Gabriel Pires

Last updated

Gabriel Pires
Gabriel 2 Benfica-Zenit UCL201920.jpg
Gabriel playing for Benfica in 2019
Personal information
Full name Gabriel Appelt Pires
Date of birth (1993-09-18) 18 September 1993 (age 32)
Place of birth Resende, Brazil
Height 1.87 m (6 ft 2 in)
Position Midfielder
Team information
Current team
Portuguesa
Youth career
2008–2011 Resende
2012 Juventus
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps(Gls)
2011 Resende 14 (1)
2012–2016 Juventus 0 (0)
2012–2013Pro Vercelli (loan) 25 (1)
2013–2014Spezia (loan) 18 (0)
2014Pescara (loan) 16 (0)
2015Livorno (loan) 17 (1)
2015–2016Leganés (loan) 37 (7)
2016–2018 Leganés 53 (10)
2018–2024 Benfica 59 (3)
2021–2022Al-Gharafa (loan) 18 (5)
2022–2023Botafogo (loan) 28 (3)
2024–2025 Fluminense 8 (0)
2025 Panserraikos 8 (1)
2026– Portuguesa 0 (0)
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 21:49, 25 October 2025 (UTC)

Gabriel Appelt Pires (born 18 September 1993), sometimes known simply as Gabriel (Brazilian Portuguese: [ɡabɾiˈew] ), is a Brazilian professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Portuguesa.

Contents

Club career

Resende

Born in Resende, Rio de Janeiro, Gabriel and his older brother Guilherme started each of their careers at Resende; Gabriel signed his first contract on 23 July 2010. [1] He played his first senior season with the club during the 2011 Campeonato Carioca, the regional league in the state of Rio. [2]

Juventus and loans

In April 2011, Italian newspaper, Tuttosport reported that Juventus signed both Gabriel and Guilherme, [3] [4] however due to bureatic reasons, Gabriel couldn't move to Italy until after his 18th birthday. In January 2012 Gabriel officially signed with the Italian club for a fee of 2 million, though the deal had virtually been complete since 21 April 2011. [5] After joining the Italian side, Gabriel joined the club's youth academy [6] and played the remaining half-season for Juventus' reserve during the 2011–12 season. [7]

On 30 August 2012, Gabriel was sent on a season-long loan deal to Serie B newcomer Pro Vercelli, another Piedmont-based team, [8] along with Juventus teammate, Alberto Masi. He made his Serie B debut on 9 September 2012, as a 61st-minute substitute in a 1–2 home loss against Livorno. He made his first start on 15 September against Sassuolo, and went on to start the next ten league matches prior to suffering a major injury on 10 November 2012, in a home match against Modena. After four months on the sidelines, Gabriel returned to Pro Vercelli's starting lineup on 2 March 2013, in a 1–1 away draw at Juve Stabia. He remained in the club's starting lineup for the remainder of the campaign, making 25 league appearances and scoring one league goal.

Gabriel returned to Juventus on 30 June 2013 and two months later, he was sent out on another season-long loan deal to Serie B side Spezia on 26 August 2013. [9] He made 19 league appearances for the club.

On 23 July 2014, Gabriel signed with Serie B side Pescara on a season-long loan deal along with teammate Vincenzo Fiorillo. [10] He appeared in 17 matches for the club, scoring once.

Leganés

On 4 August 2015, Gabriel was loaned to Spanish Segunda División side CD Leganés, in a season-long deal. [11] He made his debut for the club on 6 September, coming on as a late substitute for Lluís Sastre in a 1–1 home draw against Real Zaragoza.

Gabriel scored his first goal for Lega on 17 October 2015, netting his team's second in a 2–2 draw against Girona FC. He contributed with 37 appearances and seven goals during the campaign, as his side achieved promotion to La Liga for the first time ever.

