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What religion is Gabriel Martinelli?
Gabriel Martinelli is a Brazilian professional footballer who is a devout Christian.
Gabriel Martinelli plays as a forward or left winger for Saudi Pro League club Al-Hilal and the Brazil national team. He began his youth career at Corinthians in 2010 before moving to Ituano in 2015. In July 2019, he signed with Arsenal for a reported fee of £6 million, where he went on to win the Premier League, the FA Cup, and the FA Community Shield. In September 2026, he joins Al-Hilal in a £60 million deal. Martinelli has also represented Brazil at various youth and senior levels, notably playing at the 2022 FIFA World Cup, 2024 Copa América, and 2026 World Cup.
Saudi contract
In September 2026, Gabriel Martinelli signed a 4-year contract with the Saudi club, Al-Hilal. The deal comes with a staggering weekly salary, exceeding £330,000. This works out to around $23 million (€20 million) per year and makes him one of the highest-paid stars at the club. Most importantly, his salary in Saudi Arabia is 100% tax-free, meaning that over his four seasons playing for Al-Hilal, he will earn roughly $92 million without paying a dime in taxes.
Early life
Gabriel Teodoro Martinelli Silva was born on June 18, 2001, in Guarulhos, São Paulo, Brazil, and is of Italian descent through his father. He began his youth career in 2010 at age nine, playing futsal for Corinthians. In 2014, his family relocated to the city of Itu after his father found a job there, prompting Martinelli to leave Corinthians for Ituano’s academy the following year. He signed his first professional contract with Ituano in 2017.
Club career
Martinelli made his full senior debut for Ituano in March 2018 during the Campeonato Paulista, coming on as a substitute in a 2–1 win over São Bento at the age of 16 years and nine months to become the club’s youngest debutant of the century. Earlier that year in January, he had impressed in the Copa São Paulo de Futebol Júnior, scoring six goals in four matches to help Ituano reach the knockout stages. Martinelli’s rapid rise drew interest from elite European clubs, leading to a trial with Manchester United, as well as scouting from Real Madrid and Barcelona before Arsenal ultimately secured his signature.
Arsenal
On 2 July 2019, Martinelli transferred from Ituano to Arsenal for a reported fee of €7.1 million. He made his first-team debut on 11 August 2019, coming on as a substitute for Henrikh Mkhitaryan in a 1–0 win over Newcastle United, and scored his first goal for the club that September against Nottingham Forest in the EFL Cup. He finished his debut season with 10 goals in 26 appearances across all competitions.
Martinelli subsequently developed into a first-team regular under manager Mikel Arteta, becoming a focal point of Arsenal’s attack alongside Bukayo Saka and Kai Havertz. He went on to win the Premier League title with the club during the 2025–26 season, along with an FA Community Shield. By August 2026, he had made 191 appearances for Arsenal, scoring 41 goals, and had cemented himself as one of the club’s longest-serving players of his generation.
Al-Hilal
On 3 September 2026, Martinelli completed a permanent transfer to Saudi Pro League side Al-Hilal from Arsenal. The transfer is a total package worth €70 million, making it a new club-record sale for Arsenal. The deal also includes a secured sell-on clause.
International career
Martinelli represented Brazil’s under-23 team at the delayed 2020 Tokyo Olympics in the summer of 2021, featuring regularly to help the squad secure the Olympic gold medal. He received his first call-up to the senior Brazil national team in March 2022, making his international debut on 24 March 2022 as a second-half substitute during a 4–0 FIFA World Cup qualification victory against Chile. Despite some initial public skepticism in Brazil regarding his selection over alternative attacking options, manager Tite included Martinelli in the final 26-man roster for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar. He made three appearances at the tournament, featuring as a substitute against Serbia and South Korea alongside a starting role during the group-stage fixture against Cameroon.
Martinelli scored his first senior international goal on 16 November 2023 during a World Cup qualification match against Colombia. After representing Brazil at the 2024 Copa América in the United States, he was selected by head coach Carlo Ancelotti for the 2026 FIFA World Cup squad. He featured alongside domestic teammates during the final tournament in North America, recording his first minutes of the campaign as a second-half substitute during a 3–0 group-stage victory against Haiti and subsequently scoring a decisive goal against Japan in the knockout stages.
Personal life
In July 2026, Martinelli married Isabella Rousso, whom he had first proposed to in March 2025.
Martinelli holds dual Brazilian and Italian citizenship through his father’s side and said in 2020 that he would consider representing Italy internationally if he continued to be overlooked by Brazil.