Gabriel Taliari has been one of the most consistent figures in Brazilian football in 2025. Freshly turned 28, the Juventude striker scored the winning goal in a 1-0 victory over Santos on the night of December 3—a strike that kept the Gaúcho club’s faint hopes of avoiding relegation alive in Série A. That goal, a precise long-range shot, not only reignited the fans’ faith inside the Alfredo Jaconi stadium but also underlined just how indispensable Taliari has become for the Papo. Born in Arceburgo in southern Minas Gerais and raised in Mococa in São Paulo’s interior, he embodies the dream of countless kids who kick barefoot balls on dusty streets deep in Brazil’s heartland. His story is one of persistence, clutch goals, and a passion that overflows in every match.
In a season full of ups and downs for Juventude—who ultimately finished 19th and were relegated to Série B—Taliari shone with 8 goals and 4 assists in 32 league appearances. His impact goes far beyond the stat sheet: he was the team’s top scorer and the player who attempted the most shots (2.3 per game). Off the field, rumors of interest from clubs like Vasco, Fluminense, and even teams abroad have intensified thanks to his recent form. But to understand the present-day Gabriel, we have to go back to his roots.
Childhood and First Kicks
Gabriel Pereira Taliari was born on April 13, 1997, into a humble family in Arceburgo, a small town of just over 35,000 people surrounded by coffee farms and green pastures. Shortly after his birth, the family moved 40 km away to Mococa in search of better opportunities. It was on the tree-lined streets and makeshift fields of that São Paulo town that young Gabriel discovered football. “I played all day, non-stop,” he recalled in an interview on Juventude’s official website. The nickname “Bill”—a nod to the legendary Pelé—came naturally from friends who saw in him a natural dribbler and born finisher.
At age 15, in 2012, Taliari joined the youth academy of local club Radium Futebol Clube in Mococa. That same year he finished as top scorer in the São Paulo state Under-15 championship, posting numbers that caught the eye of bigger scouts. “That’s when I realized this could become my profession,” he said. Radium, known for feeding talent to São Paulo’s bigger clubs, served as his launchpad. In 2015, at just 18, he stepped up to the senior team of EC São Bernardo in the Paulista second division. His debut was quiet, but his first professional goal soon arrived—a calmly taken penalty in a 1-1 draw against Mauaense.
Those early years shaped Taliari’s character. Far from the spotlight, he learned to cherish every chance. At São Bernardo he played 25 matches and scored 5 goals—numbers that took him to Capivariano in 2016. There he split his days between training and informal jobs to help support the family. “Football wasn’t guaranteed, so I worked as a mechanic’s assistant,” he revealed to O Estado de S. Paulo newspaper. It was at Capivariano that he exploded in youth competitions: top scorer of the 2017 Copa São Paulo de Futebol Júnior with 4 goals and a standout in the Paulista Under-20 championship.
The Challenges of Going Pro and First Titles
The leap to full professional football came hard and fast in 2017, still with Capivariano in Paulista Série A2. Despite the team’s relegation, Taliari scored 5 times in 12 games, displaying a goal-scoring instinct that blended speed and tactical intelligence. His versatility—able to play as an attacking midfielder or center-forward—set him apart. On loan to Água Santa for that year’s Copa Paulista, he added another 2 goals in 11 appearances, cementing his reputation in São Paulo’s interior.
2018 was the turning point. Playing in Paulista Série A3 with Capivariano, he became the division’s top scorer with 16 goals in 21 matches (21 goals across all competitions)—a record that put him on the radar of elite clubs. In April, Athletico Paranaense signed him on loan. His Série A debut against Fluminense was nerve-wracking, but he showed grit in three goalless appearances. In the reserve team he scored once in 12 games. The highlight came in 2019: in the Campeonato Paranaense, Taliari was a key piece in Athletico’s state-title triumph. His stunning bicycle-kick goal in the 3-0 semifinal win over Rio Branco became iconic—an acrobatic finish that went viral and won Paranaense hearts.
Still in 2019, on loan to Mirassol for the Copa Paulista, he led the club in scoring with 10 goals in 23 matches, including a memorable hat-trick. “Mirassol gave me the confidence to play without fear,” he said. At the end of the year he moved to Ituano, where the pandemic extended his contract. Between 2020 and 2021 he played 45 games and scored 10 goals, including one in Série C against Água Santa and a decisive strike against Ponte Preta. His adaptation to professional life was clear: intense training, strict diet, and mental focus.
Overcoming Injury and a Triumphant Return
Not everything was smooth. In 2021, on loan to Brusque in Série B, Taliari opened his account with a penalty against Avaí, but a serious knee injury—torn ACL and meniscus—kept him out for months. “It was the hardest moment. I thought about quitting,” he admitted on a ge.globo podcast. Recovery was grueling: daily physiotherapy, nights of pain, and the fear of being forgotten. Brusque extended his contract, and he returned in July 2022, playing 16 matches and scoring once. The lesson? Resilience.
2023 was a year of moving around: 3 goals for Santo André in the Copa Paulista; 5 in Série C and 3 in other competitions for CSA. The high point came at year-end on loan to Juventude in Série B—6 goals in 11 games, including a hat-trick that helped secure promotion to the top flight. “Juventude welcomed me like family,” he said. In January 2024 the deal was made permanent until December 2026 for around €170,000.
Shining at Juventude and the 2025 Breakthrough
At Juventude, Taliari found a home. In the 2024 Série A he scored 4 goals in 21 appearances, helping the club stay up. But 2025 was his coming-out party. With 8 goals and 4 assists, he became the offensive engine of a team that fought relegation until the final whistle. Highlights included a brace in a 2-0 March win over Vitória and crucial assists against Fortaleza and Atlético-MG. His chance-conversion rate reached 34%, and he led the squad in successful dribbles (1.9 per game).
The December 3 match against Santos encapsulated his season. With Juventude needing an unlikely win to keep survival hopes alive, Taliari curled a magnificent free-kick into the top corner in the 26th minute. The stadium erupted, and social media lit up with praise. “Taliari is the guy who makes things happen,” tweeted journalist Fernando Campos of CazéTV. After the game he dedicated the goal to the fans: “They deserve this. We’ll fight until the final whistle.”
Off the pitch, Taliari stays involved in social projects in Mococa—visiting youth academies and donating equipment. Married and father to a 3-year-old daughter, he balances family life with the pressures of the sport. His agent at Elite Sports Management downplays immediate exit rumors, but the market is buzzing: Vasco and Fluminense are monitoring, attracted by his excellent value (market value around €900,000).
A Legacy in the Making and a Bright Future Ahead
Gabriel Taliari is more than statistics—he is inspiration. From a small-town kid to the 2018 Paulista Série A3 top scorer, from an injured unknown to Juventude’s hero, his journey mirrors Brazilian football itself: unpredictable yet full of fight. With 208 appearances and 65 career goals so far, he dreams of the Seleção—a call-up he came close to in youth national teams. “I want to leave a legacy of overcoming obstacles,” he says.
In 2026, with Juventude in Série B, Taliari could be the cornerstone of a rebuild or move on to new challenges. Wherever he goes, his story continues to motivate. On the pitch or on the streets of Mococa, the “Bill” from Arceburgo proves that talent plus persistence breaks down barriers. And Brazilian football is grateful for yet another chapter in this saga.
