premier League club Bournemouth and the Brazil national team.

Club career

Vasco da Gama

Born in Rio de Janeiro, Rayan joined Vasco da Gama at the age of six.[4][5] He established a name for himself as a prolific goal-scorer, scoring 280 goals by the age of eleven.[6] He continued this form into Vasco's under-17 team, scoring 29 goals in 34 games in 2022, catching the eye of Spanish side Barcelona.[7][8]

In 2023, Rayan made his professional debut at age 16, becoming the youngest player to play for Vasco da Gama's professional team in the 21st century.[9] He came on as a substitute in the second half of the 1–1 draw against Audax in the Campeonato Carioca.[10] In the Campeonato Brasileiro Série A, he scored his first goal for the professional team in a 2–1 defeat against Internacional at Estádio Beira-Rio.[11] In 2025, Rayan gained more playing time in the starting lineup with the arrival of coach Fernando Diniz.[12][13] He helped Vasco reach the final of the Copa do Brasil, scoring one goal and initiating the play that led to the other goal in the semi-finals against rivals Fluminense.[14] Rayan finished the season receiving the Best Newcomer Award for the 2025 Campeonato Brasileiro Série A,[15] and was named to the Team of the Year in the 2025 Copa do Brasil.[16]

On 12 December 2025, Rayan signed a new contract with Vasco da Gama until December 2028.[17]

Bournemouth

On 27 January 2026, Rayan signed for Premier League club Bournemouth until June 2031.[18] The transfer was reported to be worth £24.7 million, including £5.6m in potential add-ons.[19] He made his debut as a substitute in an 2–0 away win at Wolverhampton Wanderers on 31 January, assisting Alex Scott for Bournemouth's second goal.[20] He made his first start for the club the following week on 7 February, where he scored the equalising goal against Aston Villa in a 1–1 home draw.[21] His second goal came in the next match on 10 February, scoring a headed goal to help secure a 2–1 away win against Everton.[22] Hence, he became the third teenager in Premier League history to register a goal or assist in each of his first three appearances, following Robbie Keane in 1999 and Anthony Martial in 2015.[23]

International career

Rayan was called up to the Brazil under-17 squad for friendlies against Chile and Paraguay in 2022; he scored twice in four games.[5]

On 16 March 2026, Rayan earned his first call-up to the Brazil national team for friendlies against France and Croatia.[24]

Personal life

Rayan's father, Valkmar, also played for Vasco da Gama, representing the club as a defender between 1995 and 2000.[6]

Career statistics

Club

As of match played 14 March 2026[25]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League State league[a] National cup[b] Continental Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Vasco da Gama 2023 Série A 6 1 2 0 0 0 — 8 1
2024 Série A 24 1 4 1 5 0 — 33 2
2025 Série A 34 14 3 0 12 5 8[c] 1 57 20
2026 Série A — 1 2 — — 1 2
Total 64 16 10 3 17 5 8 1 99 25
Bournemouth 2025–26 Premier League 7 2 — — — 7 2
Career total 71 18 10 3 17 5 8 1 106 27
  1. ^ Includes Campeonato Carioca
  2. ^ Includes Copa do Brasil
  3. ^ Appearances in Copa Sudamericana

