Brazil boss Tite says Gabriel Martinelli’s high-level performances for Arsenal this season helped earn him a place on the plane to Qatar for the upcoming World Cup.
The 21-year-old’s inclusion on the 26-man list was a big talking point in his homeland given his comparative lack of experience – he only has 81 minutes of senior international football to his name – and the fact it came at the expense of well-known names including Liverpool’s Roberto Firmino and Flamengo’s Gabriel Barbosa.
The news certainly took star man Neymar by surprise. Filming himself watching the announcement at home, the PSG star raised his eyebrows when Martinelli’s name read out.
Later in the day, Tite told Globo Esporte: “Gabriel Martinelli’s role: Outward, winger, aggressive. He’s been one of the highlights at Arsenal, at the top of the Premier League.
“A player of individual plays, of transitions in speed. Who was with us in two call-ups, who’s been maintaining this high level.
“In this competition, we say that these athletes compete at a high level. Others could have been called up, and it would have been fully fair. And there are arguments for others that could be called, that’s also true.
“They are choices. Choosing an athlete that he is… within the characteristics of the team and the model, we need sharp players on the sides. Incisors on the sides. That’s how the team came together. So having these players, which is the case with Martinelli as well.”
While Martinelli may not have many senior caps to his name, he was part of the under-23 squad that won Olympic gold at the Tokyo Olympics. He even scored the decisive penalty in a shootout victory over Mexico at the semi-final stage before spending the final on the bench.
Back in the summer, he talked on the Wrighty’s House podcast about how Qatar 2022 was a long-standing dream:
“It means a lot. I’m trying to do everything to go to the World Cup. Since I was seven, when I started playing football, my dad told me ‘When you turn 21, we will have the World Cup and you are going!’ Every single day he was like ‘2022, hard work!’”
In further good news for Martinelli, he’s expected to sign improved terms at Arsenal in the coming weeks. He’s already hinted as much suggesting he “just needs to get a pen.”
Brazil kick off their World Cup on 24 November against Serbia and will then face Switzerland and Cameroon. They are widely considered the favourites to win the tournament.
Well deserved. He’s so agressive with the ball, always tormenting right/wing backs – just ask the full internationals Alexander Arnold and Azpilicueta.
Firmino and Gabigol are true center forwards, not wingers. So they lost their places to Richarlison, Jesus and Pedro.
You could also say they are molars or pre molars but Tite wanted incisors to cut inside on their stronger foot. I don’t know what the floss is all about players always get dropped
Martinelli running the (root)canals and scoring would surely be a crown on the WC for him.
Or he could be just a filling…I mean fill in.
Didn’t know who Pedro was, watched a few YouTube reels (I know, this is a bad litmus test). But I can see why Firmino lost his place to this guy.
Congratulations to him. It is such a meteoric rise from his days at Ituano. I hope he contributes his bit and comes back unscathed.
I remember that Wrighty’s House episode, and because of that I got goosebumps as soon as I saw the Brazil selection yesterday. Despite the fact that we as Arsenal fans adore him, this was far from a sure thing in the Brazilian context, and it’s not only is it great to see such a hard-working kid living the dream he visualized for so long, but it also makes it clear that he’s exactly where he needs to be to keep on having those dreams come true.
Great player and incredible to be in the World Cup at that age for such a top country. Look forward to him getting that pen to sign his new Arsenal contract.
Yes. Let’s hope he signs asap after the break. Arsenal won’t want it dragging on too long into the new year if possible, and he does seem to be ready to sign from comments to the media.
Martinelli already a star at 21. Potentially a superstar in the making
We don’t sign superstars, we make them !!
It will be interesting to watch Saliba shut him down in the final.
I’d rather they both score in that final
I’m gonna make an outrageous prediction and say Switzerland and Serbia will qualify from that group.
We all love Martinelli but there is no way he starts ahead of Neymar for Brazil. He will probably get some game time from the bench.
Neymar is a 10, but you’re right, Vinicius Jr is probably the starter at LW.
Hoping he won’t be a starter, along with saka saliba partey and any other arsenal player there. Want them back fresh and chomping at the bit to play for that team they call The Arsenal
After injuries and struggles of form this season is pivotal for Gabi. He’s doing all the right things. That’s why he is week in week out in Arsenal shirt, that’s why he will wear glorious yellow and Blue to the finals for Brazil. Now the finals.its gonna be interesting. Saliba vs Gabi? Game on!
Wait… isn’t it coming home?
🤗
Get the man a pen already!
Neyamr is a dick. Excuse my language but these are the type of players who don’t pass others and bully those they don’t like.
He lacks self awareness especially after his Dunga issues.
Neymar raising his eyebrows is a bit disrespectful, he’ll soon find out who the better player is though 👍
Neymar is a prick though.
That video is brilliant tho. WTF.
But with his grandiose pronouncements on the Brazil squad and this patronising shite towards Martinelli, he seems like such a likeable down to earth sorta fella…
Yes, that’s a fair summing up of why he was included in the squad. I think he’s probably got a little more chance of playing than Jesus has at the moment at least if only because the latter hasn’t been in scoring form for a while now (although that may change before the break arrives). We’ll see though – things rarely go to plan for long, selection-wise, in major international tournaments.
I’d rather have Martinelli than Neymar.
Well of course, Martinelli is almost 10 years younger.
We also don’t have to pay an army of sycophants to accompany him everywhere he goes, to kiss his arse and tell him how wonderful he is.
After watching Neymar, I’m left to just say this: Hopp Schwiiz!
I imagine Brazil struggling to break a team down early in the tournament… Neymar diving and sulking and not getting anything. At 70 minutes they throw Martinelli on and he rips the defense to pieces, suddenly everyone realises – Oh yeah, the boy can play!
I can definitely see that happening.
Maybe Tite can also explain why our CB Gabriel is not included
Looking through their squad I would say it was between him and Brema who isn’t well known in England but is regularly spoken of as the best or one of the best CBs in serie A. He looks more confident on the ball then big Gabi on the YouTube. That’s about all I can say about him coz I don’t watch serie A either!