Gabriel Martinelli is eager to play for Brazil in the 2026 World Cup. His recent performances for Arsenal have been impressive, especially against Atletico Madrid. The 24-year-old scored in Arsenal's 4-0
victory on Tuesday, maintaining their flawless start in this season's Champions League. Martinelli has now scored in three consecutive Champions League matches, matching his total from his previous 18 games.
Martinelli has been pivotal for Arsenal, scoring crucial goals. He netted the first goals against Athletic Bilbao and Olympiacos and equalised against Manchester City in the Premier League last month. His consistent performance highlights his importance to the team.
We are The Arsenal pic.twitter.com/1PrQVUyqqXArsenal (@Arsenal) October 21, 2025
Since rejoining the Champions League in the 2023-24 season, Arsenal have been dominant at home. They have won all nine of their home group or league-phase matches with an aggregate score of 27-0. This achievement makes them the first team to keep a clean sheet in nine consecutive home group or league games.
The Gunners have also reached a significant milestone by becoming the seventh team to achieve 100 wins in the competition. They are only behind Manchester United and Chelsea among English clubs, who have recorded 125 and 102 wins respectively.
Martinelli participated in three matches during the 2022 World Cup and recently scored against Japan during an international break. He expressed his ambition to be part of Brazil's squad for North America next summer after securing some trophies with Arsenal. "The World Cup is coming, everyone's excited," Martinelli told TNT Brasil after Tuesday's game.
"It's eight months away, but for us, it goes by so quickly, playing twice a week, and everyone wants to be prepared because we'll need everyone," he added. His focus remains on winning titles with Arsenal and being part of Brazil’s World Cup team.
Martinelli emphasised his dedication: "I've been working hard; the whole group wants to go far and win titles. We're giving more and more of ourselves and focusing on the smallest details. " His commitment reflects his determination to succeed both at club level and internationally.
