Born: 17/05/1993• Rafa Silva started out at the same club as Ricardo Carvalho, Maniche, Deco and Mantorras – Alverca. Raised in Barreiro, on the south bank of the River Tagus, he spent seven years at the club before switching to Feirense.• His coach at Feirense, Quim Machado, remains amazed that Benfica, Porto and Sporting CP never spotted Rafa's "natural talent", noting: "I'm not surprised at how well he has done, but what I do find strange is the fact that none of the big three got to him before Braga."• Sporting may have come to regret letting him go as a child. After trials at the club's academy, the player was sent away with club official...