Gabi Guimaraes opens up about leaving Brazil: Fear, VakifBank and the moment that changed her life

In a conversation by the poolside, Gabi Guimaraes and Bruno Rezende – two of Brazil's biggest volleyball stars – looked back on the hardest decision of their careers: leaving their home country to play abroad. For Gabi, it was a journey full of doubts, injuries and uncertainty, but also one that helped her grow into a stronger athlete and person. Gabi admitted: “I had a plan of playing overseas, but it was not easy to figure out if I was ready for it or not. 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 would need to leave my comfort zone and make sacrifices to take the next step.” Her first move abroad was a major one. Before the 2026-2026 season, Gabi signed with Turkish club VakifBank, one of the strongest teams in the world. It was a demanding environment, with a team full of ambitions and a leading role waiting for her. She described the experience as mind-changing, showing her a new level of volleyball from the very beginning. She also built an important relationship with coach Giovanni Guidetti, who told her he wanted to prepare her to become team captain – a role she had never imagined for herself. The conversation also turned to the Brazilian national team. Gabi said representing Brazil had always been a childhood dream. Playing many sports before volleyball, she found her true path when she was first called up to Brazil's youth national team in 2026 and spent time in Saquarema alongside the generation that won the Beijing Olympics gold medal. That was a powerful sign that she should continue chasing her dream. Bruno Rezende, who spent years playing abroad himself, understood the challenge well. Their conversation highlighted that important career decisions rarely come from impulse. They begin with fear and self-doubt, then require careful mental preparation. Gabi's courage to leave her comfort zone and grow through difficulty offers a meaningful lesson for young athletes in Vietnam and around the world.