Xeka

	Xeka playing for Lille in 2021
Personal information
Full name	Miguel Ângelo da Silva Rocha
Date of birth	10 November 1994 (age 30)
Place of birth	Rebordosa, Portugal
Height	1.85 m (6 ft 1 in)
Position(s)	Midfielder
Team information
Current team	Estoril
Number	88
Youth career
2003–2007	Paços Ferreira
2007–2011	Gondomar
2011–2012	Valencia
2012–2013	Paços Ferreira
Senior career*
Years	Team
2013–2017	Braga B
2014–2016	→ Covilhã (loan)
2016–2017	Braga
2017	→ Lille (loan)
2017–2022	Lille
2017–2018	→ Dijon (loan)
2019	Lille II
2022–2023	Rennes
2024	Al Sadd
2024–	Estoril
International career
2014	Portugal U20
	* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 00:44, 6 April 2025 (UTC)
	Show more

Miguel Ângelo da Silva Rocha (born 10 November 1994), known as Xeka (Portuguese pronunciation: [ˈʃɛkɐ]), is a Portuguese professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Primeira Liga club Estoril.

Brought up 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.

Club career

Braga

Born in Rebordosa, Paredes,^[2] Xeka received his nickname from his grandfather for being the youngest of his siblings, just like him.^[3] He played youth football with three clubs, including Valencia CF from Spain until the age of 17.^[4] 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.^[5] 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.^[6]

Xeka started being called to Braga's first team in October 2016, by manager José Peseiro.^[7] He made his debut in the Primeira Liga later that month, featuring the full 90 minutes in a 1–0 home win over G.D. Chaves.^[8] His fortunes changed, however, when Jorge Simão became the new coach before the end of the year.^[9]

Lille

On 31 January 2017, Xeka was loaned to Lille OSC from Ligue 1 until June.^[10] He made his debut four days later as a starter in a 1–0 home loss to FC Lorient.^[11] 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.^[12]

In June 2017, Lille exercised the €5 million buyout clause to make Xeka's move permanent.^[13] In the last hours of the summer transfer window, he joined Dijon FCO in the same league in a season-long loan.^[14] 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 FC on 14 April 2019, ruling him out until September.^[15]

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.^[16] 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.^[17]

On 20 May 2022, Xeka was released at the end of his contract.^[18]

Rennes

On 21 September 2022, Xeka agreed to a two-year deal at Stade Rennais F.C. also of the French top tier.^[19] He made his debut on 9 October, starting in a 3–0 home win over Derby Breton rivals FC Nantes.^[20] In January, he had ankle surgery.^[21]

Xeka left Roazhon Park by mutual consent on 10 August 2023, with only nine matches to his name.^[22]

Later career

On 1 May 2024, Al Sadd SC of the Qatar Stars League signed Xeka as a replacement for the injured Guilherme Torres.^[23] On 15 August, having made no appearances, he moved to G.D. Estoril Praia on a one-year contract.^[24]

International career

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]

Career statistics

As of match played 7 January 2023^[26]

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club	Season	League			National cup^[a]		League cup^[b]		Europe		Other		Total
Club	Season	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^[c]	0	—		25	0
	2020–21	Ligue 1	33	1	3	1	—		6^[d]	0	—		42	2
	2021–22	Ligue 1	23	3	0	0	—		7^[c]	0	1^[e]	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

^ Includes Taça de Portugal and Coupe de France
^ Includes Taça da Liga and Coupe de la Ligue
^ ^a ^b Appearances in UEFA Champions League
^ Appearances in UEFA Europa League
^ Appearance in Trophée des Champions

