Gabriel Magalhaes is a Brazilian professional footballer who plays as a centre-back for Premier League club Arsenal and the Brazil national team.
Known for his defensive skills, aerial ability and leadership qualities, he began his career at Avaí in his native Brazil before moving to Lille in France, where he had loan spells at Troyes and Dinamo Zagreb.
He joined Arsenal in 2020 and has since become a key player for the club, winning the FA Cup and Community Shield in his first season.
He also made his debut for the Brazil national team in 2023 and scored one goal in six appearances.
File
- Full name: Gabriel dos Santos Magalhaes
- Date of birth: December 19, 1997
- Age: 27 years old
- Gender: Male
- Place of birth: Sao Paulo, Brazil
- Nationality: Brazilian
- Occupation: Soccer player
- Height: 1.90 m (6 ft 3 in)
- Parents: Marcelo Magalhaes
- Siblings: Vinicius and Mayara
- Spouse: Gabrielle Figueiredo
- Children: Maya
- Relationship Status: Engaged
- Net worth: 22.5 million euros
Early life and education
Gabriel Magalhaes was born on December 19, 1997, in the Pirituba District of São Paulo, Brazil. He is the son of Marcelo Magalhaes, a former footballer who played for Corinthians and Portuguesa.
He has two siblings: an older brother named Vinicius and an older sister named Mayara. He grew up in a humble, devout family and attended a Catholic school. He is now 27 years old.
Gabriel began his football career at the age of 13 when he joined Avaí, a club based in Florianópolis, the capital of the state of Santa Catarina.
At first he struggled with homesickness and returned to São Paulo after a week, but he changed his mind and returned to Avaí after two weeks.
He impressed coaches with his talent and determination and was awarded his first professional contract at the age of 16. He helped the team win promotion to the Brasileiro Série A, the top flight of Brazilian football in 2017.
Personal life
Gabriel Magalhaes is dating Gabrielle Figueiredo, a Brazilian model and influencer. The couple got engaged in September 2021 and had their first child, a daughter named Maya, in April 2022.
They live together in London, where Gabriel plays for Arsenal. Gabriel is a devout Catholic and often posts pictures of his family and faith on social media.
He is also fluent in French after teaching himself French after joining Lille in 2017.
Career
Gabriel Magalhaes joined French club Lille in January 2017, signing a four-and-a-half-year contract.
He played for the Lille II reserve team before being loaned to Troyes, another Ligue 1 side, in July 2017. In a 3–0 loss to Paris Saint-Germain, he made just one appearance for Troyes.
He was then loaned to Croatian club Dinamo Zagreb in January 2018, where he also played just one match, in a 1–0 win over Rijeka.
Gabriel returned to Lille in 2018 and made his debut for the national team on 10 February 2019, in a 2–0 win over Guingamp.
He became a regular starter for Lille during the 2019–20 season, forming a solid partnership with José Fonte in the heart of defence.
He scored his first goal for Lille in a 5–1 win over Paris Saint-Germain on 14 April 2019. He also played in all six of Lille’s Champions League group stage matches, where they faced Valencia, Chelsea and Ajax. He extended his contract with Lille until 2023 on 31 January 2020.
Gabriel Magalhaes attracted the attention of several European clubs, including Napoli, Manchester United and Everton, but he chose to join Arsenal, a Premier League club, on 1 September 2020.
He signed a long-term contract worth £27 million. He made his Arsenal debut on 12 September 2020, in a 3–0 win over Fulham, where he scored the second goal with a header.
He quickly became a key player for Arsenal, winning the FA Cup and Community Shield in his first season. He also signed a new contract with Arsenal until 2027 in October 2022.
Gabriel Magalhaes made his debut for the Brazil national team on 9 September 2023, in a 2–0 win over Peru in a 2022 World Cup qualifier.
He scored his first international goal on 12 October 2023, in a 3–1 win against Venezuela. Since then, he has earned six caps and scored one goal for Brazil.
Prize
Gabriel Magalhaes has won numerous awards and accolades throughout his career, both individually and with his teams. Some of his notable achievements include:
- Brasileiro Série B: 2016 (with Avaí)
- FA Cup: 2020–21 (with Arsenal)
- Community Shield: 2020 (with Arsenal)
- Arsenal Player of the Month: September 2020, October 2020, December 2020
- Premier League Player of the Month: September 2020
- PFA Fans’ Player of the Month: September 2020
- Premier League goal appeal panel: January 2024 (awarded second goal in 5–0 win over Crystal Palace)
Net worth
According to various sources, Gabriel Magalhaes has an estimated net worth of €22.5 million ($23.8 million).
His main source of income is his football career, especially his contract with Arsenal.
Social media
- Instagram name: @_gabrielmagalhaes
- Twitter Username: @biel_m04
