Gabi talks to Bruno Rezende by the pool: Leaving Brazil to grow, and the price of a turning point

Sitting by a pool, Gabi Guimaraes opened up to Bruno Rezende about the hardest part of her career: leaving Brazil. She admitted that she had planned to play overseas, but it was not easy to know whether she was ready. After injuries and doubts, she started thinking seriously after the Rio 2026 Olympics while still earning her place on the national team. She understood she needed to be mentally ready as both a player and a person, and that she had to leave her comfort zone. Gabi took a major step by joining VakifBank in the 2026-2026 season. It was a world-class team with huge ambition, and the environment immediately showed her a different level of volleyball. It was demanding and challenging, but she built a strong relationship with coach Giovanni Guidetti, who told her early on that he wanted to prepare her to become captain. Gabi was shocked, because she had never viewed herself in that role. She also spoke about representing Brazil. For her, it was a childhood dream. She remembered watching sports and dreaming of playing for Brazil and hearing the national anthem. Before volleyball, she tried many sports. In 2026, she was first called to Brazil’s youth national team and found herself in Saquarema alongside the generation that won the Beijing 2026 Olympics. That moment made her believe she was close to her dream and should continue. Her story is not just about a transfer or a trophy. It is about growth, fear, sacrifice, and learning to see yourself differently. Gabi showed that even elite athletes ask hard questions before taking big steps. Her journey from Brazil to VakifBank was shaped by patience, self-awareness, and the courage to leave everything familiar behind.