At Palmeiras, how many centre-back partners for Gustavo Gómez since 2018? | OneFootball

Since arriving at Palmeiras in August 2018, Gustavo Gómez has established himself as one of the greatest center-backs in the club’s history. A captain, multiple-time champion, and technical leader, the Paraguayan has gone through different phases of the team and has partnered with several defenders up to the present day.

Throughout his time with Verdão, Gómez has already played alongside nine different center-backs in official matches. Some made only occasional appearances, while others made history alongside the No. 15.

Gustavo Gómez’s partners at Palmeiras

2018

Felipão even alternated the pairings between the Brasileirão and knockout competitions, using Gómez and Luan in one team and Antônio Carlos with Edu Dracena in another.

2019

With Vitor Hugo’s return to the club, the Paraguayan gained another partner option during the season.

2020

It was the year the Gómez-Luan partnership was fully established, leading the defense in the Libertadores, Copa do Brasil, and Paulista title-winning campaigns. Kuscevic and Empereur appeared in squad rotations.

2021

Luan remained the main partner, while Renan and Kuscevic got opportunities throughout the season.

2022

Murilo’s arrival marked the start of a new phase. The defender quickly became a starter and went on to form one of the most solid defenses in Brazilian football alongside Gómez.

2023

Murilo became the most frequent partner, while Luan and young defender Naves also played alongside the captain in some matches.

2024

Murilo remained an undisputed starter, with Naves being used when needed. Vitor Reis also emerged and formed a partnership for a good stretch while Murilo dealt with physical issues.

2025 and 2026

With Murilo as the usual partner, the coaching staff also began using academy players at specific moments. Bruno Fuchs arrived in 2025 and earned opportunities alongside the Paraguayan.

Alexander Barboza, meanwhile, arrives at a time when Murilo has regained his form and is looking to earn a place alongside Gustavo Gómez, a player the Argentine greatly admires, as he said during his presentation last Wednesday (15).

The partnerships that made history

The main partnership of Gustavo Gómez’s career at Palmeiras is still Luan. The two surpassed the 100-match mark together back in 2021 and were starters in the title-winning campaigns of the 2018 Brazilian Championship, the 2020 and 2021 Libertadores, the 2020 Copa do Brasil, as well as several Paulista Championships.

In recent years, Murilo has taken on that leading role. The duo has become the benchmark of Palmeiras’ defense since 2022 and played key roles in the Brazilian Championship and Paulista title wins, maintaining a high win rate and a strong record of clean sheets.

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