Interview

Electric relaxation

Fizzing forward Gabriel Martinelli tells us all about how spends his downtime and sheds light on how Mikel Arteta has turned Arsenal into European titans again

INTERVIEW Caroline De Moraes | WORDS Dom Hogan

Watching a footballer through the television every week, it’s easy to kid yourself that you know everything about them.

Take Gabriel Martinelli for example. One of the world’s most effervescent and energetic players, the Arsenal forward is best found sprinting up and down the left side like a blur, often to devastating effect.

With six goals and an assist in the Champions League at a rate of one goal contribution every 55 minutes this season, the Brazilian forward has been something of a hurricane in European competition. It’s best to just get out the way.

As such, you begin to form an idea of what this young man might be like as a person. Images of a Tasmanian Devil-style character at school who just won’t sit still, constantly dashing around the room, come to mind, but that all flies just as quickly out the window when he explains how he spends his down time.

“I like to fish,” he says, prompting a questioning double-take. “I do, a lot! Ever since I was little I went fishing with my dad. I’ve never caught a very big fish because I don’t go fishing in open waters, just in rivers. But I’ve always loved it, since I was young.

“Nowadays, when I go to Brazil I always go fishing with my friends or with my dad, and go kite fishing. The only thing that could take me away from football was kite fishing. I couldn’t wait for the summer holidays, and I would spend the entire day outside kite fishing.

“When I’m in Brazil, I try to gather all my friends and go kite fishing, and then have a barbecue, and have everyone together. I don’t have that many chances of being with all of them, and sometimes it’s impossible to get everyone together because they work and have their own lives, of course.”

Though it’s amusing to imagine this bundle of irresistible energy sat still for hours in wait of a nibble, that’s not to say that the 24-year-old is a complete surprise package.

For one, growing up in São Paulo as the son of a die-hard Corinthians fan, Martinelli had more or less a ubiquitous Brazilian childhood. In other words, one dominated entirely by football.

“My dad always dreamed of taking me to Corinthians, so naturally I did too from a young age. I joined Corinthians at six, and then when I was 13 I joined Ituano in Itu, about 100km away, where my parents still live, so every time I go to Brazil I visit them there. I have a lot of affection for the city and for the club,” he explains.

“I then joined Arsenal when I turned 18, so even though my time at Ituano was short, it was very good. At that age, you don’t really think much about becoming a player, you just want to enjoy the moment. There’s school, friends, football. Time goes by very quickly.

Watching a footballer through the television every week, it’s easy to kid yourself that you know everything about them.

Though it’s amusing to imagine this bundle of irresistible energy sat still for hours in wait of a nibble, that’s not to say that the 24-year-old is a complete surprise package.

For one, growing up in São Paulo as the son of a die-hard Corinthians fan, Martinelli had more or less a ubiquitous Brazilian childhood. In other words, one dominated entirely by football.

Read the full story

Sign up now to get access to this and every premium feature on Champions Journal. You will also get access to member-only competitions and offers. And you get all of that completely free!

Watching a footballer through the television every week, it’s easy to kid yourself that you know everything about them.

Though it’s amusing to imagine this bundle of irresistible energy sat still for hours in wait of a nibble, that’s not to say that the 24-year-old is a complete surprise package.

For one, growing up in São Paulo as the son of a die-hard Corinthians fan, Martinelli had more or less a ubiquitous Brazilian childhood. In other words, one dominated entirely by football.

“A lot has changed at the club since I arrived, but the most noticeable for everyone has been our performances on the pitch”

Gabriel Martinelli

“Things happen very quickly. The good memories remain in my mind, and in my family’s too. It’s nice, sometimes, to sit with everyone and remember the old times, to look at photos of the moments we shared – doing that, memories you had forgotten all come back.

“You feel nostalgic about being in Brazil, being younger, training and matches, going to school and being with your friends when you had no responsibilities. It was a lovely time, but it’s incredibly rewarding to have gone through all of that, to have had my family with me the whole time, in every moment of my life.”

Having joined Arsenal in 2019, Martinelli is now the second-longest serving player in the senior team, behind only academy product Bukayo Saka. So when it comes to talking about Arsenal’s resurgence, there aren’t many better placed than the Brazil international.

“A lot has changed at the club since I arrived, but the most noticeable for everyone has been our performances on the pitch,” the scintillating forward says.

“I was 18 when I arrived, now I’m 24. It’s a privilege for me and my family to be part of the evolution of such a big club. Arsenal is like family to me, I feel at home here. Of course, São Paulo will always be my home, but London and Arsenal definitely hold a very significant place in my heart.”

In almost seven years since his arrival, Martinelli has been a near ever-present in Arsenal’s dramatic turnaround in fortunes. From recruitment – both on the pitch and off it – to performances, the Gunners are enjoying great success and consistency, which they hope will lead them to at least one trophy this season.

