S6 Ep 4 | Now It’s My Time: Gabrielle Figueiredo on Reinvention, Motherhood & Life Beyond Arsenal

0:04Welcome to Beyond Marketing, the podcast. I'm Mara Genovese. I'm the founder and CEO of MG Empower, a global integrated market agency. Today's guest is someone who embodies what we champion on this show, women redefining their own narrative on their own terms. Gabriela Figueiredo is a Brazilian fashion and lifestyle creator, a rising talent who has carved out her own path while navigating the very public world of football. From moving abroad to support her husband, Arsenal's Gabriel Magalhães, to building a growing career in fashion, Gabriela is proving that her story goes far beyond the sidelines.

0:43And if you have watched Amazon Prime's Marriage to the Game, you have seen her openness, vulnerability and ambition firsthand. Welcome to Beyond Marketing, the podcast, Gabi. Wow, thank you. Thank you for having me. And what an introduction. Amazing. I'm so happy that you're here today. Thank you. We've been trying for a while to get you here. So finally. So Gabi, we've known each other from social media. When I think I started following you because we have a friend in common. Yeah. And one of the things that I attract myself to you, and I think we already talked about that, was our connection on spirituality, God and faith.

1:28and then we start exchanging messages and then I realized who you are and I was just like loving your style your fashion but I think it's incredible to see that what has got me to attention was nothing to do related to who you are with your marriage too because your content and everything you talk about it is so unique to yourself so I'm very happy that I'm gonna have the opportunity to show the audience who is actually Gabriella behind the scenes that people don't see it. Gabi, tell me about you. So how long have you been in London? How you end up here? And then who is Gabrielle? Wow. So hi guys, I'm Gabrielle Figueiredo.

2:13I'm 26 years old now and my journey started very early when I was 16 to 17 years old working with beauty. So my first job was working as a eyebrow designer and a makeup artist in Brazil. And then I moved to London in 2020, in the middle of the pandemic, in that chaotic time of, you know, this year. In the middle of all these things, I met Gabriel and the opportunity came to move to here, to start all over again here. And that's what I did. and so before when you're in brazil so um you were like during the pandemic you guys met and what made you to say okay i'm leaving everything behind and i'm gonna go to a new country with a new language of course we talk about love yeah and uh but how was that transition of like you leaving family your work and then coming to a unknown you know country unknown place?

3:21Yeah, I think just a quick resume. So in the beginning of 2020, when the pandemic started and everything started, my mom got ill. And that is why I had to make a decision to really stop with my work in my beauty salon. And then I went through the worst moment of my life that when I lose her and after that when I met Gabriel and this opportunity came to really start our life together you know I just had to say yes to this to you know this relationship and also to this new life I had myself obviously it wasn't easy but it was worth and I think it's what we are you know living now and what shaped me in this this beginning of my journey here.

4:18I'm sorry to hear about your mom. And so you had a beauty salon in Brazil. Yes. In Sao Paulo? In Sao Paulo. And you're like a makeup artist. Yes. I worked for, I think, three years almost in my own beauty salon without, you know, any marketing, any business partner, without any financial education, without any of these kind of things. and it worked so well for a few years. And I think it's a really meaningful time of my life. And to these days, I received some messages from my old clients saying that, you know, they love to keep following me and to see how my life is going on here. So I think it's a beautiful beginning of my life.

5:10And it's when everything started before here. which makes a lot of sense for what you're doing now because you have that background story before even you moved to London that you were linked to beauty yeah and then to fashion and that's I think people don't know that sometimes they see us just off the lens of who we are now but they don't know the past and how we started the connection of your past to what you're doing what you're doing today. So, Gabi, again, the woman before London and before the football, because, of course, being the wife of Gabrielle puts you on a lot of spotlight. And that's one of the things I think I admire you so much because it's clearly to see that you're kind of following your own, you know, career path, knowing that, of course, you're always going to be on the spotlights because of the nature of, you know, being with a football player as Gabriel.

6:09But tell me, like, how you are kind of, like, finding your way on, like, I needed to be who I am and I wanted to show my audience and then, like, having this story of the past of Brazil that you were in a beauty saloon. So how are you finding yourself on the sense, like, this is me and I wanted to show the public that this is Gabriel, that I have, you know, my own career path and I'm building that. So how do you manage that on the day to day? So when I arrived here, I didn't know what my career or dreams would look like. I just tried to, you know, balance supporting Gabriel and trying to understand what way I should go in my career.