Honours

Brazil U20

Individual

References

  1. ^ Rayan at WorldFootball.net
  2. ^ "Rayan". vasco.com.br (in Portuguese). Retrieved 16 December 2022.
  3. ^ "Rayan: Overview". Premier League. Retrieved 31 January 2026.
  4. ^ "Rayan, atacante do Sub-11 do Vasco, chama atenção no São Januário" [Rayan, Vasco Under-11 striker, draws attention at São Januário]. dabase.com.br (in Portuguese). 18 April 2017. Retrieved 16 December 2022.
  5. ^ a b Ribeiro, Emanuelle (14 November 2022). "Prestes a assinar primeiro contrato com o Vasco, Rayan foi o destaque da base em 2022" [About to sign his first contract with Vasco, Rayan was the highlight of the base in 2022]. ge.globo.com (in Portuguese). Retrieved 16 December 2022.
  6. ^ a b Schmidt, Felipe; Magliano, Leonardo (29 September 2017). "Filho de Valkmar coleciona gols no Vasco e é promessa de artilheiro" [Son of Valkmar collects goals at Vasco and is a promise of top scorer]. ge.globo.com (in Portuguese). Retrieved 16 December 2022.
  7. ^ Silva, Felipe (11 November 2022). "Rayan impressiona, mas Vasco adota cautela com utilização da promessa" [Rayan impresses, but Vasco is cautious with using the promise]. esport.ig.com.br (in Portuguese). Retrieved 16 December 2022.
  8. ^ Piera, Joaquim (19 May 2022). "Rayan, la apuesta de Deco para la cantera del Barça" [Rayan, Deco's bet for the Barça youth system]. sport.es (in Spanish). Retrieved 16 December 2022.,
  9. ^ "Rayan se torna o mais novo a atuar pelo Vasco no século 21". ge (in Brazilian Portuguese). 19 January 2023. Retrieved 19 February 2026.
  10. ^ "Vasco termina empate contra o Audax com 19,8 anos de média de idade em campo". ge (in Brazilian Portuguese). 20 January 2023. Retrieved 19 February 2026.
  11. ^ "Internacional 2 x 1 Vasco | Campeonato Brasileiro: melhores momentos". ge (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved 19 February 2026.
  12. ^ "Rayan vive reviravolta no Vasco com Fernando Diniz". Terra (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved 19 February 2026.
  13. ^ Marques, Rafael (13 August 2025). "Da aproximação do Palmeiras à exigência do Vasco: como futuro de Rayan agita bastidores". ESPN.com (in Portuguese). Retrieved 19 February 2026.
  14. ^ "Vasco vence Fluminense de virada pela Copa do Brasil - Confederação Brasileira de Futebol". www.cbf.com.br (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved 19 February 2026.
  15. ^ "Rayan, do Vasco, é eleito a revelação do Brasileirão 2025". ge (in Brazilian Portuguese). 8 December 2025. Retrieved 19 February 2026.
  16. ^ "CBF define seleção da Copa do Brasil com oito do Corinthians e dois do Vasco; veja os nomes". ESPN.com (in Portuguese). 23 December 2025. Retrieved 19 February 2026.
  17. ^ "Vasco acerta a extensão de contrato do atacante Rayan até dezembro de 2028" [Vasco completes contract extension of forward Rayan until December 2028] (in Portuguese). Vasco da Gama. 12 December 2025. Retrieved 15 December 2025.
  18. ^ AFCB (27 January 2026). "Exciting Brazilian prospect Rayan signs for the Cherries". AFC Bournemouth club website. Retrieved 27 January 2026.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  19. ^ "Bournemouth sign Brazilian teenager Rayan for £24.7m". BBC Sport. 27 January 2026. Retrieved 27 January 2026.
  20. ^ "Debutant Rayan helps Bournemouth complete back-to-back victories". Premier League. 31 January 2026.
  21. ^ "Rayan scores on home debut as Bournemouth dent Villa's title hopes". Premier League. 7 February 2026.
  22. ^ "Bournemouth come from behind to beat Everton". OneFootball. 10 February 2026.
  23. ^ Brotherton, Alex (10 February 2026). "Everton 1–2 AFC Bournemouth". BBC Sport.
  24. ^ "Brazil: Brentford's Igor Thiago and Bournemouth's Rayan receive first call-ups". BBC Sport. 16 March 2026. Retrieved 17 March 2026.
  25. ^ Rayan at Soccerway
  26. ^ "Top Copa do Brasil 2025 goalscorers". BeSoccer. Retrieved 13 August 2025.
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