Honours

Lille

References

^ ^a ^b ^c "Xeka" (in Portuguese). Mais Futebol. Retrieved 9 May 2021.
^ Sousa, Miguel (25 May 2021). "Câmara de Paredes homenageia Xeka jogador do Lille que se sagrou campeão de França" [Paredes city hall honours Xeka Lille player who was crowned French champion] (in Portuguese). Novum Notícias. Retrieved 24 March 2022.^{[permanent dead link]}
^ Marques Costa, Pedro (26 October 2016). "Nasce uma estrela em nome do avô" [A star is born in the name of the grandfather]. O Jogo (in Portuguese). Retrieved 20 June 2022.^{[permanent dead link]}
^ Cunha, Pedro Jorge (17 October 2011). "De Gondomar a Valência: Miguel Xeca, "ché" aos 16 anos" [From Gondomar to Valencia: Miguel Xeca, "che" at the age of 16] (in Portuguese). Mais Futebol. Retrieved 26 February 2021.
^ "Nove jogadores de saída do Sp. Covilhã" [Nine players leaving Sp. Covilhã] (in Portuguese). SAPO. 19 May 2016. Retrieved 18 August 2017.
^ "Funes Mori bisa no triunfo das águias em Braga" [Funes Mori grabs brace in eagles win in Braga] (in Portuguese). Rádio Renascença. 23 September 2013. Retrieved 18 August 2017.
^ "Sp. Braga: Xeka estreia-se nos convocados" [Sp. Braga: Xeka selected for the first time] (in Portuguese). Mais Futebol. 14 October 2016. Retrieved 18 August 2017.
^ "Regresso a casa abençoa regresso às vitórias" [Return home blesses return to wins] (in Portuguese). S.C. Braga. 24 October 2016. Archived from the original on 11 May 2019. Retrieved 18 August 2017.
^ Costinha Sousa, Carlos (27 December 2016). "Xeka: Pérola da formação arsenalista" [Xeka: Gem from the arsenalista youth system]. Correio do Minho (in Portuguese). Retrieved 12 August 2025.
^ "Sporting de Braga empresta Xeka e Bakic" [Sporting de Braga loan Xeka and Bakic]. Jornal de Notícias (in Portuguese). 31 January 2017. Retrieved 18 August 2017.
^ "Foot/L1 – Lille: les recrues El Ghazi et Xeka titulaires contre Lorient" [Football/L1 – Lille: recruits El Ghazi and Xeka starters against Lorient]. La Voix du Nord (in French). 4 February 2017. Retrieved 20 June 2022.
^ "Football / Ligue 1: Montpellier s'incline lourdement face à Lille (0–3)" [Football / Ligue 1: Montpellier fall heavily to Lille (0–3)]. Midi Libre (in French). 27 April 2017. Retrieved 20 June 2022.
^ Lima, Fábio (9 June 2017). "Lille paga 5 milhões e fica com Xeka" [Lille pay 5 million and take Xeka]. Record (in Portuguese). Archived from the original on 18 August 2017. Retrieved 18 August 2017.
^ "Xeka prêté au Dijon FCO" [Xeka loaned to Dijon FCO] (in French). Lille OSC. 31 August 2017. Archived from the original on 14 February 2018. Retrieved 8 September 2017.
^ Domenighetti, Joël (18 October 2019). "Ligue 1: Xeka (Lille) veut retrouver sa place de titulaire dans un secteur hyper concurrentiel" [Ligue 1: Xeka (Lille) wants to recover his starting place in a super crowded position]. L'Équipe (in French). Retrieved 20 June 2022.
^ ^a ^b Crépin, Timothé (24 May 2021). "Ligue 1: Lille est champion de France! FF passe le titre des Dogues à la loupe" [Ligue 1: Lille are French champions! FF puts Dogues title under magnifying glass] (in French). France Football. Retrieved 24 May 2021.
^ ^a ^b "Lille 1–0 Paris Saint-Germain: Les Dogues clinch first French Super Cup". Sky Sports. 1 August 2021. Retrieved 1 August 2021.
^ "Xeka, en fin de contrat, quitte Lille" [Xeka, out of contract, leaves Lille]. L'Équipe (in French). 20 May 2022. Retrieved 20 June 2022.
^ "Xeka est rouge et noir!" [Xeka is red and black!] (in French). Stade Rennais F.C. 21 September 2022. Retrieved 21 September 2022.
^ Castro, João (10 October 2022). "Portugueses lá fora: Ronaldo chega aos 700, Cancelo levanta o estádio e Paulo Fonseca regressa às vitórias" [Portuguese out there: Ronaldo gets to 700, Cancelo makes the stadium stand up and Paulo Fonseca returns to winning ways] (in Portuguese). SAPO. Retrieved 26 October 2022.
^ Mangeard, Nicolas (16 January 2023). "Stade Rennais. Xeka a été opéré de la cheville" [Stade Rennais. Xeka had ankle surgery]. Ouest-France (in French). Retrieved 5 July 2023.
^ Prouvoyeur, Julien (10 August 2023). "Le milieu de terrain Xeka quitte le Stade Rennais" [Midfielder Xeka leaves Stade Rennais] (in French). France Bleu. Retrieved 2 December 2023.
^ "Al Sadd sign Xeka to replace Torres". The Peninsula. 1 May 2024. Retrieved 19 May 2024.
^ "OFICIAL: Xeka regressa a Portugal pela porta do Estoril" [OFFICIAL: Xeka returns to Portugal courtesy of Estoril] (in Portuguese). Mais Futebol. 15 August 2024. Retrieved 12 August 2025.
^ "Sub-20 vencem Eslováquia sub-21 (2–0)" [Under-20 team beat Slovakia under-21 (2–0)]. Record (in Portuguese). 5 February 2014. Retrieved 2 December 2023.
^ Xeka at Soccerway