6:54And it took me a while to do this. and until today I've been learning how to deal with you know both sides of my life and I think after my pregnancy that I really realized okay now it's my time it's my turn and I need to make this for myself I need to say yes to the opportunities I need to grow in my own brand and that is what I'm trying to do now and then Maya came three years ago yes and then you became amada when you were like 20 22 22 young yeah so then tell me like balance all of that like moving to london's a new country the new language be involved now in the world of football getting the spotlight in the middle of being pregnant and you know starting the journey of becoming your mother how how did you balance all of that oh wow i think i didn't balance in the beginning obviously i was you know just a girl when i get pregnant my um until today um i've been learning so much with her and after my pregnancy i think that i really realized all those things about you know my own uh person and my own life and my own career and also my relationship and everything so I think um she just changed me in a best way of myself in a you know in a better person a better wife a better daughter as well because after I think after being a mom you really understand what your parents did for you, you know, through your whole life.

8:40So I think this is why I've been learning after being a mom and also adapting a new country that is not easy. But I think now we are really, you know, established and we know how to deal with all the situations and all the things that probably came up for us. and that's it. She is, you know, she is wonderful and... What's the personality she has? Is it more you, Gabriel, or it's a mix? Well, she's very bossy, she's very, you know, she is Aries. Yeah, star sign. Yes. Very fiery. But I think she's more, you know, she's more like me in personality, but obviously she looks like more Gabriel, you know, in person.

9:34Yeah, I think she has, you know, both sides and both personalities. Because you said that after becoming a mother, then you decide now it's my time, it's my turn. And then you went straight to the Amazon Prime for that incredible, that exposure you a lot in the sense that okay, you're being in front of the cameras and now you're being very vulnerable and very honest about who you are but also what it is take to be a wife of a football player what made you to decide that I'm gonna go for this I will do this program because I wanted to to be part of it but also I want to take this opportunity to show the world who is Gabi yeah and what does it take to be where I am because I think sometimes maybe all the time people think that to be a wife of a football player it's is an easy thing but we know it's not yeah uh and it's not all glamorous as people think because they spend a lot of their time training and not being with the family uh it takes a lot from a wife and a daughter but also from a husband to to actually you know go through this kind of like a journey of deciding that okay this is what i want to do i want to be a football player but also takes a lot from the person that is on the side so how how you decide when they approach how did they first of all how did they approach you to be on that program um they reached me out in 2023 okay um for the first time but i didn't say yes you didn't say yes why you didn't say yes because i was planning our wedding and i think i wasn't ready in that time you know and And I just say, OK, I need more time and maybe next year we can discuss about it.

11:32And that's what we did. So in 2024, we talked again. And then after all, you know, the wedding and studying a bit more, I said, OK, now I'm ready and now I could say yes. and even with this it wasn't easy to say yes because for me I saw the opportunity like okay it's a good way for me to show a bit more about myself to show my life to show my routine but for Gabriel it wasn't like this like for him he is already there he is already in the public eye He is already, you know, a public person and, you know, all those those label. So he asked me like, you really want to do this? Like, you are sure?

12:22And we obviously we had so many conversations about it until I really say yes. It was what you said, like it is an opportunity for me. So I think he he really understand that. Like, okay, it's your turn. And we would do this together. I would do this for you. Yeah, so he supported me. And it's what made me say yes. And obviously, it wasn't a big challenge. But I was happy, you know. I was just truly happy to be part of it. And to, you know, did what we did. They were following you for a long time with the camera? How did they film this? Yeah, we started filming, I think, in September of 2024. We keep filming, I think, for three months or four months.

13:18Yes, something like this. And most of the time, it was just myself with them and sometimes with Gabriel. And so it's what we deal in the beginning, me and Gabriel. Like, OK, I will just, Gabriel said to me, I will just be there when it's really needed. because obviously I have, you know, my job, my time, the things that I really need to do. So just call myself when it's really needed. And we did this and it really works. So I think for me, it was this, you know, three months working with them. We filmed, I think, for, you know, 20 days in the middle of this month. and that's it like it's a what are you proud what are you most proud of this show i think um i'm proud of everything you know of not just um not proud just of myself but proud of the girls as well because i know that i'm not the only one then it was speaking a different language that it's not you know your um natural language so um i'm proud that i really accepted this and said okay yes i would do this and you can you can do this i think i just you know i just did something you know for the first time that it was really worth it and i'm proud of that And do you think people can see who is Gabby from that show?

14:53Well, I think yes, but at the same time, I think it's just, you know, a quick short of my life as well.

