Arsenal’s Fascinating Gabriel Martinelli: Unique Futsal Star turned Gunners No.11
Gabriel Teodoro Martinelli Silva, also known as “Gabi,” is among his age’s most intriguing and exciting players. The Brazilian attacker, who can play either as a striker or out on the left, is energetic and a superb finisher with an unwavering work ethic.
He has been playing for Arsenal for three seasons, having made a big impression after joining from the Brazilian team Ituano in 2019–20. A brilliant solo goal in a 2-2 Premier League draw away to Chelsea, which won Arsenal’s Goal of the Season title, was the highlight of his first season in England as a young Brazilian international with under-23 caps.
Martinelli was also part of Brazil’s national team that won Olympic gold in Tokyo in the summer. So, what do we know about Martinelli’s upbringing and development into the skilled attacker he is today? Let’s find out in this article.
Where is Gabriel Martinelli from?
Martinelli comes from Guarulhos, in the neighborhood of Bela Vista, and grew up close to his grandfather, not far from the Sao Paulo International Airport. Mr. Joao Martinelli and Mrs. Silva are the proud parents of Gabriel. Martinelli came from a low-income family, and his childhood home was in an impoverished part of Guarulhos.
He has fond memories of family trips to Parana, his mother’s home country. He also played football with his dad, uncles, and cousins.
Gabriel Martinelli, who currently plays for Arsenal, was born on June 18, 2001, in Guarulhos, Sao Paulo, Brazil, and his full name is Gabriel Teodoro Martinelli Silva. Martinelli is 21 years old.
Gabriel Martinelli’s Childhood and Early Football Career
Even though his parents didn’t think he would be good at football and wanted him to get an education, Gabriel Martinelli spent his childhood not caring about school and just playing football.
He spent most of his playing time on the football field at school. There were other youngsters his age so that he could compete with both younger and older opponents.
Martinelli says that his success in the professional scene can get attributed to the love and encouragement he received from his family throughout his early years.
Futsal
Martinellis started his professional career in 2010 with the Corinthians youth futsal squad. In 2015, he made the switch to Ituano, a Brazilian team.
In an interview in 2019, Gabriel said he was settling in Ituano because that was where his folks decided. He also said that the club has always been interested in his soccer and respected his style, giving him great chances to grow as a player.
He scored his first goal for Ituano on September 8, 2018, and he had six goals in 14 games across all categories by the end of the 2019 season.
Martinelli scored 122 goals for the Corinthians futsal team. He scored 66 goals in the Special Division of the Metropolitan Championship and 56 in the State Gold Series. The following year, he played on the futsal and football teams for kids aged 11 and under, tallying 20 goals in futsal and 11 in football.
In 2015, Gabriel’s career took off after the Brazilian club Ituano FC, then playing in the fourth level, offered him a professional contract. That year, he tried for European teams like Manchester United and Barcelona.
He said, “The trial spell with FC Barcelona was one of the best football experiences I’ve ever had.” “Not only is it one of the biggest clubs in the world, but the level of demand in training is very high, which helped me develop a lot in football, both in terms of quality and tactics as well as in terms of my thoughts.”
Futsal to Ituano
Martinelli signed his first professional contract on November 4, 2017, until October 20, 2022. On March 17, he made his professional debut as a replacement for Claudinho, who scored the game-winning goal in a 2-1 road victory. He was 16 years and nine months old, making him the youngest player to make his club debut in the last century.
Martinelli scored his first goal as a senior on September 8, 2018, when he scored his team’s second goal in a 4-1 victory over Taboo da Serra in the away game of the 2018 Copa Paulista. He was promoted to the first squad for the 2019 Campeonato Paulista and scored six goals (the most for the club) as they advanced to the quarterfinals. His best performance was on March 15, when he scored twice in the team’s 3-0 road victory against Bragantino.
Arsenal career
Along with Bukayo Saka, Eddie Nketiah, and Ainsley Maitland-Niles, Gabriel Martinelli is among the team’s youngest players. Martinelli’s good play didn’t go ignored, and on July 2, 2019, he signed with Arsenal for a rumored fee of around £6 million.
Martinelli made his English Premier League debut for Arsenal under Unai Emery on August 11, 2019, as a substitute in a 1-0 win over Newcastle United at the Emirates.
On September 24, 2019, Arsenal defeated Nottingham Forest 5-0 at home in the third round of the Carabao Cup. Martinelli started that game and scored twice.
In Arsenal’s 4-0 UEFA Europa League triumph over Standard Liege, Martinelli started for the second time and scored twice. After connecting on a cross from summer acquisition Kieran Tierney, he scored his first goal in the thirteenth minute. Three minutes later, he scored again by dribbling into the box with his right foot and into the far corner.
Martinelli also set up Arsenal’s fourth goal, which Dani Ceballos scored. This assist was his first of the season. Martinelli kept up his scoring streak by getting the equalizer in a 3–2 home win over Vitória Guimares.
On December 9, 2019, under temporary manager Freddie Ljungberg, Martinelli made his Premier League debut for Arsenal, starting and scoring in a 3-1 win away at West Ham United.
He signed what got rumored to be a four-year contract with the club on July 3, 2020. The club also has an option for a fifth year. Following a training injury on June 21, Martinelli underwent surgery to treat a lesion in his knee’s cartilage, ending his 2020 season. His weekly salary got rumored to be approximately £30,000.
International Career
As mentioned earlier, Gabriel’s international career Although he holds Brazilian and Italian citizenship, he plays for the Brazilian national team.
Martinelli was part of the Brazil Under-23 team that won the gold medal at the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo by beating Spain in the final, which took place in the summer of 2021.
Gabriel Martinelli Stats
Martinelli wears the number 11 jersey for his North London Club. He was born in Brazil and now plays for Arsenal in the English Premier League. The average rating for Gabriel Martinelli is 81. His potential is 88, and he plays the LW position.
On FIFA 23, Gabriel Martinelli is a right-footed player with four skill moves and three weak foot movements.
Martinelli is 178cm (5 10″) tall and weighs 75kg (165 lbs).
He wears shirt number 11.
Gabriel Martinelli’s Trophies and Achievements
The most important thing he has done is move to European football and get noticed by top clubs there. So far, we know of just three individual awards given to Gabriel Martinelli. Martinelli was honored in Brazil’s Campeonato Paulista 2019 as the best newcomer, the rural player of the year, and a member of the team of the year.
Gabriel Martinelli became the first player since Ian Wright to score four goals in his first four games. This fact is one of the top facts about Gabriel Martinelli. Liverpool boss Jürgen Klopp liked Martinelli’s showing so much that he called him “the talent of the century.”
Martinelli was named Arsenal’s “Player of the Month” for October because he played well. He got 75% of the votes, beating Mattéo Guendouzi and partner Nicolas Pépé. On November 28, Martinelli had another assist when he set up Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang in a home loss to Eintracht Frankfurt.
How much does Martinelli earn weekly?
As a result of Gabriel Martinelli’s first major deal with The Gunners, his net worth has increased tremendously to €4 million (£3.6 million). The price tag on the young man is a cool €7 million (£6.3 million).
The most impressive thing about Arsenal’s deal with Gabriel Martinelli, a youngster, is the astronomical annual wage of 1.2 million euros (1.1 million pounds). Gabriel Martinelli earns an estimated €30,000 a week.
Life outside football
Martinelli’s life outside the field is plausible. He has often talked about how his family is vital to his life. Martinelli says, “I’m very close to my family.” “They were always there for me every step of the way, whether getting me to training, school, or just giving me the help I needed. I wouldn’t be here without them, so I have to spend my time helping them.”
