Gabigol has played his last final for Flamengo. At the end of the match, with the trophy in hand, he announced that he would not be extending his contract with the Rio de Janeiro club.
Shortly after, news emerged that the Rubro-Negro idol has everything in place to join Cruzeiro for the upcoming season.
Follow a recap of Gabriel Barbosa’s stats with Flamengo, his legacy, and the details of the transfer.
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Index
The Announcement of Gabigol’s Departure
Flamengo were crowned five-time champions of the Copa do Brasil last Sunday, defeating Atlético Mineiro 1-0 at Arena MRV.
Having won the first leg 3-1, Flamengo secured the title with relative ease.
The year that seemed lost for Flamengo, and potentially disastrous for Gabigol, now has a glimmer of hope with this triumph.
Right after the match, Gabriel, the star of the final with two of Flamengo’s four goals, gave an interview on the pitch that left everyone stunned.
Image: Reprodução Lance!
First, the reporters congratulated him on the title and informed him of his record of 13 titles with Flamengo, matching Zico and Júnior.
Gabigol expressed his joy at achieving this milestone.
Then came the question everyone was waiting for: would he continue at Flamengo?
“This was my last final. I won’t be staying with Flamengo.
It’s been a turbulent year for me personally — the doping incident, then a manager who didn’t respect me as a player. During those times, I never tried to externalise it, but it was a dreadful period for me. But I always worked, always tried to improve, always tried to show him I could help in some way.
(I’m) very emotional. I have a lot of affection for Flamengo. Now, I’ll enjoy these last few games and bid farewell to the fans properly. I’m not staying with Flamengo. In recent years, there were negotiations, the president, the board, they shook hands with me, my father, my mother, but then things happened that I really didn’t like. I always heard things through podcasts (Editor’s note: referring to interviews with club directors), never in person. I spoke with Marcos Braz about staying two, three years, but Flamengo never made an offer.”
Gabigol’s words struck like a bomb amid the team’s celebration.
Each statement reveals a wave of discontent.
For those less familiar with Brazilian football, the manager Gabigol referred to is Tite.
Tite managed Flamengo from October 2023 to September 2024. During that time, Gabriel Barbosa had limited opportunities on the field.
Even before Tite’s arrival, there was speculation that Gabigol might lose his place in the squad, especially after he publicly chanted against Tite when he was the Brazil National Team coach.
Gabigol celebrated yet another title with Flamengo but wasn’t called up by Tite, leading to further dissatisfaction.
Furthermore, Gabigol cited the lack of commitment from Flamengo’s board, who, despite rumours of a contract renewal, never formalised an offer.
Consequently, Gabriel Barbosa has officially announced his departure, releasing a heartfelt video on social media, set to Tim Maia’s “Me Dê Motivos.”
The fact remains: Gabigol will go down as one of Flamengo’s greatest icons and undoubtedly the biggest fan favourite of the past 30 years.
In 303 matches, he scored a stunning 160 goals and provided 42 assists. He also won 13 titles.
- 2019 Copa Libertadores: two goals
- 2020 Supercopa do Brasil: one goal
- 2020 Recopa Sudamericana: one goal
- 2021 Supercopa do Brasil: one goal
- 2021 Carioca Championship: three goals
- 2021 Copa Libertadores: one goal
- 2022 Supercopa do Brasil: one goal
- 2022 Carioca Championship: one goal
- 2022 Copa Libertadores: one goal
- 2023 Supercopa do Brasil: two goals
- 2024 Copa do Brasil: two goals
Image: Fernando Moreno/AGIF
Cruzeiro’s Investment in Gabigol
Cruzeiro, previously highlighted in an article for its significant improvement in 2024 compared to 2023, could still finish this year as champions as they are currently in the Copa Sudamericana final.
The team had a strong first half of the season but saw their form dip in the latter part.
Cruzeiro has struggled to fully adapt to manager Fernando Diniz’s approach, but signs of progress are emerging.
With the goal of being one of the most competitive teams in Brazil in 2025, the Minas Gerais-based club is aiming to keep up with their main rival, Atlético Mineiro, which has been a powerhouse since 2021, reaching major finals.
To that end, Pedrinho BH will invest R$3 million monthly to bring in Gabigol. While unofficial, it is speculated that Gabigol’s monthly salary will be around R$2 million, with the remainder covered by signing bonuses spread over the contract.
Reports suggest the contract will be a four-year term.
This means Gabriel will remain one of the top earners in Brazil, second only to Memphis Depay at Corinthians.
Will Gabigol find the same success at Cruzeiro?
Image: Gustavo Aleixo/Cruzeiro
