Rafael Elias

Elias's current-season form is up 77% on last season (Season 30→53), while his Rating held around 47. That makes this his strongest season for form to date.

Domestic career

Season	Club	Apps	G	A	Match	RTG	Season
2026/27	Kyoto Sanga	15	6	3	7.21	—	—
2025/26	Kyoto Sanga · 3rd	27	18	4	7.43	47	53
2024/25	Kyoto SangaLoan · 14th	15	11	1	7.51	48	30
2024/25	Cruzeiro · 9th	5	1	0	6.7	58	3
2023/24	Cruzeiro · 14th	12	1	0	6.67	56	5
2022/23	Baniyas SC	16	4	0	—	—	—
2022/23	Ituano	22	10	0	7.01	—	—

Domestic-league totals per season. RTG = Field Insider Rating (potential / ceiling); Season = age-blind form that year. 3 earlier seasons in the full career.

Brazil · international

Side	Apps	G
Brazil U20	3	0

Career caps & goals — tournament breakdown in the full career.

Scout report

Squad depthGoal-getting Centre-forward

Rafael Elias is a 27-year-old centre-forward at Kyoto Sanga, enjoying a standout season — 18 goals and 4 assists in 27 appearances, a Season grade of 53, top 7% of J1 League centre-forwards. On long-term scout potential he's rated 47.3, ranking 66th of 377 in the J1 League. In his prime years, he has been a rotation option (58.4% of available minutes). He brings 0.99 goal contributions per 90 (0.81 goals, 0.18 assists). Below: strengths, watch-points, market-value outlook and the latest transfer news on Elias.

Judged on this season alone, Elias graded 53 — an excellent campaign that ranks top 8% of the 42 centre-forwards in the J1 League, on 18 goals and 4 assists in 27 appearances (0.991 involvements per 90).

Year-on-year, that's a clear step up on last season (Season 30 → 53). Across the 4 seasons we hold, it's his best return yet.

On long-term talent our Rating reads 47, top 20% of the 42 centre-forwards in the J1 League. At 27 Elias is in his prime years, and a market index of 21.6 reflects that trajectory.

From the career report

Read the full career report →

A career still climbing — Elias is at his peak right now, and the curve hasn't flattened.

Peak: 2025/26Trending upBreakout: 2024/25Streaky

Current potentialTop 20% centre-forwards · J1 League Current seasonTop 8% centre-forwards · J1 League3rd-best centre-forward in the J1 League66th in the J1 League · potential8th-highest potential centre-forward in the J1 League

47.3

Ratingi

8th of 42 centre-forwards

52.9

Seasoni

a solid contributor and squad regular

58.4%

Minutes

rotation minutes

0.99

Goal contrib / 90

elite end product

Output in context · Kyoto Sanga finished 3rd of 20 · an upper-table side

Goals

Assists

G+A

0.67

Goals / app

18 goals in 27 appearances (0.67 per game) — a 15-goal haul playing for an upper-table side (3rd of 20). He also laid on 4 assists, so the all-round involvement reads 22 goal contributions (0.81 per appearance).

Strengths

Final-third output. 0.99 goal contributions per 90 (0.81 goals, 0.18 assists) — productive for the role.

Watch points

Game time. Only 58.4% of available minutes — needs a settled run to prove the level.

Outlook

With a Rating of 47.3, Elias carries the 8th-highest potential of the centre-forwards in the J1 League (top 20%). In the final third he profiles as a genuine goal threat (0.99 goal contributions per 90). In the prime window — at or near peak market value, so the next two seasons are the ones to cash in or build around.

Generated from Field Insider's rating model · AI-written analysis to follow.

Per 90 & availability

Minutes played %58.4%

Available fixtures38 of 38

Goals / 900.811

Assists / 900.18

Goal contribution / 900.991

Defensive actions / 901.442

Player flow

Goal involvements22

Shot conversion %51.4

Shot accuracy %55.6

Dribble success %42.5

Cards / 900.225

Foul involvement / 904.642

Season-by-season progression

Rating (potential)Season (form)

Value & potential by age

Market valueRating

Solid = now · dashed = projected

The gold line is market value — an index (not €) blending rating, age and league. It climbs through the early 20s, peaks around ages 23–27 (~22), then tapers with age. At 27, Elias sits on 21.6, at or near its peak. The blue line is Elias's projected Rating — 47.3 today — recomputed at each age, so it follows the same rise-and-fall as a career matures and declines. Solid = up to today; dashed = projected.

