Rafael Czichos
Czichos with 1. FC Köln in 2018
Personal information
Date of birth (1990-05-14) 14 May 1990 (age 33)[1]
Place of birth Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
Height 1.87 m (6 ft 2 in)[1]
Position(s) Centre-back
Team information
Current team
 Chicago Fire
Number 5
Youth career
FSV Verden 04
0000–2008 TSV Ottersberg
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2008–2010 TSV Ottersberg 62 (15)
2010–2012 VfL Wolfsburg II 23 (1)
2012–2015 Rot-Weiss Erfurt 99 (9)
2015–2018 Holstein Kiel 99 (12)
2018–2022 1. FC Köln 103 (4)
2022– Chicago Fire 58 (5)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 20 November 2023 (UTC)

Rafael Czichos (born 14 May 1990) is a German professional footballer who plays as a centre-back for Major League Soccer club Chicago Fire.

Career

Born in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia while his father worked there,[2] Czichos began his career at TSV Ottersberg and joined VfL Wolfsburg II in 2010. In 2012, he signed with then 3. Liga side Rot-Weiss Erfurt. After signing with Holstein Kiel, Czichos first played in the 2. Bundesliga when the team won promotion in 2017.[3]

However, Kiel failed to win promotion after the 2017–18 season and he was sold to newly relegated side 1. FC Köln for a fee of €1.8 million.[4] He made his debut, including his first goal, for the club in a 2–0 victory against VfL Bochum on 4 August 2018.[5] Having been an undisputed starter in the first half of the 2021–22 season, he left 1. FC Köln in January 2022, with half a year left on his contract. kicker described the move as "surprising".[6]

On 2 January 2022, Czichos transferred to Major League Soccer club Chicago Fire on a three-year contract.[7][8]

Personal life

In a July 2018 interview Czichos revealed he was a life-long fan of Werder Bremen.[9]

References

  1. ^ a b "Rafael Czichos". Chicago Fire FC. Retrieved 22 August 2022.
  2. ^ "Rafael Czichos: Erste Schritte in Saudi-Arabien". WAZ Online (in German). 29 June 2010. Retrieved 18 July 2018.
  3. ^ "Rafael Czichos". kicker.de (in German). Retrieved 1 July 2018.
  4. ^ ""Herausragender" Czichos unterschreibt für vier Jahre in Köln". kicker Online (in German). 7 June 2018. Retrieved 18 July 2018.
  5. ^ "Der selbsterklärte Dominator in der falschen Liga". Süddeutsche.de (in German). Retrieved 5 August 2018.
  6. ^ "Überraschender Abgang: Czichos verlässt den 1. FC Köln". kicker (in German). 2 January 2022. Retrieved 2 January 2022.
  7. ^ "Chicago Fire FC Acquire Defender Rafael Czichos from FC Köln". Chicago Fire FC. 2 January 2022. Retrieved 2 January 2022.
  8. ^ "Chicago Fire FC sign defender Rafael Czichos from German Bundesliga". mlssoccer. Retrieved 2 January 2022.
  9. ^ "Interview: FC- Neuzugang Rafael "Rafa" Czichos über seine ungewöhnlich Karriere". Kölnische Rundschau (in German). 5 July 2018. Retrieved 18 July 2018.

External links


Chicago Fire FC – current squad
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