Rayan (footballer, born 2006)

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 3 (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 21:58, 10 February 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.

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] Rayan completed his second season as a professional at Vasco. In total, he played 41 matches, 16 of them as a starter, and scored three goals.[9] On 12 December 2025, Rayan signed a new contract with Vasco da Gama until December 2028.[10]

Bournemouth

On 27 January 2026, Rayan signed for Premier League club Bournemouth until June 2031.[11] The transfer was reported to be worth £24.7 million, including £5.6m in potential add-ons.[12] 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.[13] 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.[14] 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.[15] 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.[16]

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]

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 10 February 2026[17]
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 3 2 3 2
Career total 67 18 10 3 17 5 8 1 102 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, do Vasco, comenta propostas e despista sobre interesse da Fiorentina". 18 December 2024.
  10. ^ "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.
  11. ^ 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)
  12. ^ "Bournemouth sign Brazilian teenager Rayan for £24.7m". BBC Sport. 27 January 2026. Retrieved 27 January 2026.
  13. ^ "Debutant Rayan helps Bournemouth complete back-to-back victories". Premier League. 31 January 2026.
  14. ^ "Rayan scores on home debut as Bournemouth dent Villa's title hopes". Premier League. 7 February 2026.
  15. ^ "Bournemouth come from behind to beat Everton". OneFootball. 10 February 2026.
  16. ^ Brotherton, Alex (10 February 2026). "Everton 1–2 AFC Bournemouth". BBC Sport.
  17. ^ Rayan at Soccerway
  18. ^ "Top Copa do Brasil 2025 goalscorers". BeSoccer. Retrieved 13 August 2025.