ARSENAL star Gabriel Martinelli was tipped to reach the World Cup from the age of seven by his dad Joao.
Martinell’s place in Brazil’s 26-man squad was confirmed on Monday, with Arsenal team-mate Gabriel Jesus also included.
The forward has been rewarded for his fine form this season after helping the Gunners to the top of the Premier League table with five goals and two assists.
He has established himself as a key player in Mikel Arteta’s side after initially struggling for game time when he first arrived in 2019.
But Martinelli’s father never doubted his talent and predicted he would go on to do great things from an early age.
Martinelli, 21, recalled what his dad told him aged seven when he appeared on Ian Wright’s Wrighty’s House podcast in the summer.
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He said: “I am trying everything to go to the World Cup.
“Since I was seven I think when I start football my dad said ‘when you turn 21 you will play at the World Cup.
“Every single day he was like ‘2022’.
“My dad was always talking to me about this – at this point he did not know I would become a footballer. I was seven – how would he know?”
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Although Martinelli’s inclusion in the squad may have come as no surprise to his dad, Brazil team-mate Neymar was left shocked.
The Paris Saint-Germain ace hitman seemingly raised his eyebrows in disbelief after hearing Martinelli’s inclusion – at the expense of Liverpool’s Roberto Firmino – in the squad before his own name was announced on Brazilian TV.
Footage of his reaction quickly went viral and became the talk of social media, with one footy fan saying: “The reaction to Martinelli.
“I would love to see Gabi finding out he made it.”
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
