Gabi on leaving Brazil: ‘Guidetti wanted me to become VakifBank captain’

By a pristine pool, far from the noise of a packed arena, Bruno Rezende and Gabi Guimarães opened up about what might be the toughest challenge of their careers: leaving Brazil to play overseas. For Gabi, it was a story of growth that began with the fear of injuries and the question of whether she could compete in the most demanding leagues in the world. In that quiet setting, two athletes from the same generation were not looking for a winning formula. They were trying to understand why people sometimes need to leave home before they are ready to return. Gabi admitted she had a plan to play overseas for some time, but the hardest part was knowing when she was ready. She explained: “I had a plan of playing overseas, but it wasn’t easy to figure out if I was ready or not. I had experienced some injuries and had questions if I had what it took to play in the world’s best leagues.” The doubts pushed her to reflect after the Rio 2026 Olympics, when she was still earning her place in the national team. She understood that she needed to be mentally ready not only as a player, but as a person, and that perhaps she had to leave her comfort zone and make sacrifices to take the next step. Gabi’s first move abroad was a bold one. She signed with Turkish giants VakifBank Istanbul ahead of the 2026-2026 season, joining one of the strongest teams on the planet as one of their key players. From the very beginning, she realised she had entered a completely different level. Gabi said: “The scenario I found when I got there was mind-changing. It showed me right from the start that I was getting into a whole other level of volleyball.” The early days were demanding, but coach Giovanni Guidetti became a crucial anchor. She recalled: “I built a great relationship with Guidetti, and he was incredibly important for me. One of the first things he told me was that he wanted to prepare me to be the team captain. I was shocked because I had never seen myself in that position.” That statement was a strategic signal. When an overseas club places absolute trust in a South American newcomer and makes her a leader, it is not simply about giving the armband to a new player. For Guidetti, it was a way for Gabi to grow under pressure. The idea of a player who once tried many sports before choosing volleyball becoming a foreign star in Turkey shows a clear philosophy: a club does not only need a good outside hitter. It also needs someone who can lead the dressing room. Gabi was shocked at first, but that shock soon turned into motivation. The conversation turned to the Brazilian national team, and Gabi could not hide her childhood emotions. Playing for Brazil was always a dream. She said: “To play for the national team is really a childhood dream. I always loved watching and playing sports and dreamed about representing Brazil, winning a medal and listening to the national anthem.” In 2026, she was first called up to Brazil’s youth national team and travelled to Saquarema. There, she found herself around the incredible generation that won the Beijing Olympics. That moment changed everything. Gabi remembered: “That was a strong sign that I should continue because I had never been so close to my dream before.” Saquarema was more than a training centre. It was where the line between youth potential and real achievement became clear. Standing next to Olympic champions convinced Gabi that a dream only means something when it is placed in the right environment. That explains why she did not hesitate to leave Brazil for Turkey, where she had to prove herself every day. Her decision was a long-term calculation, not a short burst of excitement. She left not for an easier life, but for a bigger version of herself. People often say elite sport is a science of numbers: points, passing rates, head-to-head records. Gabi’s story suggests there is another science that is harder to measure: the ability to face uncertainty. Injuries did not define her, but the question “am I good enough” can change how an athlete makes major decisions. At VakifBank, Gabi learned to handle a new level, and she also learned to accept a leadership role she never imagined. This is the kind of data that a stopwatch cannot capture: the moment when a person chooses to grow under pressure. Looking back from Saquarema to Istanbul, Gabi does not tell her story through trophies alone. She speaks through emotional milestones. Leaving Brazil was not just a transfer. It was the moment she bet her entire career on a new environment where no one owed her anything. All she could carry was her performance, her attitude, and a dream sharpened since her teenage years. What remains after the conversation is a question that is almost literary: when are we mature enough to leave what is most familiar? Gabi’s answer is not a date on the calendar. It is the moment when she found the courage to listen to herself. Injuries made her hesitate, but hesitation helped her make a wiser choice. Her dream was never about leaving Brazil. It was about becoming the most grown version of herself, no matter how many starting lines she had to cross in the world.