Gabriel Martinelli nominated for 2024 Samba Gold award but two Arsenal teammates snubbed

Several Premier League players have been nominated for a Brazilian football award, including one Arsenal star.

Arsenal have four Brazilians in the current squad, three of which being frequent players in the national team.

Gabriel Magalhaes, Gabriel Martinelli, Gabriel Jesus and new signing Neto are the Brazilian nationals in Mikel Arteta’s squad, each having at least one cap to their name.

While Neto hasn’t played for the Selecao since 2018, Martinelli, Gabriel and Jesus have been involved over the past year.

Gabriel Martinelli earns Samba Gold award nomination as Gabriel misses out

The list of nominees for Brazil’s Samba Gold award have been announced, with one Arsenal star receiving a nomination.

The Samba Gold award is awarded to the best Brazilian player, with the prize picked up by Real Madrid’s Vinicius Jr last year.

For the first time since 2014, Neymar Jr was not nominated, ruling the winger out of winning his seventh edition of the prize.

What is interesting about this year’s award is that only one Arsenal player has been nominated, one that not many would have expected.

Martinelli is listed alongside Premier League Brazilians Savinho, Lucas Paqueta, Joao Gomes, Andreas Pereira and Bruno Guimaraes, with no room for Gabriel or Jesus.

While Jesus’ omission does not come as a surprise, it’s a shock to learn that Arsenal’s centre-back Gabriel was not nominated.

Arsenal defender Gabriel is underrated

Martinelli’s inclusion in the award perhaps comes as more of a shock than Gabriel’s omission, as the winger has been far from his best over the past year.

In the 2023/24 campaign, Martinelli scored only eight goals for Arsenal, netting a further two for the national team during that period.

It was an underwhelming year for the 23-year-old yet a campaign to remember for Gabriel, who was instrumental in the Gunners’ defensive success alongside William Saliba.

Arsenal conceded only 29 goals in the Premier League season last term, with Gabriel playing a tremendous part in Arteta’s title charge, making 36 appearances.

Many will be surprised to see the defender miss out on a nomination for the award, as the centre-back’s ability and influence continue to be undermined.