Gabri Veiga

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[1]
Date of birth (2002-05-27) 27 May 2002
Place of birth O Porriño, Galicia, Spain
Height 1.84 m (6 ft 0 in)[1]
Position(s) Attacking midfielder
Team information
Current team
 Porto
Number 17
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)
2023–2025 Al-Ahli 50 (11)
2025– Porto 0 (0)
International career‡
2019–2020 Spain U18 5 (2)
2022– Spain U21 19 (3)
Medal record
Representing  Spain
UEFA European Under-21 Championship
Runner-up 2023 Georgia–Romania
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 22:35, 26 May 2025 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 17:58, 8 May 2025 (UTC)

Gabriel Veiga Novas (Galician pronunciation: [ɡaβɾiˈɛl ˈvɛjɣɐ]; born 27 May 2002) is a Spanish professional footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder for Primeira Liga club Porto.

Club career

Celta

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.[2]

Veiga scored his first goal on 1 December 2019, netting the opener in a 1–6 loss at CD Atlético Baleares.[3] 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.[4]

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.[5]

Al-Ahli

Despite strong interest from top European clubs including Manchester City, Liverpool, Chelsea and Napoli,[6][7] on 26 August 2023, Veiga joined Saudi Pro League side Al-Ahli, signing a three-year deal,[8] after activating his €40m release clause.[9] 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.[10][11] Real Madrid midfielder Toni Kroos labelled the move as "embarrassing".[10]

On 3 May 2025, Veiga was a member of Al-Ahli squad that won the AFC Champions League Elite for the first time in the club's history, defeating Kawasaki Frontale at the final with a score of 2–0.[12]

Porto

On 5 June 2025, Veiga joined Primeira Liga club FC Porto for a fee of €15 million, signing a five-year contract with the Portuguese side.[13]

He made his debut for the club, starting the match and played 67 minutes before being substituted, in the 0–0 draw in the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup against Palmeiras on 15 June.[14]

International career

Veiga is a Spain youth international. He was called up to Spain U21 for the 2023 UEFA European Under-21 Championship.[15] He appeared as a substitute in all six matches of the tournament and later finished as runner-up after Spain 1–0 defeat to England U21 in the final.[16]

Career statistics

Club

As of match played 19 June 2025[17]
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 32 7 1 0 12[c] 1 1[d] 0 46 8
Total 50 11 3 0 12 1 1 0 66 12
Porto 2024–25 Primeira Liga — — — 2[e] 0 2 0
Career total 163 32 9 0 12 1 4 0 188 33
  1. ^ Includes Copa del Rey, King's Cup
  2. ^ Appearance in Segunda División B play-offs
  3. ^ Appearances in AFC Champions League Elite
  4. ^ Appearance in Saudi Super Cup
  5. ^ Appearances in FIFA Club World Cup

Honours

Al-Ahli

Spain U21

Individual

References

  1. ^ a b "FIFA Club World Cup 2025™ Squad List: FC Porto (POR)" (PDF). FIFA. 14 June 2025. p. 17. Retrieved 9 July 2025.
  2. ^ "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.
  3. ^ "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.
  4. ^ "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.
  5. ^ "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.
  6. ^ Romano, Fabrizio (28 June 2023). "Manchester City join Liverpool and Chelsea in race for Celta's Gabri Veiga". The Guardian. Retrieved 26 August 2023.
  7. ^ "Las razones de Gabri Veiga para irse a jugar a Arabia" (in Spanish). Marca. 26 August 2023.
  8. ^ Al-Ahli Saudi FC [@ALAHLI_FCEN] (26 August 2023). "Bienvenido, Gabri! 💚" (Tweet). Retrieved 26 August 2023 – via Twitter.
  9. ^ "Saudi Al-Ahli announced the transfer of the Spanish supertalent". Dailysports. 26 August 2023.
  10. ^ a b Latham-Coyle, Harry (24 August 2023). "Toni Kroos calls Spanish 21-year-old's transfer to Saudi Arabia 'embarrassing'". The Independent.
  11. ^ "'Embarrassing': Real Madrid midfielder Toni Kroos blasts Gabri Veiga Saudi Pro League transfer". MSN. 24 August 2023.
  12. ^ a b Lynch, Joey (3 May 2025). "Never taking their eyes off the prize, Al Ahli are champions of Asia at long last". ESPN. Retrieved 4 May 2025.
  13. ^ "GABRI VEIGA É DRAGÃO ATÉ 2030". FC Porto (in Portuguese). 5 June 2025.
  14. ^ "FC Porto empata frente ao Palmeiras na estreia no Mundial de Clubes". O Jogo (in Portuguese). 15 June 2025. Retrieved 16 June 2025.
  15. ^ "Lista de convocados de Selección España para el Europeo Sub-21". GOAL España. 8 July 2023. Retrieved 9 July 2025.
  16. ^ a b "UEFA Euro U21 final: England vs Spain". UEFA. 8 July 2023. Retrieved 9 July 2025.
  17. ^ Gabri Veiga at BDFutbol
  18. ^ "Gabri Veiga named LaLiga Santander Player of the Month for February". La Liga. 2 March 2023. Retrieved 5 March 2023.
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