On 17 June 2016, Gabriel signed a permanent three-year deal with the Madrid side, who activated his buyout clause for €1 million fee. [12] [13] He made his debut in the main category of Spanish football on 22 August 2016, starting in a 1–0 away win against Celta de Vigo. [14]

Gabriel scored his first goal in the top tier on 17 September 2016, but in a 1–5 home loss against FC Barcelona. [15] The following 8 August, he renewed his contract until 2021. [16]

Benfica

On 27 August 2018, Gabriel was transferred to Portuguese side S.L. Benfica, signing a five-year contract. [17] He made his debut for the club on 15 September, coming on as a substitute for Pizzi at the 70th minute of a 2–1 home victory over Rio Ave in the Taça da Liga. [18] Four days later, he made his UEFA Champions League debut, replacing Eduardo Salvio on the 62nd minute of a 2–0 defeat to Bayern Munich at the Estádio da Luz. [19] Four days later, Gabriel made his Primeira Liga debut, playing the full 90 minutes in a 2–0 home victory over Desportivo das Aves. [20]

Gabriel scored his first goal for Benfica on 6 February 2019, the opener in a 2–1 home win over rivals Sporting CP in the first hand of the Taça de Portugal semifinal. [21] That season, he scored once in 33 appearances in all competitions for the Eagles, helping the club lift the Primeira Liga trophy. [22]

Al-Gharafa (loan)

On 28 September 2021, after three years representing Benfica, Gabriel was loaned to Qatari side Al-Gharafa for the 2021–22 season. [23] He made his debut on 2 October, playing the full 90 minutes in a 2–0 home loss to Qatar SC. [24] His first goal for the club came in 26 October, the opener in a 5–0 home win over Al-Khor. [25] On 7 April 2022, Gabriel made his AFC Champions League debut, starting in a 0–0 draw away at Iranian side Foolad. [26] That season, he scored 7 goals in 32 appearances for Al-Gharafa, helping the club reach the Amir Cup final, where they lost 5–1 to Al-Duhail. [27]

Botafogo (loan)

On 12 August 2022, Benfica sent Gabriel on loan to Brazilian side Botafogo until 30 June 2023, with an option to extend the loan until the end of the year. [28] Nine days later, he made his debut for the club, in the Série A, away at Juventude; 3 minutes after coming on as a substitute for Carlos Eduardo in the second half, Gabriel scored, leading to a 2–2 draw.

In April 2023, Botafogo announced their intention to activate the clause that extended Gabriel's loan until the end of the year. [29] The loan was officially extended the following June. [30] At the end of the 2023 season, Gabriel returned to his parent club Benfica. [31]

Fluminense

On 18 January 2024, Benfica announced that Gabriel's contract had been terminated by mutual agreement. [32] Two days later, he signed a two-year deal with Série A club Fluminense. [33]

On 25 December 2024, after just eight matches and struggling with injuries, Gabriel rescinded with Flu. [34]

Panserraikos

Shortly after leaving Fluminense, Gabriel was announced as the new signing of Super League Greece side Panserraikos. [35] On 13 June 2025, he terminated his link with the club, after one goal in 11 matches. [36]

Portuguesa

On 23 October 2025, Gabriel was announced at Portuguesa for the upcoming season, signing a one-year contract. [37]

Career statistics

As of 25 October 2025 [38]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
ClubSeasonLeagueState League [a] National Cup [b] League Cup [c] ContinentalOtherTotal
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Resende 2011 Campeonato Carioca 141141
Pro Vercelli 2012–13 Serie B 251251
Spezia 2013–14 Serie B180180
Pescara 2014–15 Serie B16020180
Livorno 2014–15 Serie B171171
Leganés (loan) 2015–16 Segunda División 37731408
Leganés 2016–17 La Liga 34520365
2017–18 29561356
Total1001711211119
Benfica 2018–19 Primeira Liga 17051308 [d] 0331
2019–20 22241105 [e] 01 [f] 0333
2020–21 20140107 [g] 0321
Total5931325020010985
Al-Gharafa (loan) 2021–22 Qatar Stars League 18541713 [h] 0327
Botafogo (loan) 2022 Série A 142142
2023 160111403 [i] 1342
Total3021114031484
Fluminense 2024 Série A502010000080
Panserraikos 2024–25 Super League Greece 813 [j] 0111
Portuguesa 2026 Série D 000000
Career Total296302723551212614040039
  1. Includes Campeonato Carioca, Campeonato Paulista
  2. Includes Coppa Italia, Copa del Rey, Taça de Portugal, Emir of Qatar Cup and Copa do Brasil
  3. Includes Taça da Liga and Qatari Stars Cup
  4. Four appearances in UEFA Champions League, four appearances in UEFA Europa League
  5. Appearance(s) in UEFA Champions League
  6. Appearance in Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira
  7. Appearance(s) in UEFA Europa League
  8. Appearance(s) in AFC Champions League
  9. Appearance(s) in Copa Sudamericana
  10. Appearance(s) in the relegation play-outs

