Biography
Who is Gabriel Barbosa?
Early life and career beginnings
Born in São Bernardo do Campo, Brazil, Gabriel Barbosa began his path in football by joining the youth setup of Santos F.C. In 2004 at the age of 8. His ability to score goals frequently with the youth teams earned him his popular nickname, Gabigol. By September 2012, he signed his first professional contract with the club, which included a buyout clause of 50 million euros.
He made his first team debut in January 2013 during a friendly match against Grêmio Barueri. Later that year, he made his league debut against Flamengo. His first professional goal arrived in August 2013 during a Copa do Brasil match against Grêmio. Throughout his development at Santos, he established himself as a primary scoring threat, eventually leading the team in goals during the 2015 season and earning recognition as one of the top young talents in world football.
Success with Flamengo
After stints in Europe with Inter Milan and a loan spell at Benfica, Gabriel Barbosa returned to Brazil. In 2019, he joined Flamengo on loan. This move proved highly successful, as he became a central figure for the club. He helped Flamengo win the 2019 Campeonato Carioca and scored two decisive goals in the final minutes of the 2019 Copa Libertadores final against River Plate. That same year, he finished as the top scorer in the Brasileirão, becoming the first player since 1995 to lead the league in scoring for two consecutive years.
Flamengo secured a permanent transfer for the striker in early 2020. During his time with the team, he continued to break records, including becoming the youngest player to reach 100 goals in the Campeonato Brasileiro Série A in September 2022. By mid-2023, he reached the milestone of 150 total goals for Flamengo, placing him among the top contributors in the history of the club.
International play and recent developments
Gabriel Barbosa has represented Brazil at multiple youth levels, including the under-15, under-17, under-20, and under-23 teams. He was part of the squad that secured a gold medal at the 2016 Olympic tournament. At the senior level, he played 18 games for the Brazil men's national football team between 2016 and 2022, scoring five goals. He participated in two editions of the Copa América, helping the team finish as runners-up in 2021.
His career faced a legal challenge in 2024 when the Brazilian Doping Control Authority suspended him for two years due to accusations of anti-doping fraud related to a test conducted in 2023. Gabriel denied these claims, stating he never attempted to obstruct any testing process. Following an appeal, the Court of Arbitration for Sport stayed the ban in April 2024, allowing him to continue his professional career. In early 2025, he signed a contract with Cruzeiro, and in 2026, he began a third loan spell with Santos.
Birthday and age
Gabriel Barbosa was born on August 30, 1996, which makes Gabriel 30 years old today. That birthday falls under the Virgo sign. Gabriel shares the date with 51 other famous people.
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