Canela (footballer)

Gabriel Luiz Sandes Gomes (born 22 January 2000), commonly known as Canela or Gabriel Canela, is a Brazilian professional footballer who plays as a forward for Bangu.

Early life
Canela grew up in the Corte 8 community of Duque de Caxias, Rio de Janeiro, and received his nickname Canela (Cinnamon) from his cousin when he was a child.

Club career
He first took an interest in football at a local football school named Centenário Esporte Clube, run by coach Bárbara Almeida, in Duque de Caxias. He went on to join professional side Artsul in nearby Nova Iguaçu, where he made his debut in the 2018 edition of the Campeonato Carioca Série A2.

The following year, he joined Nova Iguaçu, spending his first season with the club in the youth ranks, before marking his debut for the club with two goals and an assist in a 4–0 Campeonato Carioca win over America-RJ on 11 January 2020. Later in the same year, he trialled with Belgian club Zulte Waregem, and went on to join the Jupiler Pro League side on a six-month loan deal at the end of January 2020.

On his return to Brazil, he featured in twenty games for Nova Iguaçu in the Campeonato Carioca Série A2, scoring twice during the COVID-19 pandemic-struck season in Brazil, helping the team return to the top-flight Campeonato Carioca. The following year, after featuring regularly for Nova Iguaçu in the Campeonato Carioca, he was loaned to Sampaio Corrêa-RJ in May 2021.

After another half-season with Nova Iguaçu, including seven appearances in the Campeonato Brasileiro Série D, Canela was again loaned out, this time to Serrano, in August 2022. The following year, having begun the season with parent side Nova Iguaçu, and spending time on loan with former club Artsul, Canela returned to Serrano on a permanent basis in August 2023, signing a deal until December 2025. He scored his first goal for the club since his return on 8 October, in a 3–0 win against Nova Cidade, thanking coach Jordi Blanco for giving him a chance after what he described as a "difficult and insecure time" for himself.

Despite signing a long-term contract, Canela left Serrano at the end of 2023, and went on to join Bangu in January 2024. He scored his first goal for the club in a 2–2 draw with Vasco da Gama on 28 January 2024.

Club

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