External links

Xeka at ForaDeJogo (archived)
Xeka at L'Équipe Football (in French)
Xeka national team profile at the Portuguese Football Federation (in Portuguese)

[27] Includes Taça de Portugal and Coupe de France

[28] Includes Taça da Liga and Coupe de la Ligue

[UCL-29] Appearances in UEFA Champions League

[UEL-30] Appearances in UEFA Europa League

[31] Appearance in Trophée des Champions

[Bio-1] "Xeka" (in Portuguese). Mais Futebol. Retrieved 9 May 2021.

[2] Sousa, Miguel (25 May 2021). "Câmara de Paredes homenageia Xeka jogador do Lille que se sagrou campeão de França" [Paredes city hall honours Xeka Lille player who was crowned French champion] (in Portuguese). Novum Notícias. Retrieved 24 March 2022.^{[permanent dead link]}

[3] Marques Costa, Pedro (26 October 2016). "Nasce uma estrela em nome do avô" [A star is born in the name of the grandfather]. O Jogo (in Portuguese). Retrieved 20 June 2022.^{[permanent dead link]}

[4] Cunha, Pedro Jorge (17 October 2011). "De Gondomar a Valência: Miguel Xeca, "ché" aos 16 anos" [From Gondomar to Valencia: Miguel Xeca, "che" at the age of 16] (in Portuguese). Mais Futebol. Retrieved 26 February 2021.

[5] "Nove jogadores de saída do Sp. Covilhã" [Nine players leaving Sp. Covilhã] (in Portuguese). SAPO. 19 May 2016. Retrieved 18 August 2017.

[6] "Funes Mori bisa no triunfo das águias em Braga" [Funes Mori grabs brace in eagles win in Braga] (in Portuguese). Rádio Renascença. 23 September 2013. Retrieved 18 August 2017.

[7] "Sp. Braga: Xeka estreia-se nos convocados" [Sp. Braga: Xeka selected for the first time] (in Portuguese). Mais Futebol. 14 October 2016. Retrieved 18 August 2017.

[8] "Regresso a casa abençoa regresso às vitórias" [Return home blesses return to wins] (in Portuguese). S.C. Braga. 24 October 2016. Archived from the original on 11 May 2019. Retrieved 18 August 2017.

[9] Costinha Sousa, Carlos (27 December 2016). "Xeka: Pérola da formação arsenalista" [Xeka: Gem from the arsenalista youth system]. Correio do Minho (in Portuguese). Retrieved 12 August 2025.

[10] "Sporting de Braga empresta Xeka e Bakic" [Sporting de Braga loan Xeka and Bakic]. Jornal de Notícias (in Portuguese). 31 January 2017. Retrieved 18 August 2017.

[11] "Foot/L1 – Lille: les recrues El Ghazi et Xeka titulaires contre Lorient" [Football/L1 – Lille: recruits El Ghazi and Xeka starters against Lorient]. La Voix du Nord (in French). 4 February 2017. Retrieved 20 June 2022.

[12] "Football / Ligue 1: Montpellier s'incline lourdement face à Lille (0–3)" [Football / Ligue 1: Montpellier fall heavily to Lille (0–3)]. Midi Libre (in French). 27 April 2017. Retrieved 20 June 2022.

