Arsenal forward Gabriel Martinelli recently made it into Brazil’s 2022 World Cup squad, but it’s not gone down entirely well.
The 21-year-old is clearly a top talent, as he’s shown with his performances for Arsenal so far this season, but he also lacks experience at international level.
So far, Martinelli has just three senior caps ahead of this winter’s big tournament in Qatar, so it’s a big ask for him to step up and help Tite’s side perform in a competition they’ll be one of the favourites to win.
Former player and journalist Neto certainly thinks it was the wrong call, getting quite emotional about what he felt was a disgraceful and disrespectful decision by the Brazil manager.
Speaking during the program “Os Donos da Bola”, on TV Bandeirantes, as quoted by ESPN Brasil, Neto made it clear he felt Gabriel Barbosa should have been called up instead of Martinelli.
“This is a shame, a joke! I feel ashamed! Not because of Dani Alves’ story. What is Martinelli’s story? 33 career goals. This is a shame, a lack of respect for football.
“It shows how dirty football is, it’s dishonourable. It’s happened to me and you (Velloso) because we didn’t go to the World Cup because we didn’t play in Rio de Janeiro,” Neto said.
“Doing this with football shows that you don’t deserve the position you are in. Calling up Martinelli and not calling up Gabigol is heresy, a lack of respect.
“The biggest shame of all the call-ups. Calling up Martinelli shows that you, Tite, shouldn’t hold the position you do, because you’re not fair to Gabigol.
“The guy who scores five goals in the season, who walks around the mall here, nobody knows who he is… And not taking Gabigol, the guy who scored the goal of the Libertadores title, who scored 29 goals in the season.”
This man Neto is just being sentimental. Can Martinelli deliver? The answer is 100% yes. What he should remember is in current form, Martinelli is far ahead of Bardosa who couldn’t make it in Europe. It was a great decision to call him. Excellent decision by the coach.
Absolutely!! Martinelli all the way. He’s the boy on form! Coaches don’t choose teams based on names or sentiments. It’s about who’s fittest and who’ll fit into his various formations. Neto can swallow his sour grapes and he’ll be ok.
Brazilian hope will soon going to know who martinelli is,infact he is replacing messi soon on world stage.
Na so
Wish someone could remind him that this is a different guy(Martinelli) from the one he knew
How can you just name one player as a title to embarrass if you’re realy brasil fan then stand with their coach decision
This man is just saying shit everybody started from somewhere there once a time Neymar was the new kidso what has raphina done this season
In the end, everybody is a coach. That guy himself has no respect for English football. Martinelli has delivered consistently and Arsenal doesn’t practicse a football style of individual scoring heroes. That’s why they have the second best attack with 31 goals but no one with more than 5 goals as is the case with other cubs. We play positional football that allows all the players to shine on the pitch.
Martinelli deserves the call. He is an engine.
This is the most intelligent analysis among all the comments. Big up.
Bring him (matineli) back alive to arsenal without injury ,
That’s my only concern
Yeah aaaallllliiiiveeee
Matineli will do wonderful things and those criticizing him will be ashamed
Martinelli has earned his place – playing consistently well in a top league – week in week out. If he can bring his current form to the world cup Brazil fans will love him.
Don’t talk about the Star of tomorrow give him support and I supported him from the beginning and till end
who is this man Neto?nobody in europes even knows his name
Neto is a fool seeking attention using Martinelli’s name. He should stick to his lane.
Neto is just being salty, seeing as he only has 1 cap, while Martinelli has a Olympic medal with Brazil