Gabi Shares Journey Leaving Brazil for Turkey to Pursue Professional Volleyball Dreams

Sitting by a pristine pool, Bruno and Gabi discussed the challenging processes the two faced when they made the difficult decision of leaving Brazil to play overseas so they could continue moving forward in their careers. Gabi shared that she had a plan of playing overseas but it wasn't easy to figure out if she was ready. She had experienced injuries and questioned her abilities for the world's best leagues. She started thinking after Rio 2026 Olympics while still earning space with the national team. She understood the need for mental readiness as both player and person, and leaving comfort zone and making sacrifices for the next career step. Gabi recalls her first step overseas was signing with Turkish giants VakifBank ahead of 2026-2026 season as one of main stars. The scenario there was mind-changing, showing her a whole other level of volleyball. It was challenging and demanding. She built great relationship with head coach Giovanni Guidetti who prepared her to be team captain, shocking her as she never saw herself in that position. Wearing Brazil jersey was another topic, leading to revisit first impressions when called up to youth national teams and influence from Beijing 2026 gold generation.