But there’s no denying the architect of that revival. After guiding Arsenal back into the Champions League, Mikel Arteta has picked up plenty of well-deserved plaudits for his work.

“I think, the way he got it into everyone’s head – the players, everyone at the training ground, the fans – that Arsenal is one of the biggest clubs in the world and must look to be in every competition and win them. Since his first day, that was his main message,” says Martinelli of his boss’ impact.

“Turning our fortunes around, from the situation we were in when he arrived to where we are now, was obviously not easy. The difference is that what we show on the pitch isn’t easy to achieve.

“So, I think the credit should very much go to him for making this change, for instilling into everyone’s head from day one that we have to fight for titles.”

After a flawless league phase campaign – conceding just four goals – it’s fair to say that they’re showing every sign of doing just that in the Champions League this season.

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Interview

Electric relaxation

Fizzing forward Gabriel Martinelli tells us all about how spends his downtime and sheds light on how Mikel Arteta has turned Arsenal into European titans again

INTERVIEW Caroline De Moraes | WORDS Dom Hogan

Watching a footballer through the television every week, it’s easy to kid yourself that you know everything about them.

Though it’s amusing to imagine this bundle of irresistible energy sat still for hours in wait of a nibble, that’s not to say that the 24-year-old is a complete surprise package.

For one, growing up in São Paulo as the son of a die-hard Corinthians fan, Martinelli had more or less a ubiquitous Brazilian childhood. In other words, one dominated entirely by football.

Read the full story

Sign up now to get access to this and every premium feature on Champions Journal. You will also get access to member-only competitions and offers. And you get all of that completely free!

“A lot has changed at the club since I arrived, but the most noticeable for everyone has been our performances on the pitch”

Gabriel Martinelli

“A lot has changed at the club since I arrived, but the most noticeable for everyone has been our performances on the pitch,” the scintillating forward says.

But there’s no denying the architect of that revival. After guiding Arsenal back into the Champions League, Mikel Arteta has picked up plenty of well-deserved plaudits for his work.

“Turning our fortunes around, from the situation we were in when he arrived to where we are now, was obviously not easy. The difference is that what we show on the pitch isn’t easy to achieve.

“So, I think the credit should very much go to him for making this change, for instilling into everyone’s head from day one that we have to fight for titles.”

After a flawless league phase campaign – conceding just four goals – it’s fair to say that they’re showing every sign of doing just that in the Champions League this season.

Interview

Electric relaxation

Fizzing forward Gabriel Martinelli tells us all about how spends his downtime and sheds light on how Mikel Arteta has turned Arsenal into European titans again

INTERVIEW Caroline De Moraes | WORDS Dom Hogan

Watching a footballer through the television every week, it’s easy to kid yourself that you know everything about them.

Though it’s amusing to imagine this bundle of irresistible energy sat still for hours in wait of a nibble, that’s not to say that the 24-year-old is a complete surprise package.

For one, growing up in São Paulo as the son of a die-hard Corinthians fan, Martinelli had more or less a ubiquitous Brazilian childhood. In other words, one dominated entirely by football.

Watching a footballer through the television every week, it’s easy to kid yourself that you know everything about them.

Though it’s amusing to imagine this bundle of irresistible energy sat still for hours in wait of a nibble, that’s not to say that the 24-year-old is a complete surprise package.

For one, growing up in São Paulo as the son of a die-hard Corinthians fan, Martinelli had more or less a ubiquitous Brazilian childhood. In other words, one dominated entirely by football.

Read the full story

Sign up now to get access to this and every premium feature on Champions Journal. You will also get access to member-only competitions and offers. And you get all of that completely free!

Watching a footballer through the television every week, it’s easy to kid yourself that you know everything about them.

Though it’s amusing to imagine this bundle of irresistible energy sat still for hours in wait of a nibble, that’s not to say that the 24-year-old is a complete surprise package.

For one, growing up in São Paulo as the son of a die-hard Corinthians fan, Martinelli had more or less a ubiquitous Brazilian childhood. In other words, one dominated entirely by football.

“A lot has changed at the club since I arrived, but the most noticeable for everyone has been our performances on the pitch”

Gabriel Martinelli

“A lot has changed at the club since I arrived, but the most noticeable for everyone has been our performances on the pitch,” the scintillating forward says.

But there’s no denying the architect of that revival. After guiding Arsenal back into the Champions League, Mikel Arteta has picked up plenty of well-deserved plaudits for his work.

“Turning our fortunes around, from the situation we were in when he arrived to where we are now, was obviously not easy. The difference is that what we show on the pitch isn’t easy to achieve.

“So, I think the credit should very much go to him for making this change, for instilling into everyone’s head from day one that we have to fight for titles.”

After a flawless league phase campaign – conceding just four goals – it’s fair to say that they’re showing every sign of doing just that in the Champions League this season.