Search
21 Oct 2025
Search
21 Oct 2025
Please allow ads as they help fund our trusted local news content.
Kindly add us to your ad blocker whitelist.
If you want further access to Ireland's best local journalism, consider contributing and/or subscribing to our free daily Newsletter .
Support our mission and join our community now.
To continue reading this article, you can subscribe for as little as €0.50 per week which will also give you access to all of our premium content and archived articles!
Alternatively, you can pay €0.50 per article, capped at €1 per day.
Thank you for supporting Ireland's best local journalism!
Gabriel Martinelli has watched previous World Cups surrounded by a festival atmosphere and his extended family – this year however he is aiming to be the cause of their celebrations.
The 21-year-old Arsenal forward was a surprise selection in the Brazil squad for the 2022 finals, even if he is enjoying a fine season for the Gunners.
His five goals and two assists have helped Arsenal to lead the Premier League by five points heading into the break for the World Cup.
Preparação 🇧🇷 pic.twitter.com/MKTJh0qgfY
— Gabriel Martinelli (@gabimartinelli) November 15, 2022
But instead of training with his club-mates he is in Qatar to try and help Brazil win the tournament for a record sixth time.
“When I was watching the World Cup, I was dreaming about it,” he said.
“When the flag is painted on the front of your house, when you have 15 family members in your backyard, the TV is rolled out, there are balloons, fireworks, honking horns, your cousins are running up the stairs and your uncle is at the barbecue … how can you not?
“You are watching the Selecao and you’re thinking; imagine wearing that shirt at a World Cup.”
Even receiving his first call-up earlier this year surprised Martinelli, but such is his journey from the lower tiers of Brazilian football to becoming an integral part of the Premier League’s in-form team that a place at the World Cup soon followed.
“When Tite called me up to the senior squad for the first time back in March, I didn’t know what to say,” Martinelli told the Players’ Tribune.
As a little boy, @gabimartinelli grew up watching Brazil and imagined playing in the World Cup.
Now, his dreams of wearing the yellow shirt are coming true.https://t.co/uU92VtZjcW
— The Players' Tribune (@PlayersTribune) November 18, 2022
“He sent me a text and I swear, I must have read over my reply 20 times. I was terrified of writing something wrong.
“My debut in yellow was at the Maracana of all places. Surreal.
“I remember going into the dressing room and seeing the yellow shirt – MARTINELLI.
“I sent a picture to my parents. My dad wrote back, “Great, kid.”
“When I got called up to the World Cup squad last week, I got that magic feeling all over again.
“When my family gathers in the backyard for this one, I’ll be on the TV screen and we’ll bring home the sixth (World Cup), God willing.”
Subscribe or register today to discover more from DonegalLive.ie
Buy the e-paper of the Donegal Democrat, Donegal People's Press, Donegal Post and Inish Times here for instant access to Donegal's premier news titles.
Keep up with the latest news from Donegal with our daily newsletter featuring the most important stories of the day delivered to your inbox every evening at 5pm.
This publication supports the work of the Press Council of Ireland and Office of the Press Ombudsman, and our staff operate within the Code of Practice of the Press Council. You can obtain a copy of the Code, or contact the Council, at www.presscouncil.ie, Lo-call 1800 208 080 or email: info@presscouncil.ie.
