- Gabriel Martinelli is a Brazilian professional footballer with Italian ancestry through his father, Joao Martinelli
- He is currently dating a medical student called Isabella Rousso
- The 23-year-old Brazilian forward has been playing football for the Brazilian national team and his performances have earned him a spot as a member of the Brazilian squad for the 2022 FIFA World Cup
Brazilian footballer Gabriel Martinelli has played for quite a number of clubs including Arsenal and Ituano. The forward was born and raised in Guarulhos Martinelli where he started his football career.
With the support of his family and girlfriend, Isabella Rousso, the 23-year-old Brazilian forward represents Brazil at the international level. During the 2020 Summer Olympics, he assisted his team in winning an Olympic Gold in men’s football.
Gabriel Martinelli’s Early Life and Background
The football player was born Gabriel Teodoro Martinelli Silva on June 18, 2001, in Guarulhos, Brazil. He is originally from Guarulhos but has roots in Italy through his father, Joao Martinelli. He grew up alongside his older brother Vinicius Teodoro and his sisters.
Growing up in the suburb of the Guarulhos, Gabriel fell in love with playing football and so he lacked interest in his studies. At the early age of 6, his father enrolled him at a school where he could also play football. He was soon spotted by football scouts.
As soon as he joined the special division of the Metropolitan Championship, he scored 66 goals and another 56 in the state Gold Series. Upon reaching his 202 goals for Corinthians, he was called by the fourth division team Ituano FC in 2015. After joining the club, he became the youngest player to debut professionally for the club.
Meet His Parents
While details about Joaoa Martinelli and his wife are scarce, it is well known that they have supported their son’s dreams even from childhood. In a recent post, Gabriel revealed that when he was only 7 years old, his father assured him he to win the world cup at the age of 21.
Even when he moved to London, the talented forward revealed his parents moved with him.
Is Gabriel Martinelli Dating Isabella?
From all indications, the Arsenal player is currently dating Isabella Russo. This has been confirmed by the player who has shared several photos of himself and Isabella on his social media handles.
Isabella is a medical student as well as a big fan of Martinelli. The couple has been spotted in several places together. Some of the places the lovebirds have traveled to include the Brazilian Island of Fernando de Noronha and Dubai’s Burj Al Arab.
Gabriel Martinelli’s girlfriend is often seen modeling Arsenal’s kits.
Although the exact time the duo started dating is not certain, it has been reported that they have been together for more than a year. In the past, Gabriel has been linked to other women such as Rachel Akemy.
Read Also: Alejandro Balde Martínez: 10 Unknown Facts About The Footballer
Other Interesting Facts about Gabriel Martinelli
1. The Guarulhos-born Football Player Made His Professional Debut in 2017
Following a successful amateur career, Gabriel Martinelli signed a contract on November 4, 2017, with Ituano’s senior team. He made his professional debut on March 17 in a 2-1 win against Sao Bento. At that time, he was only 16 years and nine months which made him the youngest player to play for the club in the century.
Having made his debut, the player scored his first senior goal on September 8, 2018, in a win against Taboao da Serra with that he was promoted to the first team. During the 2019 Campeonato Paulista, he scored six goals which later made him the club’s top goalscorer.
Gabriel Martinelli soon became a subject of interest for many clubs. He subsequently signed a long-term contract with Premier League club Arsenal on 2 July 2019 for a reported fee of £6 million.
His impressive performances make earned him the title of Player of the Month in October 2019 just a couple of months after joining the team. Also, he became the first teenager to reach double figures in a season for Arsenal and the said goal later became the goal of the season.
On July 3, 2020, he renewed his contract until 2024. On August 5, 2022, Martinelli became the first Brazilian to score a season-opening goal of a Premier League campaign after scoring for his team in their 2-1 away win at Crystal Palace.
On the international level, Gabriel has been equally doing quite well. On November 2022, he was named to the squad for the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
2. He Holds a Dual Citizenship
Although he was born in Brazil, Gabriel is of Italian descent through his father. For that reason, he holds dual Brazilian-Italian citizenship. Thanks to this, he was deemed qualified for an Italian passport which made him eligible to play for Arsenal.
3. Gabriel Martinelli is a Versatile Player
According to reports, the Brazilian player has the ability to adapt to many playing positions. He is known for his pace and dribbling ability. The aforementioned is one of his many tactics for creating goals or scoring goals.
4. Besides Football, Gabriel Martinelli Has Been Featured in a Docuseries
The former Ituano player has been involved in the Amazon Original sports docuseries All or Nothing: Arsenal. The series documented the relationship between the coaching staff and the players on or off the field for the 2021-22 season.
5. What is His Net Worth?
With a current market value of €60.00 million, Gabriel’s contract with Arsenal includes an annual salary of £4,680,000. His base salary and cap hit still remain at £4,680,000. For the year 2021-22, he earns about £90,000 weekly. Therefore, his net worth is estimated to be around $1.2 million.
Besides his salary as a professional footballer, he has other brand endorsements and sponsorship that can increase his earnings. His outfitter is currently Adidas.
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