Gabriel Rodrigues dos Santos
Encyclopedia
Gabriel Rodrigues dos Santos (born 5 June 1981 in São Paulo
), commonly known as just Gabriel, is a versatile Brazil
ian football
er, who plays primarily down the right hand side, currently playing for Gremio.
He earned his first full cap for the Brazilian international side
in a friendly win against Guatemala
on 27 April 2005.
He has spent most of his career in his native Brazil, having started in São Paulo
and reaching his peak while playing for Fluminense
in 2005 and 2007. He had a short spell playing for Málaga CF
at Spanish
La Liga
in 2006, but was unable to prevent the club's relegation and returned to play for Cruzeiro
.
After being released by Cruzeiro
on 22 May 2007, Gabriel finally signed for one of his former clubs, Fluminense
, on 25 August 2007. He played an important role in the team's Copa Libertadores performance, ending up as runners up.
On 17 July 2008, he agreed terms with Panathinaikos and costed €1.2 million. He was brought in as the new attacking minded right full back and he proved the expectations wright in his first friendly game against Charleroi
for the pre-season. However, it seems that he needed more work in his defensive game for the European standards. For that reason, Panathinaikos' then manager Henk ten Cate
used Gabriel mainly as a right midfielder or winger in 4–2–3–1 and 4–3–2–1 formations. Gabriel was impressive in his new role, scoring twice in the Greek Super League already (by 9 November) and gaining a place in the starting XI, ahead of the reliable Dimitris Salpigidis
, the wonderkid Sotiris Ninis
, and new transfers such as Lazaros Christodoulopoulos
and Alexandre Cleyton
.
He is a pacey full back with a good sense of the goal and the ability to cut inside or shoot from right outside the area. Currently he plays for Gremio on a loan.
São Paulo
São Paulo is the largest city in Brazil, the largest city in the southern hemisphere and South America, and the world's seventh largest city by population. The metropolis is anchor to the São Paulo metropolitan area, ranked as the second-most populous metropolitan area in the Americas and among...
), commonly known as just Gabriel, is a versatile Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
ian football
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
er, who plays primarily down the right hand side, currently playing for Gremio.
He earned his first full cap for the Brazilian international side
Brazil national football team
The Brazil national football team represents Brazil in international men's football and is controlled by the Brazilian Football Confederation , the governing body for football in Brazil. They are a member of the International Federation of Association Football since 1923 and also a member of the...
in a friendly win against Guatemala
Guatemala national football team
The Guatemala national football team is the association football team representing the country of Guatemala and is controlled by the Federación Nacional de Fútbol de Guatemala. Founded in 1919, it affiliated to FIFA in 1946, and it is a member of CONCACAF....
on 27 April 2005.
He has spent most of his career in his native Brazil, having started in São Paulo
São Paulo Futebol Clube
São Paulo Futebol Clube , commonly known as São Paulo, is a professional football club based in São Paulo, Brazil. They play in the Campeonato Paulista, São Paulo's state league, and the Campeonato Brasileiro Série A or Brasileirão, Brazil's national league, and are one of the only five clubs to...
and reaching his peak while playing for Fluminense
Fluminense Football Club
Fluminense Football Club is a sports club based in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Founded in the beginning of the 20th century as a single-sport institution, Fluminense is today an umbrella organization for several teams in more than 16 different sport activities. The most popular endeavor of Fluminense,...
in 2005 and 2007. He had a short spell playing for Málaga CF
Málaga CF
Málaga Club de Fútbol is a Spanish football club based in Málaga, Andalusia. The team currently plays in Spain's La Liga.Málaga CF is generally seen as the successor to CD Málaga, one of the most historical Andalusian football clubs, by being a near-identical looking football club that even shares...
at Spanish
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
La Liga
La Liga
The Primera División of the Liga Nacional de Fútbol Profesional , commonly known as La Liga or, for sponsorship reasons, Liga BBVA since 2008, is the top professional association football division of the Spanish football league system...
in 2006, but was unable to prevent the club's relegation and returned to play for Cruzeiro
Cruzeiro Esporte Clube
Cruzeiro Esporte Clube is a Brazilian football team, from Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, and are one of the only five clubs to have never been relegated, along with Santos, São Paulo, Flamengo and Internacional. Founded on January 2, 1921, they are only one of three clubs to have participated in...