Honours

Benfica

Fluminense

References

  1. BOLETIM INFORMATIVO DIÁRIO ELETRÔNICO (BID-E) RELAÇÃO PELA DATA 23/07/2010 (in Portuguese) Archived 2014-07-24 at the Wayback Machine
  2. "Brazil - Gabriel - Profile with news, career statistics and history - Soccerway". int.soccerway.com. Retrieved 7 December 2021.
  3. "Blitz Juve, presi Gabriel e Guilherme Appelt Pires". Tuttosport (in Italian). 22 April 2011. Archived from the original on 20 September 2012. Retrieved 17 September 2012.
  4. "Primavera, tutti i movimenti di mercato" (in Italian). Juventus FC. 2 September 2011. Archived from the original on 29 June 2013. Retrieved 6 May 2013.
  5. Relazione finanaziaria semestrale al 31 dicembre 2011 [ permanent dead link ]
  6. "Primavera, fatale ancora il finale" (in Italian). Juventus FC. 31 August 2011. Archived from the original on 16 June 2013. Retrieved 6 May 2013.
  7. "APPELT Gabriel - 1993 - LEGANES - Scheda Tecnica Giocatore (Centrocampista) - Full Soccer". Archived from the original on 5 December 2016. Retrieved 17 September 2012.
  8. "Appelt joins Pro Vercelli". Juventus FC. 30 August 2012. Archived from the original on 2 September 2012. Retrieved 17 September 2012.
  9. "Gabriel Appelt moves on loan to Spezia". Juventus FC. 26 August 2013. Retrieved 2 October 2013.
  10. "UFFICIALE: Pescara, dalla Juve arrivano Fiorillo e Appelt - TUTTOmercatoWEB.com". www.tuttomercatoweb.com (in Italian). Retrieved 7 December 2021.
  11. "El brasileño Gabriel llega al Leganés cedido por la Juventus" [Brazilian Gabriel arrives at Leganés loaned from Juventus] (in Spanish). El Mundo Deportivo. 4 August 2015. Retrieved 4 August 2015.
  12. "RELAZIONE FINANZIARIA ANNUALE AL 30 GIUGNO 2016" (PDF) (in Italian). Juventus F.C. 3 October 2016. Archived from the original (PDF) on 5 October 2016. Retrieved 7 October 2016.
  13. "Gabriel Pires ya es futbolista del C.D. Leganés hasta 2019" [Gabriel Pires already is a C.D. Leganés footballer until 2019] (in Spanish). CD Leganés. 17 June 2016. Archived from the original on 9 August 2016. Retrieved 18 June 2016.
  14. "Estreno de oro del Leganés en Primera" [Golden debut of Leganés in Primera] (in Spanish). Marca. 22 August 2016. Retrieved 22 August 2016.
  15. "Dios quiso que ganara el Barça" [God wanted Barça to win] (in Spanish). Marca. 17 September 2016. Retrieved 17 September 2016.
  16. "Gabriel, renovado hasta 2021" [Gabriel, renewed until 2021] (in Spanish). CD Leganés. 8 August 2017. Archived from the original on 9 August 2017. Retrieved 8 August 2017.
  17. "Welcome, Gabriel!". S.L. Benfica. 27 August 2018. Retrieved 27 August 2018.
  18. SAPO. "SL Benfica vs Rio Ave FC". SAPO Desporto (in Portuguese). Retrieved 5 July 2023.
  19. "Benfica perde frente ao Bayern de Munique". Jornal de Notícias. Retrieved 5 July 2023.
