‘Desire and grit’: Gabriel Paulista on Beşiktaş, Corinthians, youth | OneFootball

Corinthians’ first signing for the 2026 season, center-back Gabriel Paulista joined the club in January on a free transfer after terminating his contract with Beşiktaş of Turkey. At 35, the defender returned to Brazilian football after more than a decade abroad, a period in which he played in different European football hubs.

In an exclusive interview with Central do Timão, the Corinthians defender revisited memorable moments from his career abroad, including spells at Villarreal, Valencia and Arsenal, and commented on his most recent experience at Beşiktaş. Gabriel Paulista also spoke about his relationship with the younger players in the squad and explained how he tries to use his experiences to help them deal with the pressure of wearing the Corinthians shirt.

Photo: Rodrigo Coca/Agência Corinthians

Before returning to Brazilian football to play for Corinthians, Gabriel Paulista spent a year and a half at Beşiktaş. Despite the short spell at the Turkish club, the center-back said he built a special relationship with the fans, mainly because of the way he plays on the pitch.

According to the defender, that bond came from a trait he sees as similar between Beşiktaş and Corinthians fans: valuing commitment, grit and determination during matches above technical quality.

“I also had a quick spell at Beşiktaş, where the fans love me for the way I play. Sometimes, the fans don’t want… It’s like the Corinthians fans: sometimes, they don’t want a player with flawless technical quality. They want desire, they want grit on the pitch. And the Beşiktaş fans are very similar to Corinthians fans. That’s what they demand. So that spell there was special too. It’s about coming here to Corinthians and trying to pass on everything I built from the experience I have.”

The experience he gained in Europe is one of the tools Gabriel uses in his daily life at Corinthians. The center-back sees his own path as a way to contribute not only on the pitch, but also to the development of younger players.

Experience to guide the youngsters

One of the main roles Gabriel Paulista has taken on in the squad is being a reference point for players in the early years of their professional careers. The defender said he tries to share experiences and, above all, help young players deal with the pressure that exists both in and outside football.

Gabriel recalled his own difficulties at the start of his career, including the responsibility of helping his parents financially, and said he tries to show Corinthians’ youngsters how to stay focused on football despite outside pressure.

“Trying to pass things on mainly to the younger ones, the kids coming up from the academy. I try to pass on what I lived through and show them that it’s about taking a little pressure off… Of course there’s a lot of pressure off the pitch. Sometimes it also comes from family. It was pressure I had too, the pressure of having to help my parents. So I pass that on to them to try to shift the focus away from what comes from outside and, in here… try to… enjoy it,” he explained.

The center-back believes a player’s development does not depend only on performances in training and matches. For him, making the most of the opportunity to play for Corinthians also means understanding the size of the club and learning to live with the responsibilities that come with wearing the black-and-white shirt.

“Enjoy the moment. Understand what Corinthians is. Enjoy everything we’re living, this structure that Corinthians has: the stadium, Neo Química Arena, the fans. Enjoy this whole wonderful moment, everything this is, the greatness that Corinthians is. So I try to pass on everything I learned to the younger players,” he added.

Breno Bidon, André and Iago: betting on the new generation

Gabriel also gave his assessment of some of the young players who are part of Corinthians’ senior squad. The defender mentioned Breno Bidon, André and Iago as examples of athletes who represent the club’s future and highlighted the importance of giving players developed in the academy contact with the first team.

“These players are the future of Corinthians. Breno, André, who have been getting more opportunities, are starters for Corinthians today. So they are players who have already earned their place. Iago is a player who is getting the chance to train with us, has already been in some matches, so he is getting that experience, in the sense of already being part of the squad.”

“Obviously, he will get his opportunity to play too, and I have no doubt that when he plays, he will also show the potential he has, because he is already part of the future for Coringão. And several other players as well who come up, in this case, to train with the senior team.”

In the center-back’s view, the presence of these players in the senior squad gives them an important opportunity to gain experience and, at the same time, get to know the routine of a club the size of Corinthians.

Gui Negão and the importance of maturity

Another player mentioned by Gabriel Paulista was Gui Negão, who earned opportunities with the first team but lost ground after suffering an injury and because of the technical choices of Fernando Diniz’s coaching staff. The center-back acknowledged that the forward’s performances dropped, but described the situation as natural in any athlete’s career.

“Gui Negão also had many opportunities and ended up having… His level dropped a little, but I believe that’s also normal for all athletes. It happens to anyone. And I believe he will also come back in the best possible way to help us.”

Gabriel’s remarks reinforce his concern with protecting younger athletes amid the natural ups and downs of a professional career. For the center-back, dips in form are part of the development process and should not be treated as something definitive.

A leader in the dressing room

Besides his guidance off the pitch, the relationship between the more experienced players and the younger ones also shows up in the day-to-day banter. Gabriel said he is often teased in the dressing room because of his age, but revealed that living alongside younger players also shows the respect they have for those with more experience in football.

“But that’s it. Sometimes, in the dressing room, there’s that banter, and I even joke and say they’re calling me old. And there’s always that kind of banter in the dressing room. But Gui, for example, always comes up to me and says he can’t even believe I’m next to him, that he’s alongside Memphis, Gustavo. So we’re a reference for him.”

That’s rewarding and gives us even more pleasure in playing, in dedicating ourselves more and more and showing them that they also need to dedicate themselves more and more. Our careers are short, so you have to make the most of every moment.”

The relationship described by the center-back reveals one of the roles he plays at Corinthians: serving as a reference for a generation that is beginning to build its career in professional football. Having played for major clubs in Europe, Gabriel understands that his experiences can help speed up the youngsters’ development and help them understand the demands of playing for a club the size of Corinthians.

At the same time, the defender points out that the exchange goes both ways. The jokes and day-to-day interaction with the younger players are part of the squad’s routine and, according to Gabriel, also serve as motivation for the experienced players to maintain a high level of dedication.

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This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.