Gabi Portilho was not supposed to be here.
At the age of 15, long before she would win an Olympic silver medal, Portilho left her home and family in Brasília, the capital of Brazil, in pursuit of a dream that would become so tarnished by injuries that her national team debut would be delayed by half a decade.
But Portilho was awarded for her persistence and faith with 15 titles during her four-year tenure at Sport Club Corinthians Paulista — accolades to which the 2024 Ballon d’Or Féminin nominee plans to build upon this upcoming NWSL season.
“I see how good God has been to me; these have been unforgettable years, with many titles and personal achievements as well, and of course, growth and maturity. Now that I'm at Gotham, I want to continue making history, helping the team, winning titles like in previous years, and making these years unforgettable too!” Portilho told Hudson River Blue through a translator.
Beauty in the struggle
When she was young, Portilho found herself attracted to the Beautiful Game through the guise of her father. He was a former footballer himself, and she recalls one of her first memories of being surrounded by much older girls competing at a school tournament.
With the jersey she wore swallowing a young Portilho, her father’s guidance produced teachings and encouragements that saw her reach the apex of women’s football in her professional career.
“My dad was a younger player, so I had someone to look up to. I didn’t see him play, but he taught me a lot and always encouraged me, and that made me always want to keep playing!" Portilho said.
What was first seen by her mother as an activity to burn off childhood energy, led to days spent on the streets playing football with the boys of her neighborhood, working on her craft. She first joined Fut Art DF, a futsal academy based in her hometown, and played for local club Fluminense FC at one point as well.
While her love for football continued to grow, a 15-year-old Portilho decided to leave her hometown to support her family financially and pursue her aspirations of becoming a professional football player at Joinville CSC, a 19-hour car ride from her home in Brasília.
Regardless of the distance, Portilho continued to progress in 2011, playing in the Campeonato Catarinense de Futebol Feminino, the Brazilian fourth division. She recorded six goals in eight appearances in her debut season with Joinville, then an astounding 22 goals in only ten appearances the following season, to finish as the second-highest goalscorer in the league before signing with second-division Avaí Futebol Clube Feminino in 2013 at the age of 17.
She joined league rival São José Esporte Clube in 2015, where she wore the #10 jersey — and where she once scored four goals in a single match. It was because of performances like this one that Portilho attracted the attention of clubs outside of her native Brazil. When she was 20, she signed with Madrid Club de Fútbol Femenino, which competes in Spain's top flight.
But Portilho suffered a serious knee contusion after only seven months of playing in Spain. The injury sidelined her for over a year, leading to bouts of depression and doubt regarding the future of her career after receiving her first call-up to play for the Seleção while awaiting the MRI results for her injury.
Leaning into her faith, Portilho was able to eventually recover and regain her level back in Brazil after a rough first couple of seasons back home.
In 2018 she returned to Sâo José, then moved to Grêmio Osasco Audax Esporte Clube the following season, where her impressive performances led to a return to top-division football. Only this time, she would remain in Brazil instead of moving abroad.
In January 2020, Portilho signed with São Paulo giants Corinthians. In 162 appearances over four seasons Portilho won 15 titles — including five straight Brazilian championships in the Campeonato Brasileiro de Futebol Feminino Série A1, and three continental titles in the Copa Libertadores Femenina.
Her time with the Timão also led to Portilho finally making her long-awaited debut for the Brazilian senior team in 2022, at the age of 26. It was not Portilho's first time wearing canary yellow – she represented Brazil at the youth levels in the 2012 FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup and the 2014 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup – but her arrival at the senior team carried special meaning for the attacker.
Portilho started strong, helping Brazilian legend Marta and the national team win the 2022 Copa América Femenina. Last year, they followed that with a silver medal in the Summer Olympics in Paris. Portilho scored two goals in the knockout phase at the Olympics, including the match-winner against France in the quarterfinals.
She left Corinthians in 2024 as a Bola de Prata award winner, acknowledging her as one of the best footballers in Brazil, and recorded 17 goals during her stay. She was also named to the 2024 Best FIFA Women’s IX.
Gabi Portilho, ready to attack 😈💥 pic.twitter.com/i7G0qNUOAY
— NJ/NY Gotham FC (@GothamFC) December 30, 2024
Big City Dreams
After re-establishing herself in Brazil, the 29-year-old made the decision to play abroad once again: On December 30th, the Brazilian international signed a two-year contract with Gotham FC, along with a mutual option for the 2027 season.
This time, she has both the mindset – and the resume – to succeed in a way that eluded her in Spain. “I saw that the NWSL is a very strong league, with high demands, and Gotham is a very strong team that competes at the top,” Portilho said. “I decided that I wanted to improve as an athlete and a person, step out of my comfort zone, and experience great things here, and Gotham was the best opportunity for that to happen. I'm happy to be here!”
Coming to compete in one of the highest, if not the highest level, of women’s club football in the world is definitely a step out of one’s “comfort zone.” But, it is a move that any true competitor would want to make to test their mettle against some of the best athletes in the world.
The pursuit of a new challenge also comes with a cultural shock, both on and off the field, that she will have to endure. Nonetheless, she is aware of the challenge any player who leaves their home country will have to endure and expressed that dedication and effort will only help her on this journey in the US. And having fellow compatriot, Gotham right-back Bruninha, waiting at the club for her has helped as well.
“[Bruninha]’s my roommate, and she’s always helping me with everything—translation, on the field,” Portilho said. “Having her here has made it much easier for me to understand everything!”
The upcoming season itself also presents challenges for Portilho as Gotham are currently going through what seems to be a roster rebuild. Many pivotal components of the 2024 star-studded team left this offseason. Lynn Williams, Jenna Nighswonger, Crystal Dunn, Yazmeen Ryan, Delanie Sheehan, and McCall Zerboni all left the club in this window.
These changes prompted a letter to the fans from Gotham FC’s general manager and head of soccer operations Yael Averbach West, writing:
“This offseason brought changes to the roster and staff as we work to transition from a team with moments of success to a club with a sustainable, winning culture. We recognize not every player’s journey will align perfectly with our club’s path. Some will thrive and grow with us for years while others may desire to move on to other opportunities. Sometimes we’ll decide to move in a different direction, too. This is the nature of professional sports.”
One player the club retained is Midge Purce. That could lead to some competition between Portilho and Purce on the wing, and Portilho, Ella Stevens, and Esther in the center of the attack.
Takashi Williams
But with impending position battles and the holistic goal of bringing the NWSL title back to the New York/New Jersey area, Portilho has a reassuring message for fans of the Goths’ regarding this upcoming season.
“I want you to know that I will give my best every day and do everything I can to help the team win titles! Gotham fans, I hope to see you in the stadiums, fill them up so we can make a beautiful celebration, and I promise that whenever I can, there will be lots of celebratory dances!”