  20. "Benfica dorme sozinho na liderança após jogo agridoce de João Félix (2-0)". www.dn.pt (in European Portuguese). 23 September 2018. Retrieved 5 July 2023.
  21. SAPO. "Benfica 2-1 Sporting: Golos de estreantes colocam Benfica mais perto do regresso ao Jamor". SAPO Desporto (in Portuguese). Retrieved 5 July 2023.
  22. "João Félix e os outros: figuras do Benfica campeão". Maisfutebol (in Portuguese). Retrieved 5 July 2023.
  23. "Oficial: Gabriel emprestado ao Al-Gharafa". www.record.pt (in European Portuguese). Archived from the original on 12 November 2022. Retrieved 5 July 2023.
  24. "Goal of the season? Halfway line goal scored in Qatar League". MARCA. 3 October 2021. Retrieved 5 July 2023.
  25. "Al Gharafa 5-0 Al Khor | QSL". www.qsl.qa. Retrieved 5 July 2023.
  26. "Foolad 0-0 Al Gharafa (Apr 7, 2022) Final Score". ESPN. Retrieved 5 July 2023.
  27. "Luís Castro ganha troféu na despedida do Al-Duhail". www.ojogo.pt (in European Portuguese). 18 March 2022. Retrieved 5 July 2023.
  28. Lusa (12 August 2022). "Benfica empresta médio brasileiro Gabriel ao Botafogo". PÚBLICO (in Portuguese). Retrieved 5 July 2023.
  29. "Gabriel vai continuar no Botafogo (Benfica)". A Bola (in Portuguese). Retrieved 5 July 2023.
  30. "Botafogo segura Gabriel até dezembro". www.record.pt (in European Portuguese). Retrieved 5 July 2023.
  31. "Botafogo não segura Gabriel e médio volta ao Benfica" [Botafogo doesn't hold on to Gabriel and midfielder returns to Benfica]. O Jogo (in Portuguese). 31 December 2023. Retrieved 18 January 2024.
  32. "SL Benfica e Gabriel terminam ligação" [SL Benfica and Gabriel end connection] (in Portuguese). SL Benfica. 18 January 2024. Retrieved 18 January 2024.
  33. "Fluminense acerta a contratação de Gabriel Pires" [Fluminense agrees signing of Gabriel Pires] (in Brazilian Portuguese). Fluminense FC. 20 January 2024. Retrieved 20 January 2024.
  34. "Gabriel Pires rescinde com o Fluminense e acerta com o Panserraikos, da Grécia" [Gabriel Pires rescinds with Fluminense and signs with Panserraikos, from Greece] (in Brazilian Portuguese). ge. 25 December 2024. Retrieved 25 October 2025.
  35. Πανσερραϊκός, μεταγραφές: Ανακοίνωσε την απόκτηση του Γκάμπριελ Πιρές [Panserraikos, transfers: Announced the signing of Gabriel Pires] (in Greek). Sport 24. 25 December 2024. Retrieved 25 October 2025.
  36. Πανσερραϊκός: Παρελθόν από τα “λιοντάρια” ο Πιρές [Panserraikos: Pires is gone from the “lions”] (in Greek). Sport 24. 13 June 2025. Retrieved 25 October 2025.
  37. "Portuguesa anuncia Gabriel Pires, primeiro reforço para 2026" [Portuguesa announce Gabriel Pires, first addition for 2026] (in Brazilian Portuguese). ge. 23 October 2025. Retrieved 25 October 2025.
  38. Gabriel Pires at Soccerway
  39. Benfica 5–0 Sporting Lisbon Soccerway