ARSENAL winger Gabriel Martinelli once scored NINE goals in the first half of a match – before leaving to go and play for another team.
The Brazilian is the Gunners’ man of the moment following his late winner against Premier League title rivals Manchester City.
PAA young Gabriel Martinelli once scored nine goals in the first-half of a game in Brazil[/caption]
It was a stunning way for the second half substitute to mark his return to action after missing five games through injury.
The 22-year-old has scored plenty of goals throughout his youth and professional career.
And he ended up representing various junior sides simultaneously.
On one occasion he was playing for a soccer school with links to Sao Paulo FC.
He was only available for the first half as he needed to head off and play for a Corinthians youth side.
His then school coach Leandro Germano told the Athletic: “Even in the under-nines, you could see that Gabriel was on another level.
“In one game he scored nine times, then left. That made a real impression on everyone. He was out of this world.”
On how Martinelli’s style of play has developed, Germano added: “He was always a dribbler.
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“He liked to go at his man, one on one, but he wasn’t the kind of player who dribbled for the sake of it.”
The young starlet began his footballing journey on the ‘court’ in Guarulhos- a place he’d go with his father Joao Carlos.
Together, they would practice shooting, passing, heading and his weaker foot.
The Brazilian international is likely to get his first taste of Champions League football in the next couple of weeks.
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