15:04It's obviously now it's easier to understand me more and to know a bit more about myself after the series. But at the same time, I think obviously I have so much more to show. I have so much more to say and maybe in the next season. You're going to have a second season? Yeah, who knows? I think, yes. That is exciting. Okay, amazing. Oh, Gabi, but like when you think about, okay, so now you have done the show, you have that courage and then I can sense that you're very ready to kind of like, now I'm going to, again, follow my own truth and I will, you know, make sure that despite of being with Gabrielle, there is a room for me as well that is not necessarily needed to be connected of who I am married to.

15:53So what is your ambitions? Where do you see yourself? How do you want to stand out and say, okay, this is me being me and doing what I love, but having as well like a, you know, a very well-known football player, but I don't want it to be knowing because of that. So when you see yourself now and future, how do we envision that? I think I really envision myself in the future, not just being obviously someone married to an athlete or a footballer, because I know there is any problem in this. I'm really happy, you know, being known because I'm married to him. But at the same time, I'm working and I'm trying to, you know, making my place in this world.

16:39So I think I want to, you know, be part of my own dreams and desires. I want to achieve the things that, OK, this is this is what I'm working for, not because of him, but because of myself. and I think that there's anything wrong, you know, to being married to him and to being known by that, but at the same time, I'm working for my place and I'm trying to do my own career and my own achievements and my own dreams and that is what I'm looking for. But looking for the parallel that you said about your childhood in Brazil, when you say, like, I will try too, but if you think about it, you're already success before you meeting Gabriel, So it's just like, it was making like a pulse because you became a mother.

17:31But you have a history that is not necessarily attached to him. That you can see that there is just an amazing opportunity for you ahead. I'm always saying that we were someone before. 100%. Before our husbands, before our marriage. So I was someone before them. I worked hard and I achieved some good things in Brazil. So obviously my life changed completely. Completely. You know, living here, it's another type of privilege and another type of, you know, reality. But at the same time, you know, I'm proud of my beginning and I'm proud of who I was before him as well. No, it is 100%. And then Gabi, like what we love, some of it I personally love is your viral arsenal jacket of every game.

18:18Can you say that Gabi can be a fashion designer as well in the future? wow because it's just so like to be honest like i like i'm an arsenal fan sorry guys that are here that are not and uh and sometimes i have the opportunity to go to the game because i have like an amazing friend that uh you know this is now and then she always invite me but what i looked for every game yeah every game is just the game but also what gabby will be wearing today with Maya so are you custom made yourself all the outfits or if you're not custom made yourself but you're having the vision and idea because this become massive viral like and people wait to see what is next yeah I think I started you know dressing up for the games in a very natural way it's not something that I you know I said okay now I will you know starting to dressing me different for the games.

19:13No, it's something that it's natural for me. And I just, you know, I have this desire to just be beautiful for him because actually he is there playing and he will see me in a moment. So it's not just, you know, for myself and for my Instagram and social media things, but also for him. So we started this and then the jackets, it was something very easy to create. I think I have this creative side of myself that obviously could be something in the future. And I didn't expect that could be that viral how it was. And, you know, it was just easy. And I think for today, obviously, it's becoming a pressure.

20:02Okay, what is it? Because I am like, What is next? So I think it's nice to feel this pressure. Like, okay, you need to use something that inspires your personality and who you are. And also be there supporting in a fashion way. And that's it. That's why I'm trying. Maybe there's a fashion designer kind of opportunity for you in the future. you ever know because it's just like it's just very unique i can see the the creative side of you when you come up and then you do for maya as well so you just yeah and maya and then they go twins and it's the cutest thing ever and she gets excited as well because she knows the game and mom is gonna dressing me up yeah she is now she is uh starting to understand okay um this color suits with this color okay this bag is nice this shoes i want to use this i want to use that So she is, you know, becoming a little Gabriele sense of style.

21:08And this is nice. Obviously, I love that. And she's always excited, you know. She's always excited to be with me in the games. And when we are matching, she's, you know, just the happiest. The dream, the happiest. Yeah. Gabi, can I ask a question that people probably imagine, but they don't know how hard this can be sometimes? It's sometimes you feel very lonely. because Gabriel is always traveling. How does it take to have the kind of this strength of, say, I will support him, but I know that a lot of time I'm not going to have him at home? Well, I think now I'm very used to this. And we always try to keep our family close.

