Gabriel Martinelli is a Brazilian soccer player who plays for the Premier League club Arsenal as a forward or left-winger. He has been showering magic on the soccer field with his incredible skills at a very young age and inspiring youth worldwide.
On 5 August 2022, Martinelli became the first Brazilian to net a season-opening goal of the Premier League campaign by scoring for Arsenal in their 2-0 away win at Crystal Palace.
In the words of Jurgen Klopp, Gabriel Martinelli is the “talent of the century.” When one of the best managers in the world says that you are an exceptional talent, then you are doing something right.
What’s even more impressive was the fact that it was only his first season for Arsenal. But judging his performances, Martinelli looked like he had played at the highest level for several years.
Moreover, his potential is mind-boggling; however, one must work hard and stay focused to achieve that.
The talented player has those qualities in abundance, making him one of this generation’s top young prospects.
In this article, you will find out about Gabriel’s childhood, stats, salary, and more. So without skipping another beat, let’s get started with some quick facts.
Gabriel Martinelli | Quick Facts
| Full Name | Gabriel Teodoro Martinelli Silva |
| Birth Date | 18 June 2001 |
| Birth Place | Guarulhos, Brazil |
| Nick Name | Gab |
| Religion | Christianity |
| Nationality | Brazilian |
| Ethnicity | Mixed |
| Education | Unknown |
| Horoscope | Gemini |
| Father’s Name | Joao Martinelli |
| Mother’s Name | Unknown |
| Siblings | Unknown |
| Age | 22 Years Old |
| Height | 6 feet / 1.83 m / 183 cm |
| Weight | 75 Kg / 165 lbs. |
| Jersey Number | 11 |
| Hair Color | Black |
| Eye Color | Black |
| Body Measurement | 40-31-34 Inches |
| Build | Athletic |
| Marital Status | Unmarried |
| Ex-Girlfriends | Rachel Akemy, Amaríana |
| Current Girlfriend | Isabella Rousso |
| Children | Son & a Daughter (Gabrielle) |
| Profession | Soccer Player |
| Net Worth | $59.88 Million |
| Salary | $47,094 ( Weekly) |
| Clubs | Arsenal (Current), Ituano (Previous) |
| Merch | Jersey |
| Active Since | 2010-present |
| Social Media | Instagram, Twitter |
| Last Update | April 2024 |
Gabriel Martinelli | Early Life
As a child, Gabriel struggled with basic needs as his family was destitute. Consequently, they lived in one of the most deprived areas in the city, where a crime was rife.
Hence, his parents wanted young Martinelli to stay away from criminal activities. So, with that in mind, his father introduced Gabriel to soccer at a very young age.
He got so addicted to soccer that he lost interest in his education.
Seeing this, Joao Martinelli, his father, encouraged him to play soccer. Like every father wants his child to be successful, Martinelli Sr. wants his son to be the best.
Subsequently, Martinelli skilled his soccer through futsal games. Having tricky feet and raw pace helped propel the Arsenal forward through the ranks and become the top talent of his age group.
Gabriel Martinelli | Early Career
Martinelli would perform weekly for his futsal team until the Corinthians Futsal team saw his talent and snapped him up at nine. Upon arriving, young Gabriel impressed many people, including his coach.
After honing and developing his futsal skills, the U-23 Brazil international decided to make soccer his priority. The transition to soccer was flawless as the diminutive forward scored goals for fun.
Due to his raw ability and skills, Ituano FC came swooping in for the young forward.
His fourth-division Brazilian performances were so impressive that many top European clubs wanted to take Martinelli on trial.
Manchester United and Barcelona showed the most interest in the Brazilian-born forward. Subsequently, he went on trials with the above clubs without making any impact.
As a result, the Arsenal attacker had to move back to Brazil to further his soccer development.
He remained with Ituano FC until his big move to Arsenal in 2019 for $7.10 million. It was a life-changing point for young Martinelli.
Gabriel Martinelli | Age, Height, & Body Measurements
Born in 2001 Gabriel is [calculate years datestring=”06/18/2001″] years old as of 2024.
Likewise, the Brazilian native celebrates his birthday on 18 June ever year. Similarly, his birthdate makes him Gemini known for being goal-oriented, ambitious, and determined.
Gabriel stands tall at an astounding 1.83 meters and weighs 165 lbs. Besides, Martinelli also has a fit physique, measuring 40-inches on the chest, 31-inches on the waist, and 34-inches on the hips.
Other than this, Gabriel’s other notable body facts include his short black hair and a pair of black eyes.
Gabriel Martinelli | Professional Career
Martinelli’s professional career started with Ituano when he made his debut at 16 years and nine months. In doing, so, he became the club’s youngest player to debut in this century.
