Rafael

Star sign: Capricorn

Follow me: @ _rafacaetano_

At Elite Model Look we say: “your differences make our world”. What makes you different?

My features and characteristics are quite different from other Portuguese models, I have blue eyes and light brown hair which is quite unusual for Portugal. 

 What is your passion?

During my spare time I love to play sports and my passion is definitely football. I love playing as part of a team and feel most content on the pitch, it feels so natural to me. I love all sports, but football has my heart. I can’t play as often as I used to and now I go to the gym a lot which helps me to de-stress and stay fit. 

Snapchat or Instagram? 

I prefer Instagram to Snapchat, I feel like Instagram allows for more interaction with followers. Snapchat is fun to use; however, Instagram promotes communication with its users and is an invaluable tool when trying to promote something.

Do you have a hero who inspires you to succeed?

There are a lot of people that I find really inspiring, for example, Eminem, NF, Cristiano Ronaldo, Jamie Vardy, N’Golo Kanté. I find these people inspirational as they have managed to succeed in against the odds. I like to always believe in the underdog.

Tell us your favourite…

Inspirational quote: I have a few quotes which inspire me, I think the two which are most helpful in daily life are, “be proud of who you are” and to, “expect nothing and you’ll never be disappointed.” I always try to remember these, to keep me focused and positive.  

Holiday: Recently, I travelled to Italy with my school for a week, it was fun to explore a new place with all my friends.

Music artist: My favourite artists are probably Eminem or NF. I admire both of them as they have managed to overcome adversity and hardship. Their music is accessible to all and I love that their music manages to tell a story which captures the hearts of listeners all over the world from different backgrounds and countries.

Food: My favourite food is ‘“Tripas à moda do Porto”, I grew up eating it and it always reminds me of home and happiness and gives me a sense of comfort and it is, of course, quintessentially Portuguese.

Model: Ruben Rua is my favourite model, he has had a great career and is of course also Portuguese! It feels great to be included in such a long line of successful Portuguese models. I’m so grateful to have got this far, and winning the National Final was definitely the highlight of the experience so far. I also admire Joana Ribeiro, Victoria Guerra, Debora Monteiro and Soraia Chaves, they’ve all done so well and have booked lots of high profile jobs.

If you could go anywhere in the world – where you haven’t already been – where would you go?

If I could go anywhere I would love to travel to China, Greece, Egypt and New York. I have always dreamed of visiting these places and although they are all quite different from each other, they seem exciting and fun places to travel to.

How does it feel to represent Portugal at the 35th Elite Model Look World Final?

It feels amazing, I’m so excited to be the Winner of the Elite Model Look Portugal and to represent my country in the world’s most prestigious international modelling contest, I really want to do Portugal proud! I heard about the Elite Model Look through a friend, who knew about Elite because of its reputation, she encouraged me to apply with her. Without her, I probably wouldn’t be here.  We went to the casting in Porto together so that we wouldn’t have to go alone, and I was lucky enough to win the National Final. The best thing I have learnt so far is that that simplest things can unite a group of people and make them friends. I can proudly say that I have developed a new family during this experience and I hope to have made some lifelong friends. Ultimately, I want to enjoy every minute of this opportunity and make the most of such a special experience and to make as many friends as I can! I have always enjoyed a challenge and love to try new things, out of my comfort zone and this was certainly one of those things. So far, it seems to be paying off, I am loving the experience so far, and can’t wait to see what happens.           

     Tell us about Portugal...

Portugal is gaining more notoriety and recognition. We are gaining more recognition from the younger generation representing out country for example, Ronaldo, Sara Sampaio, Quaresma, Eusébio, Salvador Sobral. I am really proud that I can say that I live in safe country. I am also proud to live in a country which attracts people for positive reasons for example, the good weather and lovely beaches - and obviously all the football trophies we’ve won!