Long before Gabriel Jesus signed multi-million-pound contracts in European association football, he lived in the Jardim Peri favela of São Paulo. During the build-up to the 2014 FIFA World Cup hosted in Brazil, a then-unknown teenager Jesus was photographed barefoot on his neighborhood asphalt, meticulously painting the streets green and yellow to support the national team.
Growing up playing amateur football on concrete pitches, Jesus honed his raw dribbling skills in local tournaments for clubs like Pequeninos do Catão and Associação Atlética Anhanguera. His prolific scoring form in local youth leagues eventually caught the attention of Palmeiras, where he signed his first professional youth contract in July 2013.
From Favela Painter to Premier League Star
His professional breakthrough came rapidly during the 2015 Campeonato Brasileiro Série A season, earning the league’s Best Newcomer award while helping Palmeiras secure the Copa do Brasil. By January 2017, Manchester City completed a high-profile transfer for the young forward under manager Pep Guardiola, officially bringing him to English football.
During his five-year stint with Manchester City through 2022, Jesus collected four Premier League titles, three League Cups, and an FA Cup before moving across London to Arsenal in July 2022.