As Jamshedpur FC get ready to take on Hyderabad FC on Saturday, they will surely hope that one of their midfield kingpins is fit enough to play the 90 minutes. 

Rafael Crivellaro has transformed the midfield for the Men of Steel since joining just a couple of months ago, and the results are there for all to see. 

JFC have started controlling games in possession much more since the Brazilian came aboard, using fellow new signing Pronay Halder to form a defensive cover and move up the pitch. 

Crivellaro’s passing accuracy has helped create more chances for the strikers, leading to a better goal output for the team. 

The 33-year-old joined Jamshedpur from Chennaiyin FC, where he featured 27 times and scored 8 goals and grabbed 9 assists. It is that sort of form that pushed Jamshedpur FC to sign him despite an injury-prone past, and the results have been encouraging. 

His quality has always been there. From tearing it up on the streets of Porto Alegre in Brazil, to playing at top leagues across Europe, Rafa has been consistent wherever he has been, and seems to be enjoying life in India. 

The midfielder really started to make waves in his career at Portuguese side Vitoria Guimaraes, featuring for their senior and B teams and winning the Taca de Portugal trophy in the 2012-13 campaign. 

Following spells in the UAE, Poland and even Iran, a 2019 move to Chennaiyin is where Crivellaro really found his feet. Over the last few years, he has become one of the go-to senior players in the league and continues to be a terrific presence in the dressing room. 

A lot of young players seem to be learning from the Brazilian’s experience, and with good buddy Eli Sabiá also around, we’re seeing a camaraderie come together like never before. 

There is plenty more to come from Crivellaro, and Jamshedpur fans will hope that he is around for a while to come.