21:56So my dad is always with me in our home. And also I have Maya. So I think for now this is not a problem, but obviously in the beginning it was something that sometimes made me feel anxious. But I think it's something that you need to learn because you need to live with this, you know, it's part of our lives. It's part of his job. So I think we just need to understand that, okay, it's okay, you know, you need to support and you need to be there and it's completely fine. And obviously when you have kids, it's so much easier. It's so much easier. It's just because people don't get it, right? Sometimes they just see the surface of social media, but they don't know that it's actually, it's not as easy as it sounds for the family because it's a lot of partnership between a family to make it work and still being together, knowing that it's going to take a lot of time away because of the dedication that is required to be an athlete.

23:04And Gabi, what I wanted to ask you, when you're moving to London, what's the biggest challenge that you felt in terms of the culture and the language? But if you have to kind of name one challenge that for you was the hardest of leaving everything behind to follow the love of her life and starting a new life, what would be that challenge that you would name? Wow. I could name a mix of everything. I think it's really a mix, obviously. The language is a good point and also the weather, the culture and all these things. But I think I'm not this kind of person that says, okay, I will leave Brazil and all it's so difficult in London because the weather is so different and, you know, the language is difficult and all those things.

24:00I just I think me and Gabriel, we just try to, you know, OK, we need to speak the language. We need to learn. We need to grow. We need to adapt. And that's what we did. So until today, obviously, we've been learning how to deal with, you know, all the the not just the language, but the culture and how to adapt our child as well, our family. so I think obviously in the beginning it wasn't easy but I think you really can adapt yourself you know a few months later and it's not something so hard to do it so yeah I can say the language first because it wasn't the biggest challenge but after that I think you know we are fine we can manage that and that's it I can see that you're very driven.

24:52I used to feel yourself as a driven woman. Yeah. Yeah, because I feel like you're very, like, determined. Oh, yes. Yes. It's just like your personality shows me that, yes, I have the challenge, but it looks like you're a very driven personality in terms of, yes, I will go through this and I will make it happen without, you know, looking back. Do you feel like you're like this? Yes. Yes, I think I just try to be positive, you know. like it's very easy to you know see just oh this is hard being away from our family from our country but we need to see you know the positive side of this and just looking forward to to make it happen okay to learn and to grow and evolve and you're very spiritual which i i love about that so when like when that passion for God and faith when that starts childhood or is something that when when that's becoming to be something that is part of you are um I didn't came from um a spiritual family like religious but I ended up in a very religious family that it's Gabriel's family.

26:01So his family is very spiritual. Yes, yes. His mom is like the best. She's such a wonderful person and very spiritual as well. And I think obviously before that, you know, my mom tried to teach me the values of the Bible sometimes, but she wasn't the kind of person that go to the church that, you know, read the Bible often. She just tried to teach me some, you know, little things. And after that, when I really moved to here and become, you know, mom and wife, that we really started this connection, you know, to, okay, we will go to the church, we will do some service in our home. We will start to pray together to, you know, to really realize and trust in God's first for everything in our lives.

27:02We really know where's our trust it is. We really know where's our faith it is first of all. And I think it's what matters, you know, like you need to put God's first. I love that. And that's what we try to do in everything in our lives. I love that. I'm like the same as you, as you know. Like, it's God first. And I think it's just I admire you guys so much because I've seen some of the videos when you guys do the service at home. And then I think that's why so many amazing things is happening to you and Gabrielle because you guys are very down to worth. Yeah. And it's not everyone that is where you guys are that is as down to worth and humble as you guys.

27:49But I think it's just because of that spirituality for sure. Yeah. And then what I love is that you guys just talk about it. So because nowadays some people like they don't like to talk about their faith. They don't like to talk about what they believe. Yeah. And you both is just like it's just opening about it, which I think is just like so beautiful. Yeah. Yeah. I think we both have, you know, different testimonies in our lives. And this is what makes us, you know, strong in that faith. Because you need to live that to really understand what God can, you know, do in your life. So I think that is why we have this faith.

28:34That is why we keep, you know, talking and trying to be in this position that we can, you know, try to teach the people how to live a life with God as well. Yeah, because faith, you can only believe once you experience. That's what a lot of people say. How do you do it? How do you experience that? Like, how do I learn to be faithful? It's like, you don't learn. You just have to experience and then you will get it. and then you're going to be that forever. Yeah. Because you will see how amazing it is to be. Exactly. To be faithful. So next for you, is there anything that we can know that you're planning for 2026 for Gabi?

29:16I think for me, this moment of the year is the moment that I sit down and just try to put all of my energy and my effort, you know, in my own brand and also, first of all, in my family and my relationship. and trust in God's plan that could be, you know, the best year of my life. Amazing. I love that. And then we want to talk about the stereotype of being called the WAC. Yeah. Do you mind about it? Or you just don't care? Because it always starts with Victoria Beckham, right? Back in the days. Because I remember when I moved to London, there was like, oh, posh, posh, posh, the WAC. I was like, what is this?