Season statistics

Bars = where he ranks among centre-forwards in the J1 League with 600+ minutes this season.

Shooting

Goals18

Shots on target35

Shots63

Passing

Assists4

Possession

Successful dribbles17

Dribble success42.5%

Fouls won31

Defending

Tackles21

Interceptions7

Blocks4

Fouls committed72

Yellow/red cards

Yellow cards5

Red cards0

Transfer history

Cruzeiro(back from loan)2024/25 – now

Kyoto Sanga(on loan)2024/25 – 2024/25

Cruzeiro2023/24 – 2024/25Free

Palmeirasuntil 2023/24

Baniyas SC2022/23 – 2023/24

Ituano(on loan)2021/22 – 2022/23

Cuiaba(on loan)2020/21 – 2021/22

Goias(on loan)2019/20 – 2020/21

Atletico-MG(on loan)2018/19 – 2019/20

Palmeirasuntil 2018/19

About Rafael Elias

Rafael Elias da Silva Bataglia is a 27-year-old centre-forward who plays for Kyoto Sanga, born on April 12, 1999 in São Paulo, standing 177 cm tall. He is from Brazil. Kyoto Sanga currently sit 3rd of 20 in the J1 League.

This season

In the current season, Rafael Elias has made 27 appearances with 18 goals and 4 assists across 1,997 minutes, averaging a 7.61 match rating over his last 10 rated games, with 5 yellow cards. His season has spanned the J1 League and the J-League Cup.

When Rafael Elias plays, Kyoto Sanga's record this season is 14W-6D-7L — and his match ratings average 7.32 at home against 7.51 on the road.

Recent matches

December 6, 2025: 2-0 win at home vs Vissel Kobe (89 minutes, 1 goal, 8.3 rating)
November 30, 2025: 1-0 win away at Yokohama FC (90 minutes, 1 goal, 7.2 rating)
November 9, 2025: 0-3 loss at home vs Yokohama F. Marinos (26 minutes, 6.6 rating)
September 28, 2025: 2-1 win away at Cerezo Osaka (25 minutes, 6.7 rating)
September 23, 2025: 1-1 draw at home vs Machida Zelvia (90 minutes, 6.3 rating)
September 12, 2025: 1-1 draw away at Sanfrecce Hiroshima (90 minutes, 1 goal, 7.3 rating)
August 30, 2025: 5-0 win at home vs Fagiano Okayama (77 minutes, 2 goals, 8.5 rating)
August 24, 2025: 4-0 win away at FC Tokyo (84 minutes, 3 goals, 9.9 rating)
August 16, 2025: 1-0 win at home vs Tokyo Verdy (79 minutes, 1 goal, 8 rating)
August 10, 2025: 2-1 win away at Nagoya Grampus (89 minutes, 1 goal, 7.3 rating)

Field Insider's view

Field Insider currently rates Rafael Elias at 47.3 with a Season form score of 52.9, ranking 66th of 377 centre-forwards in the J1 League. See the full scout report for strengths, watch-points and the market-value outlook.

His honours include 4 career titles — among them the Copa do Brasil and the Serie A. Full list in the career record.

Career

Across 8 recorded seasons, Rafael Elias has totalled 143 club appearances with 54 goals and 8 assists for 8 different clubs. His busiest campaign came in 2025/26, with 27 appearances for Kyoto Sanga.

Rafael Elias's career has also included time at Cruzeiro, Palmeiras, Baniyas SC, Ituano, Cuiaba, Goias and Atletico-MG.

On the international stage, Rafael Elias has represented Brazil U20 — 3 caps in our records.

Transfer news

No transfer news found for this player.

Profile

Season stats

Performance data · by competition

Career

Scout report

Output in context · Kyoto Sanga finished 3rd of 20 · an upper-table side

Strengths

Watch points