Martinelli earned a spot in the 2019 Campeonato Paulista after his impressive performances. Gabriel scored six goals during the competition, true to his form, helping his team reach the quarter-finals.
As a result, the Arsenal forward earned himself a coveted spot in the pre-Copa America training camp for the Brazilian national team in May 2019.
It was as if the 18-year-old was dreaming because he got the opportunity to play with superstars like Neymar and Coutinho, among others.
He gained much-needed experience after rubbing shoulders with some of the best in the world.
Subsequently, Gabriel won Campeonato Paulista Best Newcomer, Countryside Player of the Year, and Team of the Year 2019 in the same year.
Clubs all around Europe had taken note of Martinelli’s performances and wanted to sign him. But it was Arsenal that managed to secure his services.
Arsenal players welcomed the Brazil U-23 international in North London like a superstar who made him feel special and wanted.
As a result, he signed for Arsenal. Gabriel fulfilled his lifelong dream of playing in the Premier League against the players he used to watch on television and PlayStation.
It seems like Gabriel has nerves of steel because, on his first competitive start for the Gunners, he scored a brace in a 5-0 win.
Following his impressive performance, Unai Emery, Arsenal’s coach at the time, said that Martinelli is a fighter who loves to help his teammates.
Similarly, he is showing magic on the soccer field.
Further
Jurgen Klopp, the Liverpool manager, labeled Martinelli “the talent of the century.”
To illustrate, Gabriel scored seven goals in seven appearances. A feat that the likes of Messi and Ronaldo would be proud of.
Gabriel won Arsenal’s Player of the Month award for October due to his outstanding performance for the club.
However, his best moment for the Gunners has to be scoring against their London rival, Chelsea.
In displaying his raw speed and finishing ability, the Guarulhos-born attacker managed to skip past Ngolo Kante and sprinted another 67-yards before calmly slotting the ball past a helpless Kepa Arrizabalga.
He became the first teenager to reach double figures for the club since Nikolas Anelka.
At the time of writing, Martinelli has scored ten goals in 24 appearances for the North London outfit.
He has won English FA Cup and the English Super Cup, also he is also an Olympic medalist.
On June 21 2020, he had surgery to repair a lesion in the cartilage of his knee following an injury. He returned on 19 December, coming off the bench to play 19 minutes in a 2-1 away defeat to Everton.
During the practice match against Newcastle United in the FA Cup on 9 January 2021, he had a minor ankle injury and was substituted by Reis Nelson.
He scored twice against Leeds United on 18 December, marking his first Premier League brace, with his first goal marking Arsenal’s 7000th scored in top-division English soccer.
Martinelli was withdrawn from the match for two yellow cards in four seconds against wolves on 10 February 2022. He received his career’s first red card.
The red card gained some controversy because he was given two yellow cards in one passage of play, starting with pushing Daniel Podence after a throw-in and then a foul against Nelson Semedo.
Gabriel Martinelli | International Career
Since he was born in Brazil, and his father is Italian, Martinelli had the privilege of choosing his nationality between two international giants soccer playing countries. He holds dual Brazilian-Italian citizenship.
Any team will demand a talented player like him to improve the team’s strength. Therefore, it should be no surprise that Brazil and Italy are fighting over the Arsenal player.
Brazil won the race as Gabriel appeared for the Brazil U-23 at Spain’s United International Football Festival. He helped Brazil win an Olympic Gold in men’s soccer at the 2020 Summer Olympics.
He can always change his decision; however he likes.
Just ask Diego Costa, the Atletico Madrid striker who declined the opportunity to play for Brazil at the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil. Instead, he chose the Spanish national team for whom he currently plays.
He was named in the 25-man senior Brazil Squad on 11 March 2022 for the 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifiers against Chile and Bolivia.
Gabriel Martinelli’s statistics to date:
- Premier League: Appearances (71), Goals (16), Assists (9)
- Europa League: Appearances (18), Goals (3), Assists (3)
- EFL Cup: Appearances (10), Goals (4), Assists (2)
- FA Cup: Appearances (5), Goals (0), Assists (0)
- EFL Trophy: Appearances (1), Goals (0), Assists (0)
World Cup 2022 Qatar
Gabriel Martinelli holds the nationality of Brazil; he will be playing along with his national team in the World Cup 2022 Qatar, which was announced on 7 November 2022.
He recently posted one of his updates on social media handles about his preparation for the tournament.
You can also watch him and his team playing the first match of Brazil for the World Cup on 11-25-2022 against Serbia.
Gabriel Martinelli | Net Worth & Salary
Following his impressive performances in Brazil’s top flight, the Arsenal forward moved from Ituano to North London in a $7.5 million deal.