29:56Because like I'll move it here and then there was just like football has always been a big thing in England. And then I remember reading the news and read the newspaper with Victoria Beckham on the news. Yeah, on the walk. And like, it's in the game. And then, so do you mind it? Or you just don't care? Or you don't even read about it? I think it's not a proper bad term, you know. I think we, obviously, that is a fine line between, you know, just reduce woman to death. so I think for example you can say okay she is Gabriele Figueiredo and she is married to Gabriel Magalhães or you just can say she is Gabriel Magalhães' wife so I think these little things make such a difference in the end so I think we just need to be careful and this okay is there a person behind this label to just being married to someone so I think if especially if we were working for this place, we need to be careful of how we said that.

31:02And I think sometimes the people want to, you know, say this in this bad way. OK, she's just the wife of that person, that athlete or that football player or whatever he is. So I think for me, it's not a bad term. You know, I try to see this side. OK, it's OK to be a WOG. It is what I am. And I just don't want to be reduced just to that. And then I think because you have that so clear in your mind that I don't mind because this is what I am. I am a wife. But I'm never going to be reduced to that because I'm a powerful woman. I can be more than that. And then again, going back to where we started, you already were before you met.

31:51Yeah. So I love that you have that mentality and that clear kind of understand. Yes, I am. But I'm not just that. And I'm never going to be reduced. And I think doing that, you can help many other women out there that is, you know, married with not just athletes, but, you know, famous people. Yeah, exactly. That is just like, guys, it's okay. That's the love of your life. But you don't need it to be just put in that position that you are just this. And I think showing that as an example, you can help so many other women out there. And it's just amazing that you have that maturity and you're super young.

32:30And having that maturity and then, you know, kind of like understanding that you're beyond that is just incredible. Thank you. And Gabi, so we can look after for the second season of the... Now I'm excited about it. Yeah. Is it confa? Basically, no, basically, it's not the second, it's the third. Ah, it's the third. Yes, yes. They did the first season and then I started in the second season. And hopefully we will get the third season soon. It's not confirmed yet, but I think obviously it's something that they are planning. And I'm also happy to be part of it again. If you wanted to give a piece of advice to women out there, Because I'm a very kind of like, I love empowering other women, especially like we know what it takes for being a foreign to be someone that is just trying to have a life outside our own country.

33:32and it's not everyone that has the kind of like the understand how much it takes for us to have the bravery and the courage and the resilience to leave everything behind in a country and come all the way and just prove to ourselves first that we can be someone but also build something that is not necessary in our encounter. So if you have to give a piece of advice for women out there that is trying to make their own path as you're doing, what their advice would be? I think just being a woman is so powerful. So you need to trust your voice, your dreams, and trust in your intuition. And also trust in God's plan that probably will be much better than yours.

34:27So I think that's it. just trusting your dreams and your own, you know, desires and the things that you want to achieve as a woman. And put everything on God's hands. Put everything on God's hands first. Yeah, because we have our dreams, but he has better dreams. Better dreams, of course. Much better dreams than we have. Of course. But I love what you said. Just being a woman is just so powerful. Yeah. Like, it's just so powerful. Yeah. So, Gabi, thank you so much for being here. And I love to get to know more about you. And then it's just like such a beautiful soul. And again, keep doing what you're doing because it's just giving a lot of, you know, inspiration and a great example that women is even more powerful when they trust in God's plans.

35:18And I think you're giving that, you're showing us through your content to the way you position yourselves on social. and I'm sure you have a beautiful and, you know, like very promising, continue to be very promising ahead of you because of the soul that you are. So I'm very... I hate that so much. Thank you. I'm very happy that you took the opportunity. Last question, World Cup. Are you excited for the World Cup? Can we expect to see a lot of tailored jackets and tailor-made Brazil guys? World Cup next year. I'm sorry, Brazil will win. Are we going to win? Yes, we have Gabriel. How are we not going to win?

35:56Of course we win. Let's say this loud to make it happen. I think, yes, World Cup. Oh, my God. I'm beyond excited now. It's the first time Gabriela is doing World Cup, right? Yes, yes. The first time. And hopefully it will be, you know, the best time ever. I'm planning so many. Outfits. Not just outfits, but also, you know, partnerships and big things, you know, with this. I think we need to enjoy, you know, the opportunity that probably came in this moment. And that is why I will do. Amazing. No, I cannot wait to see you there. But please make sure that you plan all your custom documents for you and Maya.