Gabriel Jesus, a 29-year-old Brazilian striker, was one of the surprise signings at the close of the Spanish transfer window.

In his first press conference after transferring from Arsenal to FC Barcelona, the player left no doubt as to the place faith holds in his life: “Thanks to God, who always had a plan for me”, he said in his introductory speech.

Jesus was outspoken throughout the presentation. “I don’t believe in chance; I believe very much in God. I was confident that something was going to happen”, he explained when asked about his sudden arrival at the club.

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“God is always taking care of me, and has confirmed that once again, because despite everything I’ve been through over the last two years, having the chance to be here at Barça and play is only possible with God’s help”, he added.

“If I am here, it’s because God has a plan for me”, said Barça’s new striker, who was not concerned that some regard his signing as a stopgap for the team. “I don’t care what people say outside. I know I have God, my wife, my children, my family and friends who love me, and football”.

A story of overcoming adversity

Gabriel Jesus’s story begins in the Jardim Peri neighbourhood on the outskirts of São Paulo. Gabriel Fernando de Jesus, his full name, grew up in poverty with his mother, Vera Lucia, a domestic worker who raised her three children alone after their father abandoned them.

Before his professional football debut at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, the young Gabriel used to paint the streets of São Paulo barefoot to earn a few reais and help out at home.

His story and his name seem to go hand in hand. When he joined Manchester City in 2017, he specifically requested the number 33, in tribute to Jesus Christ, the age at which Christ was crucified.

The same goes for his famous goal celebration of holding an imaginary phone to his ear. It is a promise he made to his mother before scoring his first professional goal, that he would celebrate by symbolically calling her.

He has done so at Palmeiras, City, Arsenal, and with the Brazilian national team. He now hopes to repeat it while wearing Barça's number 25 shirt.

The last two years have been difficult for the striker due to injuries. A torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee in January 2025 kept him out of the game for almost a year.

However, the Brazilian also views this period through the lens of his faith: “I was working hard at Arsenal, giving my all, because I knew something good was going to happen, and it has”.

Jesse Bisiwu, another signing not hiding his faith

Gabriel Jesus is not the only player in Barça’s new intake to be open about his Christian faith. The 18-year-old Belgian winger of Ghanaian descent, who joined from Bruges this summer, also makes this clear on his social media. His Instagram profile reads: “The Lord is my refuge”.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Una publicación compartida por Jesse Bisiwu (@bisiwujesse)

 

 

 

 

After scoring his first two goals for Barça in a pre-season friendly against FC Basel, he posted a picture of the celebration on Instagram with the caption: “Thank you, Jesus”.

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