.
After being released by Cruzeiro
Cruzeiro Esporte Clube
Cruzeiro Esporte Clube is a Brazilian football team, from Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, and are one of the only five clubs to have never been relegated, along with Santos, São Paulo, Flamengo and Internacional. Founded on January 2, 1921, they are only one of three clubs to have participated in...
on 22 May 2007, Gabriel finally signed for one of his former clubs, Fluminense
Fluminense Football Club
Fluminense Football Club is a sports club based in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Founded in the beginning of the 20th century as a single-sport institution, Fluminense is today an umbrella organization for several teams in more than 16 different sport activities. The most popular endeavor of Fluminense,...
, on 25 August 2007. He played an important role in the team's Copa Libertadores performance, ending up as runners up.
On 17 July 2008, he agreed terms with Panathinaikos and costed €1.2 million. He was brought in as the new attacking minded right full back and he proved the expectations wright in his first friendly game against Charleroi
R. Charleroi S.C.
Sporting du Pays de Charleroi is a Belgian football club based in the city of Charleroi, in the province of Hainaut. Charleroi plays in the Belgian Pro League and their current spell at the highest level in Belgian football has started in the 1985–86 season...
for the pre-season. However, it seems that he needed more work in his defensive game for the European standards. For that reason, Panathinaikos' then manager Henk ten Cate
Henk ten Cate
Henk ten Cate is a Dutch football manager and a former professional player.In the 2005–06 season, he was the assistant of Frank Rijkaard at Barcelona that guided the team to a Champions League Trophy and La Liga title...
used Gabriel mainly as a right midfielder or winger in 4–2–3–1 and 4–3–2–1 formations. Gabriel was impressive in his new role, scoring twice in the Greek Super League already (by 9 November) and gaining a place in the starting XI, ahead of the reliable Dimitris Salpigidis
Dimitris Salpigidis
Dimitris Salpigidis Dimitris Salpigidis Dimitris Salpigidis (Greek: Δημήτρης Σαλπιγγίδης, (born 18 August 1981, Thessaloniki) is a Greek football striker. He plays for PAOK FC and the Greek national team.-Playing career:...
, the wonderkid Sotiris Ninis
Sotiris Ninis
Sotiris Ninis is a Greek footballer currently playing for Panathinaikos. Ninis is of Greek descent, and a member of the Greek national team. He was born in Albania to Greek parents...
, and new transfers such as Lazaros Christodoulopoulos
Lazaros Christodoulopoulos
Lazaros Christodoulopoulos is a Greek footballer currently playing for Panathinaikos FC.Christodoulopoulos is considered one of the most promising young players in Greece. He is member of the Greek national team...
and Alexandre Cleyton
Alexandre Silva Cleyton
Alexandre Henri Marco Silva Cleyton is a Brazilian born Greek footballer who plays for Panathinaikos.Cleyton is one of few footballers in Greece to have a dual passport, one of Brazilian and one of Greek which he received on 13 November 2009, after spending 7 years in Greece which is what is...
.
He is a pacey full back with a good sense of the goal and the ability to cut inside or shoot from right outside the area. Currently he plays for Gremio on a loan.
Honours
- Tournament Rio – São Paulo: 2001
- São Paulo State League: 2002
- Rio de Janeiro's Cup: 2005
- Rio de Janeiro State League: 2005
Panathinaikos
- Super League GreeceSuper League GreeceThe Superleague Greece is the highest professional football league in Greece. It was formed on July 16, 2006 and replaced Alpha Ethniki at the top of the Greek football league system. The league consists of 16 teams and runs from August to May, with teams playing 30 games each...
: 2009–10 - Greek Football CupGreek football CupThe Greek Football Cup , commonly known as the Greek Cup or for sponsorship reasons the Football Cup OPAP, is a Greek football competition, run by the Hellenic Football Federation....
: 2010