| Xeka | |
| Full Name: | Miguel Ângelo da Silva Rocha[1] |
| Birth Date: | 10 November 1994 |
| Birth Place: | Rebordosa, Portugal |
| Height: | 1.86 m[2] |
| Position: | Midfielder |
| Youthyears1: | 2003–2007 |
| Youthyears2: | 2007–2011 |
| Youthclubs2: | Gondomar |
| Youthyears3: | 2011–2012 |
| Youthclubs3: | Valencia |
| Youthyears4: | 2012–2013 |
| Youthclubs4: | Paços Ferreira |
| Years1: | 2013–2017 |
| Caps1: | 28 |
| Goals1: | 2 |
| Years2: | 2014–2016 |
| Clubs2: | → Covilhã (loan) |
| Caps2: | 39 |
| Goals2: | 0 |
| Years3: | 2016–2017 |
| Caps3: | 11 |
| Goals3: | 0 |
| Years4: | 2017 |
| Clubs4: | → Lille (loan) |
| Caps4: | 13 |
| Goals4: | 1 |
| Years5: | 2017–2022 |
| Caps5: | 101 |
| Goals5: | 6 |
| Years6: | 2017–2018 |
| Clubs6: | → Dijon (loan) |
| Caps6: | 17 |
| Goals6: | 2 |
| Years7: | 2019 |
| Caps7: | 1 |
| Goals7: | 0 |
| Years8: | 2022–2023 |
| Caps8: | 8 |
| Goals8: | 0 |
| Years9: | 2024 |
| Caps9: | 0 |
| Goals9: | 0 |
| Nationalyears1: | 2014 |
| Nationalcaps1: | 1 |
| Nationalgoals1: | 0 |
| Club-Update: | 11:16, 17 January 2023 (UTC) |
Miguel Ângelo da Silva Rocha (born 10 November 1994), known as Xeka (pronounced as /pt/), is a Portuguese professional footballer who plays as a midfielder.
Formed at Braga, he spent most of his career in France, playing for Lille, Dijon and Rennes in Ligue 1 and winning the league with the first of those teams in 2020–21 while making 144 total appearances.
Born in Rebordosa, Paredes,[3] Xeka received his nickname from his grandfather for being the youngest of his siblings, just like him.[4] He played youth football with three clubs, including Valencia CF from Spain until the age of 17.[5] Having returned to his homeland, he started playing as a senior with S.C. Braga's reserves in the Segunda Liga, being then loaned for two years to S.C. Covilhã of the same league.[6] On 23 September 2013, whilst at the service of the former side, he scored his first goal in competition, but in a 1–3 home loss against S.L. Benfica B.[7]
Xeka started being called to Braga's first team in October 2016, by manager José Peseiro.[8] He made his debut in the Primeira Liga late in that month, featuring the full 90 minutes in a 1–0 home win over G.D. Chaves.[9] His fortunes changed, however, when Jorge Simão became the new coach before the end of the year.[10]
On 31 January 2017, Xeka was loaned to Lille OSC from Ligue 1 until June.[11] He made his debut four days later as a starter in a 1–0 home loss to FC Lorient.[12] He made 13 appearances for the 12th-place team and scored in a 3–0 win at Montpellier HSC on 29 April, assisted by compatriot Rony Lopes.[13]
In June 2017, Lille exercised the €5 million buyout clause to make Xeka's move permanent.[14] In the last hours of the summer transfer window, he joined Dijon FCO in the same league in a season-long loan.[15] He became a regular under Christophe Galtier at the Stade Pierre-Mauroy the following year, but suffered a thigh injury in a 5–1 home victory over Paris Saint-Germain F.C. on 14 April 2019, ruling him out until September.[16]
Xeka contributed 33 matches and one goal during the 2020–21 campaign to help Lille win the national championship for the fourth time in their history.[17] On 1 August 2021, he scored in the 1–0 defeat of PSG in the Trophée des Champions, with the club winning that trophy for the first time ever.[18]
On 20 May 2022, Xeka was released at the end of his contract.[19]
On 21 September 2022, Xeka agreed to a two-year deal at Stade Rennais F.C. also of the French top tier.[20] He made his debut on 9 October, starting in a 3–0 home win over Derby Breton rivals FC Nantes.[21] In January, he had ankle surgery.[22]
Xeka left Roazhon Park by mutual consent on 10 August 2023, with only nine matches to his name.[23]
On 1 May 2024, Al Sadd SC of the Qatar Stars League signed Xeka as a replacement for the injured Guilherme Torres.[24]
Xeka earned one cap for Portugal at under-20 level on 5 February 2014, in a 2–0 friendly win over Slovakia under-21 in Marinha Grande. He played the final ten minutes as a substitute for Tomás Podstawski.[25]
| Club | Season | League | National cup | League cup | Europe | Other | Total | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | |||
| Braga B | 2013–14 | Liga Portugal 2 | 17 | 1 | — | — | — | — | 17 | 1 | |||||
| 2016–17 | Liga Portugal 2 | 11 | 1 | — | — | — | — | 11 | 1 | ||||||
| Total | 28 | 2 | — | — | — | — | 28 | 2 | |||||||
| Covilhã (loan) | 2014–15 | Liga Portugal 2 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 7 | 0 | |||
| 2015–16 | Liga Portugal 2 | 34 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 34 | 0 | ||||
| Total | 39 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 41 | 0 | |||||
| Braga | 2016–17 | Primeira Liga | 11 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 0 | — | — | 18 | 0 | |||
| Lille (loan) | 2016–17 | Ligue 1 | 13 | 1 | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | 15 | 1 | ||||
| Lille | 2017–18 | Ligue 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 1 | 0 | ||
| 2018–19 | Ligue 1 | 27 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 30 | 2 | |||
| 2019–20 | Ligue 1 | 17 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0 | — | 25 | 0 | |||
| 2020–21 | Ligue 1 | 33 | 1 | 3 | 1 | — | 6 | 0 | — | 42 | 2 | ||||
| 2021–22 | Ligue 1 | 23 | 3 | 0 | 0 | — | 7 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 31 | 4 | |||
| Total | 114 | 7 | 10 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 16 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 144 | 9 | |||
| Dijon (loan) | 2017–18 | Ligue 1 | 17 | 2 | — | — | — | — | 17 | 2 | |||||
| Lille II | 2019–20 | CFA 2 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 1 | 0 | |||||
| Rennes | 2022–23 | Ligue 1 | 8 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 9 | 0 | ||||
| Career total | 218 | 11 | 14 | 1 | 8 | 0 | 16 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 257 | 13 | |||
Lille