Gabriel dos Santos Magalhães

Gabriel Magalhães is a Brazilian professional footballer who anchors the defense for Premier League club Arsenal and the Brazil National Team.

Player Profile and Personal Life

Gabriel dos Santos Magalhães was born on December 19, 1997, in São Paulo, Brazil. The imposing centre-back stands 190 cm (6 ft 3 in) tall.

Despite launching his career at Avaí, he is a lifelong supporter of Corinthians and has frequently expressed a childhood dream to play for the São Paulo-based club, often attending matches at the Neo Química Arena during his holidays.

He is the cousin of fellow professional footballer Denner. In his personal life, he wed Gabrielle Figueiredo in June 2023, and the couple shares a daughter named Maya, born in March 2022.

Career

Gabriel's professional journey began at Avaí, where he emerged from the youth ranks to help the team achieve promotion to the Brazilian top flight in 2016. His potential attracted European interest, leading to a move to French side Lille.

His early years in Europe included loan spells at Troyes and Croatian giants Dinamo Zagreb, where he picked up league and cup silverware. Upon returning to Lille, he established himself as a starter before securing a high-profile transfer to Arsenal in 2020 for a fee of £27 million.

Since arriving in North London, Gabriel has evolved into a cornerstone of the Arsenal defense. His consistent performances and goal-scoring threat from set-pieces have earned him widespread acclaim, including back-to-back selections in the PFA Premier League Team of the Year for the 2023–24 and 2024–25 seasons.

On the international stage, Gabriel made his senior debut for the Seleção in 2023. He quickly became an important figure for the National Team, scoring his first goal for his country during the qualification campaign for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Team Honors

• 2017–2018 - Prva HNL, Dinamo Zagreb
• 2017–2018 - Croatian Cup, Dinamo Zagreb
• 2023 - FA Community Shield, Arsenal

Individual Honors

• 2023–2024 - PFA Team of the Year (Premier League)
• 2023–2024 - The Athletic Premier League Team of the Season
• 2024–2025 - PFA Team of the Year (Premier League)
• 2024–2025 - The Athletic Premier League Team of the Season
• 2025 - Arsenal FC Player of the Month (October)