Gabriel Magalhaes is a familiar face among football fans, but his wife could soon become a household name in her own right.
The Arsenal centre-back has established himself as one of the Premier League‘s toughest defenders in recent years, but much less is known about his other half, Gabrielle Figueiredo.
That will change soon, though, with the footballer’s long-term partner set to feature in the upcoming second season of Amazon Prime’s ‘Married to the Game’.
The reality docuseries follows the wives and girlfriends of Premier League stars, giving fans an insight into their glamorous lives.
Its first season saw Gabriel’s Arsenal teammate Jorginho appear alongside fiancée Cat Harding, as well as Everton’s James Tarkowski and ex-Manchester City winger Riyad Mahrez that detailed his transfer to the Saudi Pro League.
With Figueiredo set to hit the screens, talkSPORT looks at the wife of the Gunners’ rock at the back, who hopes to forge a career of her own.
The influencer
While she may not yet be an established name in the mainstream media, it is a different story for Gabby online.
Boasting nearly 200,000 followers on Instagram and more than 10,000 on TikTok, she is something of a social media star, with her content ranging from lifestyle, beauty and fashion.
The 27-year-old showcased her keen eye for style in October, when she went viral for wearing a custom-made leather jacket during Arsenal’s win over Paris Saint-Germain.
With ‘Arsenal’ emblazoned in block capitals on the front, the eye-catching garment blended the club’s red and white with the traditional Brazilian colours yellow, green and blue on the sleeves.
And Figueiredo revealed she is keen to build on her growing influence online as she looks to become a star in her own right.
On ditching the ‘WAG’ label, she told talkSPORT’s Hawksbee and Baker she’s trying to battle against the stereotype.
“I think it’s difficult when you are in this position, because people are used to saying things like: ‘Oh, she is married to someone’, and this is who she is.
“I think we need to show that we have our own talents and values and careers as well.”
Detailing her career goals, Figueiredo added: “I think now my Instagram and all my socials are more fashion-dominated. And also football, because everything is connected now for me.
“And I think this is what I really want to do, and I really like to do.”
The inspiration
Having begun dating in 2020, Gabriel and Gabrielle welcomed their first child, daughter Maya, in March 2022.
And motherhood has made her keen to set an example, with the Brazilian sharing her hopes that her appearance on Married to the Game will serve as an inspiration to their first born in the future.
Speaking to The Kickback on talkSPORT, she said: “After my mum, Gabriel is my biggest inspiration.
“I want Maya to feel the same about me, that I am her biggest inspiration. So I think everything that I am doing now, teaching her the right way and doing something for my work, for my own life.
“I think this in the future will show a bit of who I am for her, and the values and everything.”
Her relationship with Gabriel
Figueiredo has been there for every step of Gabriel’s Arsenal journey so far, joining him in London shortly after he completed his £27million move to the Gunners from French side Lille in September 2020.
This has given her no choice but to embrace her husband’s profession, but it hasn’t always been this way.
When asked if she was a football fan, she replied: “Now I am. Before Gabriel, I wasn’t.
“But now I am really into it. I want to know everything that is happening, including the rules.
“I want to know what is happening on the pitch and now with the injury [to Gabriel]. So, I really love and like to be into everything.”
But it seems the couple have both adopted their respective passions, with Gabriel in turn taking fashion advice from Figueiredo ahead of the premiere of Married to the Game.
She laughed whilst explaining: “For the premiere, I was buying some clothes for him one day before. But we got the news that [the injury will keep him out for the season], so he couldn’t go with me.
“But I was sending [texts] to him saying things like: ‘You’ll wear these clothes tomorrow. And he [said]: ‘Okay, whatever you want, I will wear them’.
“I could show you the messages!”
TV Star
As Figueiredo and Gabriel prepare to join Chelsea’s Marc Cucurella and his girlfriend Claudia Rodriguez among those making their on-screen bow on the Amazon show, she revealed how the opportunity came about.
GettyFigueiredo will star alongside five other wives and girlfriends on the Prime Video series[/caption]
“They approached me.
“I thought it was a great opportunity for me and for Gabriel as well. So that is why I accepted to be part of it.”
But it took some persuading to get her husband on board.
“I think the boys don’t like too much to be in this spot.
“At the beginning I think they were worried about the exposure and everything. But for Gabriel he was worried at the beginning. And then with time and conversation he accepted.
“Now he’s enjoying everything. And I know that he will enjoy watching it as well.”
He may not have a choice for now given his absence from training. Figueiredo joked it’s good he will be around more for their daughter, but it may mean he’s playing Call of Duty just a bit more than normal!
Married to the Game returns to Amazon 8 April