It may seem an astronomical amount of money; however, Martinelli has proved he is worth every penny.
Furthermore, Gabriel was earning $35,692 (£30,000) weekly. Previously he made $11,897 (£10,000) weekly, but after interest from Real Madrid, Arsenal decided to raise his salary to keep him happy and focused.
As a result of Martinelli’s success, clubs all around Europe are looking for the likes of Martinelli, who provide the best bang for their buck.
Many European clubs were sending their scouts to look at the Brazilian talent pool to find the next Ronaldo or Kaka, to name a few.
Just a year back, nobody knew who Martinelli was, but now the Guarulhos-born forward is one of the brightest young prospects in world soccer.
Also, as of 2022, he has been valued at $60.37 million.
Gabriel Martinelli | Family & Lifestyle
Gabriel Martinelli was born to his father, Joao Martinelli, and his mother. Despite looking at various sources, Mrs. Martinelli’s full name remains unknown.
However, she had the surname “Silva” before getting married.
The couple and the Arsenal forward are living a luxurious life.
Having lived a difficult life in one of Guarulhos’s most impoverished areas, Martinelli knows the value of money. As a result, the Arsenal forward doesn’t waste his earnings on unimportant things.
Martinelli lives with his club teammate David Luiz who has looked after the young Brazilian during his stay in North London.
The Brazil U-23 international spends most of his time with his parents.
Gabriel Martinelli | Ex-Girlfriend
Rachel Akemy
People say that good things come in twos, and Martinelli can vouch for that because not only did he make a move to Arsenal, but soon after, he made a courageous move to get engaged to Rachel Akemy (then-girlfriend).
The teen couple was usually together, according to their Instagram posts. The couple was very much in love with each other, which indicated that a marriage might be on the cards soon.
Unfortunately, it did not turn out like that; the couple decided to go their separate ways.
Furthermore, we do not know more about his ex-fiancé, Rachel, there is not much to update about her.
Amaríana
How and where the couple met is still kept in the blind. The couple share two children together; their first child (son) was born on May 16, 2021, and second child (daughter), born on July 28, 2022, Gabrielle named after her father.
Amaríana is a Colombian-Puerto Rican born in Bogotá around the month of September of the year 2000. However, other details regarding her are nowhere to be found, but what’s know is that they did not find common ground in their relationship and decided to part ways.
Current Partner
After Martinelli broke up with Rachel the young soccer player moved on with a different girl named Bella.
He occasionally posts about himself and his girlfriend Bella on his social media handles.
Moreover, there’s a rumor that Martinelli has a son but nothing of the sort has been found in general media.
Is Gabriel Martinelli A Father?
This has been one of the most searched information about the young Arsenal player. Many were curious about his personal life, especially about him being a father.
The player was appointed as the ambassador of the UK-based charity organization ‘The Honeypot Children’s Charity.’
In that, the Arsenal player has admitted to being a father and shared how the experience opened his eyes.
“When I became a father earlier this year, it opened my eyes. Some children don’t experience a normal childhood, which is heartbreaking.”
Despite that, it is still unclear who the mother of his child is. But some die-hard fans speculate that Gabriel has a son with his former girlfriend.
But due to privacy reasons, we cannot disclose the related persons’ identity.
Gabriel Martinelli | Social Media Presence
Gabriel Martinelli is quite active on social media handles and has a huge fan following. He occasionally posts pictures of his games, achievements, and family.
Instagram: 1.6 million followers
View this post on Instagram
Twitter: 439.2K followers
Popularity Graph
This is the popularity graph of Gabriel Martinelli.
He was searched for his upcoming game in the 2022 World Cup. He was highlighted for receiving two yellow cards during the match against the Wolves.
Gabriel Martinelli | FAQs
Is Gabriel Martinelli Italian?
Gabriel Martinelli was born in Brazil and is of Italian descent through his father.
Who scouted Gabriel Martinelli?
Francis Cagigao, Arsenal’s head of recruitment, scouted Gabriel Martinelli.
What happened to Gabriel Martinelli?
Gabriel Martinelli injured himself during the warm-up against Newcastle in January 2021. Later, arsenal confirmed that Gabriel had turned his ankle and was replaced by Reiss Nelson.
Will Gabriel Martinelli return from injury?
According to sources, Gabriel is recovering very well, and it is assumed that he will return to full training with the squad super soon.
Can Gabriel Martinelli speak English?
Yes, Gabriel Martinelli can speak English, but he is not fluent enough to do interviews. He said, “I can manage some English. But to give interviews is difficult”.
Also Read About Jonathan Vilma Bio: Wife, Career, Net Worth & ESPN
