How Brazil’s Volleyball Superstar Captain Gabi Nurtures the Next Generation of Players

In times of transformation for the Brazilian women’s volleyball national team, Gabriela Braga Guimarães ‘Gabi remains the constant vocal point.

The Paris 2024 bronze medallists have lost Ana Cristina to a knee injury, followed by the shock international retirement of Ana Carolina this month. It brings even more responsibility onto the shoulders of Gabi, who has captained the Seleção since 2022.

She has demonstrated that orchestration in style at the FIVB Women's Volleyball World Championship 2025, leading Brazil to the top of Pool C with a 3-0 record and into the quarter-finals.

“I have been trying to develop my leadership a lot,” Gabi tells Olympics.com in Portuguese. “I try to set an example here within the national team, especially to teach girls the importance of nutrition, recovery, training. You can't just be that big mother on the court.

“I try to communicate much more to show them what needs to be done. But I think the main thing is to help them so that they can assume their own responsibilities. I'm not as aggressive as other girls because we've seen other types of leaders, but I try to have that leadership much more than communication.”

Since making her national team debut in 2012, the 31-year-old has emerged as one of the brightest stars and key cogs of the squad, helping them to a silver medal at Tokyo 2020 in 2021 before taking bronze in Paris last year.

That was followed up with a fourth silver medal in six editions of the Volleyball Nations League (VNL), eventually edged out by Olympic champions Italy in Łódź, Poland. It evokes mixed feelings for Gabi, proud of the effort but far from satisfied.

“Therapy is very important, as is self-awareness,” she explains. “In volleyball, we're under pressure to win all the time; silver is never good enough. But people also don't understand that we're not satisfied either. I hate losing; I don't smile when I win silver or bronze. But that doesn't make me devalue the process and the work that's been done.”

Gabi: once told she was too small, now captaining Brazil

Find a better nickname in sport than ‘the daughter of the volleyball God’, given to Gabi by one of her former coaches, Stefano Lavarini. Yet the prodigy only began the sport aged 14, having started out as a footballer, tennis player and swimmer.

The Belo Horizonte native has had to work twice as hard as the next player in her eyes, partly due to her height. Though 5ft 11in (180cm) is above the average height for a Brazilian woman, she was deemed too short in her early volleyball days.

“I'm not going to lie, it's not easy,” confesses Gabi. “I understood during my career that I would have to row a little harder than everyone else. My height really makes it difficult: I have to be very physically fit to be able to move around the court, I have to jump to my limit on every ball, so I always need a strong leg. It's not easy physically.

“I understood at a certain point in my career that I would have to do more than everyone else. So being careful with sleep, with food, practically not leaving my home to have fun. I joke that I'm almost an old lady, that I don't do anything, sleep like hell to be able to rest and recover. That's the price I pay, right? We have to give up many things, but in my process, I had to understand that I need to do even more.”

The silver lining of Gabi’s finely tuned schedule has seen her moulded into the star player she is today, setting an example to the squad of what it takes to be a Seleção player.

Four South American Championship titles, four VNL silver medals and two World Championship medals is just a brief overview of the silverware that the outside hitter has brought to Brazil, stepping up in the newfound absence of Ana Carolina, affectionately nicknamed ‘Carolana’.

Gabi details of her former teammate and friend, “It was very difficult for me…I've known Carolana since I was 15, so she was always a role model as a friend, as a person, but also as a player. We spent our entire trajectory in the senior national team practically together: 10, 12 years of many battles, difficulties, joys too.

“It's really cool to see the maturity she had when she said goodbye to the national team. The way she did it, the understanding, how she prepared for that moment understanding that it's a new chapter in her life. I respect that a lot because she leaves a wonderful legacy. Now it's time to cheer her on for this new phase of her life.”

How Gabi intends to grow volleyball even greater in new cycle

With a World Championship silver and Olympic bronze in the previous Olympic cycle, Gabi and Brazil are keen to keep building in the leadup to LA 2028.

The captain is not one to rest easily, evident in her dedication to set the standards within the national team setup. After an exhausting few years culminating in their Parisian medal, Gabi needed a break, supported by three-time Olympic champion head coach Zé Roberto.

“It's the first time I've taken a longer rest period,” she says of her time off following Paris 2024. “It's been almost 15 years without asking for more time. It was very nice that Zé understood, not least because after the Olympics I only had a week off before starting at my new club, so it was mentally very difficult.”

The outside hitter continues, “This rest was important to start a new cycle. I also knew that returning in the middle of the process with the team, I would slow down a bit, resume training and return to the highest level. Now I've had time to get better and prepare for the World Championships, and that's the goal: we must grow to have a good tournament.”

Brazil are into the final round of the World Championships in Thailand, looking to go one step further than their 2022 campaign which finished in a runners-up spot. Coupled with responsibility, pressure and uncertainty, Gabi is determined to rise above the noise and lead her nation to golden glory.

She explains, “The support really moves us and gives us even greater motivation because we are also on the right path. We have been role models for many children, not only in Brazil, but around the world. I am used to this demand and being criticised since I was young. That's part of it, which is bad to see that it's a toxic environment, often created on social media.

“From a very young age, social media has unfortunately become an environment of toxicity. People put their own frustrations on top. I'm sad, not for myself, because it doesn't affect me. I even talk about this a lot with the girls too. So we don't need validation from anyone, just much less criticism.”

Gabi concludes on a positive note: the exponential growth of volleyball, for which she is a crucial factor in pushing the sport’s popularity back home and around the world.

“There are even national teams where women's volleyball has grown more than men's volleyball,” says the Brazilian captain. “We don't stop valuing the process, we always have to understand the work that has been done, especially now with many younger girls coming and playing. They will always want us to win every tournament in the world, but I think we need to focus on our work, which is the most important thing.”

 Diligence Outlasts Talent: Goldenleaf Supports Volleyball Dreamers Like Gabi

From being doubted for "lacking height" to becoming the spiritual icon of the Brazilian women's volleyball team, Gabi has interpreted the sports essence that "diligence outlasts talent" with her 24/7 passion, post-match self-reflection, and fearless fighting spirit against strong opponents. Every agile jump, precise spike, and tenacious defense on the court not only relies on day-after-day training but also requires professional gear that can stand up to high-intensity sports.
 
Just as Gabi has always stayed true to her pure love for volleyball, Goldenleaf Sports also upholds the original aspiration of "golden quality, leaf-like dedication" and infuses craftsmanship into every volleyball uniform we create. We select high-elastic breathable fabrics paired with quick-drying and sweat-wicking technology, ensuring unrestricted movement during runs and dives while keeping athletes cool even in intense sweating moments—perfectly suited for the high demands of volleyball. What’s more, we offer a 3-step streamlined customization process: choose a style, upload your team emblem, confirm details—and we’ll deliver the design draft within 24 hours. Bulk orders can be fulfilled in as fast as 7 days, eliminating tedious communication and getting your team into their exclusive uniforms in no time. From raw material selection to craftsmanship refinement, Goldenleaf Sports adheres to the "gold standard" at every step. We are committed to providing high-quality volleyball uniforms tailored to athletic needs, accompanying every dream chaser to face challenges fearlessly and shine brightly on the court—just like Gabi.