Q&A: Fabio & Rafael

After bursting onto the first-team scene last season, the 19-year-old da Silva twins are ready to challenge for United's full-back spots for the forseeable future...

Can you believe how far you’ve come in the last 12 months?
Rafael: It’s been fantastic to be involved with the first team and I think we both developed our games a lot last season. Our first six months at the club were very difficult because we weren’t able to play any matches [United had to wait for international clearance on the pair’s transfer from Brazil]...
Fabio: But when pre-season started last year we began to get the feeling that we might be involved with the first team which was very exciting. I didn’t have as good a season as I would have liked because of my [shoulder] injury, but this season has gone well so far and I feel like I’m developing very quickly.

Rafael, you played 28 games last season and picked up league and Club World Cup winners’ medals. That must have been a big thrill…
Rafael: It was fantastic. We were very close to winning the Champions League, of course, as well, and even though I missed the Carling Cup final through injury, I still feel like a champion because I played in every other game in the competition. I hope I can play my part in helping the team win even more trophies this season.

Fabio, having seen your brother do so well, did you feel any extra pressure when you made your first team debut in January?
Fabio: I didn’t feel extra pressure, but I knew I had to perform to my best. I was really happy that my brother had done so well and played some great football, and I wanted to be able to do the same. Seeing him do so well spurred me on and I was just pleased to eventually get my chance because being injured had been so frustrating.

Ironically, Rafael, you’ve had the same injury this season…
Rafael: [Smiles and shakes his head] Yes, as Fabio says it’s hard when you can’t play [because of injury]. He’s actually been playing at right-back so it looks like we’ll be competing for the same position when I’m fit again! [both laugh]
Fabio: Obviously we both want to play and it’s a little strange to be competing for the same position, but it also gives us a lot of pleasure to be challenging for a place in the team.

Did you always want to be footballers?
Rafael: Yes, since the age of four that’s all we dreamt of. Whenever I used to blow the candles out on my birthday cake my wish was always to become a footballer. We loved playing the game and, as youngsters, we were very strong runners. A guy called Zezinho, who was a coach of a local team, saw us and thought we both had potential.
Fabio: It was always our ambition to become as good a player as Roberto Carlos – he was our hero. He and Cafu are the best full-backs there have ever been. We watched a lot of football when we younger – we supported Botafogo, but we always used to be Manchester United whenever we played football games on the computer.

Fabio, you’ve shown your eye for goal in the Reserves and Rafael, few can forget your spectacular first strike for the Reds against Arsenal…
Rafael: When the ball went in, I didn’t really feel much because I was only interested in helping us get another goal to draw level. I couldn’t get my head round the fact I’d just scored against Arsenal! But afterwards a lot of people asked me about it and although I was disappointed we’d lost the game, I was delighted to have scored a great goal.
Fabio: I was watching the game at home on TV with my family and we were all jumping up and down when he scored, and my mum started crying because she was so happy. It’s always a great feeling to score – I’ve been happy to get a few goals for the Reserves and hopefully I can score some for the first team.

Describe each other as a player…[Both pause and look at each other grinning]
Fabio: I’ll go first! He’s very aggressive, determined and he never gives up on anything. He always looks to do his best and help the team win at all costs.
Rafael: Despite the fact he plays mainly on the left wing, he has a good eye for goal. He’s aggressive as well and has very good technical ability.

Finally, what are your personal ambitions for this season?
Rafael: Just to help the team do well and play as many games as possible.
Fabio: We’re still young and are just trying to do the best we can. We have a great squad with some good young players and lots of experience. The young lads are always pushing the older ones and hopefully we’ll continue to get more chances.