Gabriel Brazão emerges as Santos leader as Neymar recovers and Gabigol begins return | OneFootball

With Neymar still recovering from left knee meniscus surgery and Gabigol only just back, Gabriel Brazão is Santos’ leading figure for Thursday’s clássico with Corinthians at Vila Belmiro. Kick-off is 19:30 Brasília time.

Aged 25, the goalkeeper stands out for daily work at CT Rei Pelé and a strong bond with the club. According to Globo.com, those traits now make him the main reference in the dressing room.

There are other senior voices, including Mayke, Willian Arão and Neymar, yet Brazão begins 2026 as a symbol of this side. He even cut short his holidays to train between Christmas and New Year, while the squad only returned on 3 January.

His bond was clear after the 1-1 draw at Guarani in Campinas last weekend. Santos led until stoppage time, then conceded with the final play, and Brazão said the display was poor, the draw fair, and that focus was missing.

He has also admitted he once considered quitting amid limited chances. He said his faith kept him going, that he is building a strong story at Santos and that staying is his wish, with interest from clubs such as Flamengo noted.

His opening came in Série B in 2024 when a serious injury to first-choice João Paulo handed him a rare run. Wearing 77, he impressed during promotion back to Brazil’s top flight and now stands among the country’s leading goalkeepers.

Source: Globo.com