Gabriel Menino on Santos links and his role with Vojvoda | OneFootball

On loan until the end of 2026 from Atlético-MG, Gabriel Menino was officially presented as a new signing for Santos this Friday. In his first words as a Peixe player, the midfielder revealed that he has been a fan of Alvinegro Praiano since he was a child and admitted he is fulfilling a dream. He also commented that, as a child, he was greatly inspired by Neymar.

“My father is a huge Santos fan. I caught this passion from a young age and I’m from the Neymar era, I tried to imitate him in every possible way. I took part in parades, set off fireworks for Santos. When I heard about the opportunity to come here, I felt a lot of emotions. I know the weight this jersey carries and the importance of wearing it. Since I was a child, I’ve had this dream of playing for the team in my heart,” he said.

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Menino says he hasn’t talked much with coach Vojvoda about his role on the field, but in the few conversations he’s had with the Argentine, he was told he’ll be needed both defensively and offensively.

“I haven’t really talked to him yet because there was a derby in the middle of the week. I spoke to him twice and he said he’s going to need me a lot, both to defend and to attack, he likes my versatility. I told him he can count on me for anything, whether at full-back or in midfield. I’m here to help and try to bring a title to Santos this year,” he stated.

Desire to stay

Although he hasn’t debuted yet, Gabriel Menino admitted he’s already thinking about staying at Santos and guaranteed he’ll give his all to secure an extension of his contract with the Peixe.

“I’m coming with a new mindset. I want to give my best and make history. From my side, there will be no lack of grit and desire, I want to play as many games as possible. I want to do everything I can to stay at Santos and leave a legacy here. It’s my family’s club and I want to play as many games as possible so that I can stay permanently. I always want to be Santos,” he added.

"A turbulent yearNext, the midfielder also commented on the turbulent year he had in 2025, playing for Atlético-MG. He revealed he didn’t adapt and that things didn’t go as expected.“This last year was very difficult for me. Nobody knows what I went through. It was the first time I was away from my family. I spent six years at Palmeiras and asked to leave because I wanted to play, I wanted to be a starter, but it didn’t turn out that way. I went through a lot, moved, had a daughter recently, but I’m still young, for better or worse. I always tried to work hard, but things didn’t go the way I wanted,” he admitted.“I’m happy to be back in the state of São Paulo, wearing this jersey, alongside my friends and playing with my idol. It’s almost perfect,” he added.See other answers from Gabriel Menino:Reunions “I’ve already trained with Neymar in the National Team. When I arrived, he treated me really well. I talked to Mayke and Zé on the phone and they told me to come because it was just my style. I hope to have a good year so I can make a great story with this jersey.”Player for big games “The more games, the better. I like decisive matches, big games. The coach has already said we have the ideal team to win something this year. We are determined and focused on winning because we know it could be a perfect year for us.”Next matchSantosMatch: Guarani vs SantosDate and time: January 18, 2026 (Sunday) | 8:30 PM (Brasília time)Competition: Campeonato PaulistaVenue: Brinco de Ouro

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