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Rayan: The Young Sensation Carrying Vasco’s Legacy

May 16, 2025
Player Analysis, Brasileirão

Vasco is going through difficult times. Despite having a solid squad today, the club still faces uncertainties after 777 Partners lost control of Vasco’s football operations, further reducing financial guarantees for the Gigante da Colina. But even in tough times, one thing at Vasco has remained a source of pride: Base Forte, the club’s academy. In 2022, the team saw Andrey Santos rise to the first team and take on a key role in Vasco’s campaign to return to the top tier of Brazilian football the following year.

 

With Vasco back in Série A, the senior squad was strengthened, but there was still room for young talents from Base Forte to get opportunities — among them, forward Rayan. Having progressed through the age groups at Base Forte as one of the standouts, Rayan came off the bench in a 1-1 tie with Audax in the Campeonato Carioca to make his first team debut at 16 years of age in 2023.

 

The young forward went on to play 295 minutes that season, most of them in the Série A. In fact, Rayan made the scoresheet in his league debut, scoring Vasco’s consolation goal in their 2-1 loss to Internacional, but it wasn’t until 2024 that he was fully integrated into the first team.

 

Vasco: The Brazilian Giant Set for Another Season in the Second Tier

 

As the 2025 season kick-started in Brazil, Rayan had come back from a fine campaign with Brazil in the Sudamericano U20 to establish himself as an important player for Vasco under manager Fábio Carille. Carille was hired with the mission of leading the Gigante da Colina in their return to the Copa Sudamericana, the second-most prestigious club competition in South American football, this season.

 

Vasco’s attacking firepower is quite impressive. The team boasts key playmakers Philippe Coutinho and Dimitri Payet, along with the clinical Argentine finisher Pablo Vegetti. To strengthen the wings, the club brought in three new signings during the last transfer window: Benjamín Garré, Nuno Moreira, and Loide Augusto. In addition to the newcomers, they also have Adson and, of course, Rayan. 

 

During his youth career Rayan played in many attacking positions and roles, and he carries this versatility with him. Which, given Vasco’s abundance of attacking players, is crucial for him to earn opportunities and significant minutes as he continues his adaptation to senior football.

 

Adding to the 18-year-old’s versatility is his strong tactical awareness. He has solid technique on the ball and intelligence in his positioning and movement off the ball. This allows him to thrive in a more free-roaming role in attack, where he can move across the pitch, finding and creating space.

 

Andrey Santos: The Next Gem From Vasco’s Academy?

 

Rayan has great physical imposition and blends it with pace and coordination. He is comfortable in contact situations and excels at using his body to shield the ball from defenders. With that, he is able to keep plays alive, whether by finding a passing lane for a teammate or taking on his marker.

 

He stands out particularly for his ability to attack the box with well-timed penetrating runs, exploring the space behind the defense. However, he is capable of threatening the opposition in multiple ways.

 

 

He possesses interesting finishing skills from medium and long range, and, although left-footed, he is comfortable finishing with his weaker foot. He is also able to pick out teammates with incisive passes in wide areas, and contribute to well-constructed attacking sequences, and has a strong presence in the box, also presenting an aerial threat. Likewise, his pace and acceleration make him a dangerous player in transition and counter-attacking situations.

 

 

Carille continues a tactical trend in Vasco’s attack that has been evident for a while now: the build-up play is focused on the flanks, relying heavily on crosses. The starting striker, Vegetti, is an exceptional aerial presence and thrives on balls delivered into the box, making this approach the team’s main offensive weapon.

 

With a 54.6% cross accuracy last season, Rayan is a solid option to enhance Vasco’s strategy, and Carille has been deploying him to contribute in this regard. Rayan is positioned on the right flank, where he is capable of pushing his team forward into finishing positions, primarily through crosses.

 

However, the young forward is also capable of operating as an inside forward, as seen recently in the U20 South American Championship while playing for Brazil. When moving inside, his quick movements to exploit spaces behind the defensive line become even more pronounced and impactful. In central areas, he plays almost like an arrow: he receives the ball while orienting his body toward goal to drive into the box at pace (the target).

 

Rayan also offers a different profile from Vegetti at center-forward, which strengthens his case as an option in that role. This even opens up the possibility of Vasco playing with a two-striker system, something Carille had already experimented with in his early days in charge, and he could very well revisit it.

 

Igor Jesus: Botafogo’s Hidden Gem Ready for the Spotlight

 

The teenager is currently one of Vasco’s most valuable assets. His contract expires in December of this year, and the club is eager to secure an extension, although it won’t be an easy task. Rayan still has room for development, and with regular playing time, he should continue his progression smoothly. Especially if given the freedom to roam the pitch and exploit the opposition’s backline, either from the wing or as an inside forward.

 

So, as the Brazilian season goes on, interest in Rayan is expected to grow and it should be only a matter of time before he secures his first major transfer and becomes another Base Forte talent shining at the highest level of international and European football.

 

By: Nathalia Tavares / @tavaresnthl

Featured Image: @GabFoligno / Thiago Ribeiro/AGIF

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