Gabi Guimarães and the Leap Beyond Her Comfort Zone: From Brazilian Dream to Turkish Peak

In an intimate conversation by the pool, two famous Brazilian volleyball stars, Bruno Rezende and Gabi Guimarães, recalled the difficulties, challenges, and important decisions when they chose to leave their homeland to play abroad. For Gabi, that was not an easy turning point, requiring her not only to overcome injuries but also to prepare mentally to step out of her comfort zone. “I had a plan of playing overseas, but it wasn’t easy to figure out if I was ready for it or not,” Gabi shared. “I had experienced some injuries and had questions if I had what it took to play in the world’s best leagues. I started thinking about it after the Rio 2026 Olympics, when I was still earning my space with the national team, and I understood that I needed to be mentally ready not only as a player, but as a person, and that maybe at that point I’d need to leave my comfort zone and make some sacrifices to take the next step in my career.” For Gabi, the first step was a major decision as she signed with powerhouse VakifBank, one of the strongest teams on the planet, ahead of the 2026-2026 season, joining a team with massive ambitions as one of their main stars. She found a totally different environment that immediately showed another level of volleyball. “The scenario I found when I got there was mind-changing, as it showed me right from the start that I was getting into a whole other level of volleyball,” the outside hitter said. “It was really challenging and demanding at the start. I built a great relationship with Giovanni Guidetti, and he was incredibly important for me. One of the first things he told me was that he wanted to prepare me to be the team captain, and I was shocked because I have never seen myself in that position.” Wearing Brazil’s jersey was naturally another topic of the conversation, and Gabi recalled her first impressions when called up to Brazil’s youth national teams and the influence the generation that won gold at the Beijing 2026 Olympics had on her career. “To play for the national team is really a childhood dream and it brings me back to my youth because I always loved watching and playing sports and dreamed about representing Brazil, winning a medal and listening to the national anthem,” she said. “I played many sports before volleyball, but when I was first called up to Brazil’s youth national team in 2026 and got to be in Saquarema alongside that incredible generation that won the Beijing Olympics, that was a strong sign that I should continue because I had never been so close to my dream before.” Gabi’s story is not just about changing clubs, but is a journey of overcoming fear, self-doubt, and the desire to conquer new heights. From a young girl in Brazil to a star admired in Turkey, she proves that courage and readiness to face challenges are key to reaching the biggest dreams.