[13] Lima, Fábio (9 June 2017). "Lille paga 5 milhões e fica com Xeka" [Lille pay 5 million and take Xeka]. Record (in Portuguese). Archived from the original on 18 August 2017. Retrieved 18 August 2017.

[14] "Xeka prêté au Dijon FCO" [Xeka loaned to Dijon FCO] (in French). Lille OSC. 31 August 2017. Archived from the original on 14 February 2018. Retrieved 8 September 2017.

[15] Domenighetti, Joël (18 October 2019). "Ligue 1: Xeka (Lille) veut retrouver sa place de titulaire dans un secteur hyper concurrentiel" [Ligue 1: Xeka (Lille) wants to recover his starting place in a super crowded position]. L'Équipe (in French). Retrieved 20 June 2022.

[LIGUE-16] Crépin, Timothé (24 May 2021). "Ligue 1: Lille est champion de France! FF passe le titre des Dogues à la loupe" [Ligue 1: Lille are French champions! FF puts Dogues title under magnifying glass] (in French). France Football. Retrieved 24 May 2021.

[SCUP-17] "Lille 1–0 Paris Saint-Germain: Les Dogues clinch first French Super Cup". Sky Sports. 1 August 2021. Retrieved 1 August 2021.

[18] "Xeka, en fin de contrat, quitte Lille" [Xeka, out of contract, leaves Lille]. L'Équipe (in French). 20 May 2022. Retrieved 20 June 2022.

[19] "Xeka est rouge et noir!" [Xeka is red and black!] (in French). Stade Rennais F.C. 21 September 2022. Retrieved 21 September 2022.

[20] Castro, João (10 October 2022). "Portugueses lá fora: Ronaldo chega aos 700, Cancelo levanta o estádio e Paulo Fonseca regressa às vitórias" [Portuguese out there: Ronaldo gets to 700, Cancelo makes the stadium stand up and Paulo Fonseca returns to winning ways] (in Portuguese). SAPO. Retrieved 26 October 2022.

[21] Mangeard, Nicolas (16 January 2023). "Stade Rennais. Xeka a été opéré de la cheville" [Stade Rennais. Xeka had ankle surgery]. Ouest-France (in French). Retrieved 5 July 2023.

[22] Prouvoyeur, Julien (10 August 2023). "Le milieu de terrain Xeka quitte le Stade Rennais" [Midfielder Xeka leaves Stade Rennais] (in French). France Bleu. Retrieved 2 December 2023.

[23] "Al Sadd sign Xeka to replace Torres". The Peninsula. 1 May 2024. Retrieved 19 May 2024.

[24] "OFICIAL: Xeka regressa a Portugal pela porta do Estoril" [OFFICIAL: Xeka returns to Portugal courtesy of Estoril] (in Portuguese). Mais Futebol. 15 August 2024. Retrieved 12 August 2025.

[25] "Sub-20 vencem Eslováquia sub-21 (2–0)" [Under-20 team beat Slovakia under-21 (2–0)]. Record (in Portuguese). 5 February 2014. Retrieved 2 December 2023.

[26] Xeka at Soccerway

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Personal information
Xeka playing for Lille in 2021
Full name	Miguel Ângelo da Silva Rocha^[1]
Date of birth	(1994-11-10) 10 November 1994 (age 30)^[1]
Place of birth	Rebordosa, Portugal
Height	1.85 m (6 ft 1 in)^[1]
Position(s)	Midfielder
Team information
Current team	Estoril
Number	88
Youth career
2003–2007	Paços Ferreira
2007–2011	Gondomar
2011–2012	Valencia
2012–2013	Paços Ferreira
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2013–2017	Braga B	28	(2)
2014–2016	→ Covilhã (loan)	39	(0)
2016–2017	Braga	11	(0)
2017	→ Lille (loan)	13	(1)
2017–2022	Lille	101	(6)
2017–2018	→ Dijon (loan)	17	(2)
2019	Lille II	1	(0)
2022–2023	Rennes	8	(0)
2024	Al Sadd	0	(0)
2024–	Estoril	14	(1)
International career
2014	Portugal U20	1	(0)
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 00:44, 6 April 2025 (UTC)