Academy defender back a year after knee op, celebrates Corinthians return | OneFootball

Corinthians’ 4-0 victory over Brothers last Wednesday (9), in the Paulista Women’s Under-20 Championship, marked a special moment for the black-and-white team. After about a year away from the pitch, center back Glória Gasparini officially returned to action after completing her recovery from an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury in her right knee.

The defender came on in the 37th minute of the second half, replacing Dany Pereira, and played her first match for the Under-20 team. Until suffering the injury, Glória played for Corinthians’ Under-17 side, also coached by Julia Passero. Together, they won the 2025 Brazilian Women’s Under-17 Championship, with a 2-0 victory over Grêmio in the final.

Photo: Reproduction / Instagram

The injury happened during a training session in 2025 and forced the player to undergo surgery to reconstruct the anterior cruciate ligament. During the recovery period, Glória missed the youth competitions, including the São Paulo Women’s Football Cup, played at the end of last year.

On June 23, the center back announced through social media that she had been medically cleared after completing every stage of the rehabilitation process.

“Today I close a chapter that marked my life. A few months ago, during a training session, I suffered an injury to my Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL). It was a difficult moment, full of challenges, pain, uncertainty, and lessons. But it was also a period in which I learned to trust God more, to value every small step forward, and to never give up on my goals.

After a lot of dedication, physical therapy, and faith, I completed my final test and was medically cleared. I am grateful to God for sustaining me at every stage, to my family, friends, and all the professionals who were part of this recovery.

Thank you so much! Thank you for not letting go of my hand!”

Just over two weeks after being medically cleared, Glória wore the Corinthians shirt again in an official match. After the final whistle in the rout over Brothers, the player once again used social media to celebrate her return to the pitch and thank everyone for the support she received throughout the process.

“This moment was, without a doubt, the one I imagined the most. Today, putting on my boots and being on the field carries a different meaning inside me—happy to be back. Thank you to the coaching staff, support staff, and players for being with me in this special moment. Paulista U20, +3!!”

Her return comes at an important point in the season for Julia Passero’s team. With her recovery complete, Glória is once again an option for the remainder of the Paulista Women’s Under-20 Championship and could strengthen Corinthians as soon as the Derby against Palmeiras, scheduled for the next round of the competition at Arena Barueri.

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