Gabriel Martinelli
Country: Brazil
Age: 25
Club: Al Hilal
League: Saudi Pro League
Position: Left Winger
Club History: Ituano, Arsenal FC, Al Hilal
Major Honours: 1 X Premier League (Arsenal FC), 1 X FA Cup (Arsenal FC), 1 X Olympic Gold medallist (Brazil)
"His mentality is incredible. When you watch him, you see a player who hungers for victory in every training session and every match as if it were his last chance."
— Thierry Henry
Sipa US | Alamy
From Dusty Streets to London’s Bright Lights: The Boy Who Plays Football Like a Hurricane
When the ball is at his feet, time seems to accelerate. He is not merely a winger—he is a Brazilian lightning bolt that has upended the measured rhythm of European football. Gabriel Martinelli’s journey to the cavernous Emirates Stadium was not the typical tale of a dazzling star; it is a story of tireless hard work, rejection, and unwavering belief.
Gabriel began playing football in the futsal halls of São Paulo, honing his technique and speed at the Corinthians academy. Few people know that his first major dream was to play for the Corinthians senior team; however, due to his family's move to Itu, he ended up at the small provincial club Ituano at the age of 13. It was there that his professional career took shape—at 16 years and 9 months old, he became the youngest player ever to make his debut in an Ituano jersey.
An overlooked detail: before the world started talking about him, Martinelli went on trial at Manchester United four times and even trained once at Barcelona’s La Masia. At the United academy, he even took a photo with Paul Pogba, yet neither the English nor the Spanish giant saw his potential and ultimately turned him down.
In the summer of 2019, when Arsenal signed an 18-year-old from a Brazilian fourth-division team for £6 million, London fans viewed the transfer with scepticism. However, Martinelli needed no time to adapt. In his debut season, he scored a brace in a wild 5–5 match against Liverpool at Anfield, while his 67-meter solo goal against Chelsea sprinting all the way from his own penalty area—etched his name in golden letters in Arsenal's history.
"He plays with such speed and energy that he simply wears the defenders out. I see in him that old, authentic Brazilian passion that is rare these days."
— Ronaldinho
A serious knee injury in the summer of 2020 halted his progress for almost a year. Many doubted whether he would return as quickly, but Gabriel worked on his physical strength and tactical discipline during his recovery. Under Mikel Arteta, he transformed from a simple winger into a modern, two-way athlete. In the 2022-23 season, he scored 15 Premier League goals and became the main engine of Arsenal's title race, With this, he equalled Richarlison's record for the most goals scored by a Brazilian in a single Premier League season.
Seleção and Gold Medals
Interestingly, due to his Italian roots, the Italian Football Federation actively tried to recruit Martinelli for the Azzurri. However, Gabriel’s choice was unequivocal: Brazil, and nothing else.
His international career got off to a triumphant start: in 2021, he became an Olympic champion with the Brazilian team at the Tokyo Games, coolly converting a penalty against Mexico in the semi-final shootout. In 2022, he travelled with the senior national team to the World Cup in Qatar, where he once again made a lasting impression on the world with his speed and aggressive style of play.
He set up a dedicated home gym for his physical transformation, where he trains additionally with a personal trainer; this helped him gain 7–8 kilograms of muscle mass without losing speed.
A peculiar biomechanical detail lies behind Martinelli's phenomenal speed. Following a severe knee injury in 2021, Arsenal's medical staff created custom-made, bespoke insoles for the Brazilian forward's boots that evenly distribute the load on his feet.
In addition, Gabriel follows a strict ritual: exactly 20 minutes after every match ends, he spends 10 minutes in an ice bath, followed by a three-hour recovery procedure (lymphatic drainage pneumatic compression). Teammates joke that Gabriel is the last to leave the stadium, departing just five minutes before the bus pulls away.
Martinelli keeps a collection of thick notebooks at home, recording almost every drill, goal, run, and mistake he has made from the age of ten to the present day. After every match, his father conducts a video analysis with him a tradition that has continued even after his move to London. Gabriel admits that before receiving tactical feedback from Mikel Arteta, the first and harshest assessment comes from his father.
"Gabriel possesses the quality that sets great players apart — he isn't afraid of responsibility. He steps onto the pitch and simply plays his own game, regardless of who the opponent is."
— Cafu
Although most Premier League stars settle in affluent London neighborhoods—such as Hampstead or Mayfair—Martinelli lived for a long time in a relatively quiet area near Arsenal’s training ground (London Colney). Local residents often spotted him in ordinary supermarkets, where he would shop for everyday groceries with his parents. He does not own a collection of expensive sports cars and prefers a quiet, family-oriented lifestyle.
Martinelli's top speed in the Premier League reaches 35.9 km/h, placing him among the league's five fastest players. He is one of the few attacking players in Europe who averages 18–22 high-intensity sprints per match back towards his own penalty area to help the defenders.
Martinelli never forgot where he came from. Immediately after signing his first major Premier League contract, he secretly funded a children's futsal school in his hometown of Ituano and purchased modern medical equipment for the local hospital. Every year during his summer vacation, he travels to Ituano, meets with young children, and personally distributes sports gear. The Brazilian media reports almost nothing about this, as Gabriel insists that these activities take place without cameras present.
Today, Gabriel Martinelli is no longer the unknown boy from São Paulo whom European giants turned their backs on; he is a player who has turned every rejection and obstacle into an advantage.
Charity Foundation in Ituano: Where It All Began
After conquering the pinnacle of English football and winning the Premier League title, a new era began in Martinelli's career in August 2026. Saudi Arabian giants Al-Hilal paid £55.7 million for the Brazilian star.
This deal officially became the most expensive player sale in Arsenal's history. At the age of 25—having already won the Premier League, the FA Cup, and Olympic gold—Gabriel is becoming a major sensation in Asian football.
Rejected four times, the boy from the Brazilian fourth division proved that hard work knows no bounds. He conquered England, hoisted the long-coveted Premier League trophy, and has now set off for the Middle East—armed with unstoppable speed and an unbreakable spirit to write a new chapter in football history.
"Martinelli is a talent of the century. He is an incredible forward who never tires and leaves everything on the pitch."
— Jürgen Klopp
Mark Pain / Alamy Images
Written by Nini Giorgadze