Gabriel Jesus is a new FC Barcelona player. The Brazilian arrives at the Club with a number of interesting facts worth knowing, following a 10-year career in England, during which he won the Premier League title no less than five times, among many other honours.

Born in Jardim Peri

Gabriel Jesus was born on 3 April 1997 in Jardim Peri, a neighbourhood in the northern part of São Paulo. He grew up there with his mother, Vera Lúcia, and his three siblings. His humble background has always been a significant part of his story, and street football played a key role in his development as a player. 

Várzea his first steps in the game 

Before reaching professional football, Gabriel Jesus grew up playing in the culture of the várzea, the neighbourhood and dirt pitches across Brazil that are home to amateur football. The player himself has explained that he could sometimes play three or four matches in a single day. That experience helped him develop his technical ability, his capacity for improvisation, and his competitive character.

Nickname 'Tetinha'

When he was a child, his first coach, Mamede, gave him the nickname "Tetinha". The reason was his way of talking about football: he believed that playing the game and scoring goals were simple things to do. Mamede was an important figure during Gabriel Jesus's early years, and the striker still maintains strong ties with that community today.

54 goals in 48 games

His rise through the youth ranks at Palmeiras was nothing short of spectacular. In his first year at the Brazilian club, he scored 54 goals in 48 matches, before going on to net 37 goals in just 22 games in the Campeonato Paulista U17 competition. Those remarkable statistics quickly established him as one of the brightest young prospects in Brazilian football.

La seva irrupció a les categories inferiors del Palmeiras va ser espectacular. En el seu primer any al club brasiler va marcar 54 gols en 48 partits, mentre que posteriorment va aconseguir 37 dianes en només 22 partits del Campionat Paulista Sub-17. Uns registres que van fer que ràpidament fos considerat una de les grans promeses del futbol brasiler.

Painting the streets of his neighbourhood

One of the most memorable images from his childhood dates back to 2014, when Gabriel Jesus was not yet a global star. Ahead of the FIFA World Cup in Brazil, he helped paint the streets of Jardim Peri in green and yellow to celebrate the tournament. The photograph went viral years later, once the player had established himself on the international stage

The origin of Alô, mãe!

His most iconic goal celebration has a very clear inspiration: his mother. After scoring, Gabriel Jesus often mimics picking up a telephone and waving. It is his personal " Alô, mãe!" (Hello, Mum!), a way of paying tribute to Vera Lúcia, a pivotal figure during his childhood and the person who has always been there for him before matches.

A ritual before games 

His mother also had a very particular pre-match ritual. Vera Lúcia always made sure that her son had drunk his banana and oat smoothie, which she considered a "miracle" recipe for preventing muscle cramps. It was a family tradition that stayed with Gabriel Jesus throughout his early years as a professional footballer.

Olympic champion before the age of 20

2016 was the year of his breakthrough. Gabriel Jesus won the Brasileirão with Palmeiras and, later that same year, was part of the Brazil squad that won Olympic gold at the Rio de Janeiro Games. He scored three goals during the tournament and was one of the standout performers in the team that secured Brazil's first-ever Olympic gold medal in men's football. 

Reunions 

During his 10 years in England, Gabriel Jesus had the opportunity to share a dressing room with some of the game's biggest stars. During his time at Manchester City, the new Barça forward played alongside current Barcelona players Eric Garcia, João Cancelo and Rodri Hernández. In addition, he also shared a dressing room with former Barça players Sergio "Kun" Agüero and İlkay Gündoğan.

Coached by two La Masia products

Gabriel Jesus has been coached by Pep Guardiola and Mikel Arteta, two managers with strong links to FC Barcelona. Guardiola came through La Masia before becoming one of the most influential figures in the club's history, while Arteta was also part of the Club's youth system before beginning his professional playing career.  The Brazilian worked under Guardiola during his time at Manchester City and later under Arteta at Arsenal.

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