Gabri Veiga (original) (raw)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Spanish footballer (born 2002)
In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Veiga and the second or maternal family name is Novas.
Gabri Veiga
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Gabriel Veiga Novas | ||
| Date of birth | (2002-05-27) 27 May 2002 (age 22) | ||
| Place of birth | O Porriño, Galicia, Spain | ||
| Height | 1.84 m (6 ft 0 in) | ||
| Position(s) | Central attacking midfielder | ||
| Team information | |||
| Current team | Al-Ahli | ||
| Number | 24 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| UD Louro Tameiga | |||
| Santa Mariña | |||
| Celta | |||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2019–2021 | Celta B | 63 | (10) |
| 2021–2023 | Celta | 50 | (11) |
| 2023– | Al-Ahli | 41 | (9) |
| International career‡ | |||
| 2019–2020 | Spain U18 | 5 | (2) |
| 2022– | Spain U21 | 17 | (2) |
Medal record Representing  Spain UEFA European Under-21 Championship Runner-up 2023 Georgia–Romania Team |
|||
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 22:57, 7 March 2025 (UTC)‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 23:53, 19 November 2024 (UTC) |
Gabriel Veiga Novas (Galician pronunciation: [ɡaβɾiˈɛl ˈvɛjɣɐ]; born 27 May 2002) is a Spanish professional footballer who plays as a central attacking midfielder for Saudi Pro League club Al-Ahli.
Veiga was born in O Porriño, Pontevedra, Galicia, and was a RC Celta de Vigo youth graduate. He made his senior debut with the reserves at the age of 17 on 25 August 2019, starting in a 2–2 Segunda División B away draw against Internacional de Madrid.[1]
Veiga scored his first goal on 1 December 2019, netting the opener in a 1–6 loss at CD Atlético Baleares.[2] He made his first team – and La Liga – debut on 19 September of the following year, coming on as a late substitute for Renato Tapia in a 2–1 home win against Valencia CF.[3]
Veiga scored his first professional goal on 10 September 2022, but in a 4–1 away loss against Atlético Madrid. The following 11 January, he was promoted to the main squad, being assigned the number 24 jersey.[4]
Despite strong interest from top European clubs including Manchester City, Liverpool, Chelsea and Napoli,[5][6] on 26 August 2023, Veiga joined Saudi Pro League side Al-Ahli, signing a three-year deal,[7] after activating his €40m release clause.[8] Veiga's decision to reject interest from European clubs in favour of the lucrative contract offer from Saudi Arabia drew criticism from fans, media and fellow players for a perceived lack of sporting ambition.[9][10] Real Madrid midfielder Toni Kroos labelled the move as "embarrassing".[9]
As of match played 11 March 2025[11]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
| Club | Season | League | National cup[a] | Continental | Other | Total | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | |
| Celta B | 2019–20 | Segunda División B | 14 | 1 | — | — | — | 14 | 1 | ||
| 2020–21 | Segunda División B | 17 | 0 | — | — | 1[b] | 0 | 18 | 0 | ||
| 2021–22 | Primera División RFEF | 31 | 9 | — | — | — | 31 | 9 | |||
| 2022–23 | Primera Federación | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 1 | 0 | |||
| Total | 63 | 10 | — | — | 1 | 0 | 64 | 10 | |||
| Celta | 2020–21 | La Liga | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 6 | 0 | |
| 2021–22 | La Liga | 7 | 0 | 3 | 0 | — | — | 10 | 0 | ||
| 2022–23 | La Liga | 36 | 11 | 3 | 0 | — | — | 39 | 11 | ||
| 2023–24 | La Liga | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 1 | 0 | ||
| Total | 50 | 11 | 6 | 0 | — | — | 56 | 11 | |||
| Al-Ahli | 2023–24 | Saudi Pro League | 18 | 4 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 20 | 4 | |
| 2024–25 | Saudi Pro League | 23 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 9[c] | 1 | 1[d] | 0 | 33 | 6 |
| Total | 41 | 9 | 3 | 0 | 9 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 53 | 10 | |
| Career total | 154 | 30 | 9 | 0 | 9 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 174 | 31 |
- ^ Includes Copa del Rey, King's Cup
- ^ Appearance in Segunda División B play-offs
- ^ Appearances in AFC Champions League Elite
- ^ Appearance in Saudi Super Cup
Individual
- ^ "Nueva temporada, nuevo juvenil debutando con el B" [New season, new juvenil making his debut with the B-team] (in Spanish). La Voz de Galicia. 26 August 2019. Retrieved 19 September 2020.
- ^ "Un gol para el recuerdo en una mañana para olvidar" [A goal to remember in a morning to forget] (in Spanish). La Voz de Galicia. 2 December 2019. Retrieved 19 September 2020.
- ^ "La magia de Aspas tumba al Valencia" [The magic of Aspas bring down Valencia] (in Spanish). Diario AS. 19 September 2020. Retrieved 19 September 2020.
- ^ "Gabri Veiga pasa a tener ficha del primer equipo del Celta" [Gabri Veiga starts having a place in Celta's first team] (in Spanish). La Voz de Galicia. 11 January 2023. Retrieved 31 January 2023.
- ^ Romano, Fabrizio (28 June 2023). "Manchester City join Liverpool and Chelsea in race for Celta's Gabri Veiga". The Guardian. Retrieved 26 August 2023.
- ^ "Las razones de Gabri Veiga para irse a jugar a Arabia" (in Spanish). Marca. 26 August 2023.
- ^ Al-Ahli Saudi FC [@ALAHLI_FCEN] (26 August 2023). "Bienvenido, Gabri! 💚" (Tweet). Retrieved 26 August 2023 – via Twitter.
- ^ "Saudi Al-Ahli announced the transfer of the Spanish supertalent". Dailysports. 26 August 2023.
- ^ a b Latham-Coyle, Harry (24 August 2023). "Toni Kroos calls Spanish 21-year-old's transfer to Saudi Arabia 'embarrassing'". The Independent.
- ^ "'Embarrassing': Real Madrid midfielder Toni Kroos blasts Gabri Veiga Saudi Pro League transfer". MSN. 24 August 2023.
- ^ Gabri Veiga at BDFutbol
- ^ "Gabri Veiga named LaLiga Santander Player of the Month for February". La Liga. 2 March 2023. Retrieved 5 March 2023.
- Profile at the RC Celta de Vigo website
- Gabri Veiga at BDFutbol
- Gabri Veiga at Soccerway