Gabriel Mec strengthens FC Porto until 2031 after €11m deal with Grêmio | OneFootball

After standing out in Brazil, Gabriel Mec is preparing to begin a new chapter at the Dragon. The youngster signed a five-year contract, valid until 2031, and became the latest addition to the National Champions. The Brazilian youth international forward, only 18 years old, joins FC Porto from Grêmio of Porto Alegre for 11 million euros.

Born on 11 April 2008, on the outskirts of Rio de Janeiro, Gabriel Ferreira de Carvalho took his first steps in football in Campos dos Goytacazes. It was there that he was given the nickname “Mec”, a Rio slang expression meaning “calm”, and caught the attention of scouts during a youth football tournament.

Faced with several offers, the family joined forces to help him make his dream come true. At the age of nine, Gabriel moved with his mother to Grêmio. Adapting to a new reality was difficult, and the youngster even feared having to return to his hometown for financial reasons. His father still recalls the emotional words his son said to him at that stage: “Give me a chance. I want to make history here. Help me succeed.”

The support of the family’s closest friends allowed Gabriel to remain in Porto Alegre, and the player knew how to make the most of the opportunity. The decisive moment came at EFIPAN 2023, the Pan-American Children’s Football Tournament, where the ambidextrous winger’s talent became clear. Shortly afterwards, he was called up to Brazil’s under-15 national team.

In 2024, he signed his first professional contract and began representing Grêmio’s under-20 side at just 15 years old. In January 2025, even before turning 17, he made his debut for the first team and became the club’s fifth-youngest player of the century to do so, surpassing Ronaldinho Gaúcho’s record.

Later, he was included in Brazil’s squad for the Under-17 World Cup, a competition in which he faced Porto players Martim Chelmik, Yoan Pereira, Bernardo Lima, Mateus Mide and Duarte Cunha in the semi-finals. Portugal would go on to win the tournament in Qatar. Then, in March this year, he received his first call-up to Brazil’s under-20 national team.

Although he only came of age in April, FC Porto’s new number 37 made 34 appearances, scored three goals and provided two assists for Grêmio’s first team. While at the club, he won the latest Campeonato Gaúcho under Luís Castro and cemented his status as one of Brazilian football’s biggest prospects.

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