Fábio Gama Explained

Fábio Gama
Fullname:Fábio Gama dos Santos
Birth Date:2 October 1992
Birth Place:Ribeira do Pombal, Bahia, Brazil
Height:1.69 m
Position:Attacking midfielder, winger
Currentclub:Al-Muharraq
Clubnumber:10
Youthyears1:–2012
Youthclubs1:Bahia
Years1:2012–2013
Clubs1:Bahia
Caps1:0
Goals1:0
Years2:2013
Clubs2:Botafogo-SP (loan)
Caps2:14
Goals2:1
Years3:2014
Clubs3:Serrano
Caps3:0
Goals3:0
Years4:2015
Clubs4:Botafogo da Paraíba
Caps4:3
Goals4:0
Years5:2016
Clubs5:Gama
Caps5:27
Goals5:3
Years6:2016–2017
Clubs6:ABC
Caps6:14
Goals6:2
Years7:2017
Clubs7:Campinense
Caps7:7
Goals7:1
Years8:2017
Clubs8:Itabaiana
Caps8:5
Goals8:0
Years9:2018
Clubs9:Gama
Caps9:10
Goals9:0
Years10:2018
Clubs10:URT
Caps10:5
Goals10:0
Years11:2018
Clubs11:IFK Värnamo
Caps11:14
Goals11:2
Years12:2019
Clubs12:Jönköpings Södra
Caps12:19
Goals12:1
Years13:2020–2022
Clubs13:Asante Kotoko
Caps13:48
Goals13:5
Years14:2022–2023
Clubs14:Al-Muharraq
Caps14:
Goals14:
Years15:2023
Caps15:
Goals15:
Club-Update:21 January 2021

Fábio Gama dos Santos (born 2 October 1992) is a Brazilian footballer who plays as a midfielder for Al-Muharraq SC.[1] Gama has featured for several clubs in Brazil including Bahia where he started his career, Gama, Itabaiana, Botafogo-SP, Botafago-PB, ABC, Campinense and URT. In 2018, he moved to Sweden where he joined IFK Värnamo and later Jönköpings Södra in 2019. In 2020, he joined Ghanaian club Asante Kotoko giving way for a resurgence of his career and was regarded as one of the exciting footballers and play makers in the league during his two year stay.

Club career

Gama began his career at Bahia, before later signing for Botafogo SP. He made his competitive senior debut playing for Botafogo SP on 16 February 2013 coming on in the 57th minute for Gilmak in a 4–3 loss to Mirassol in the Campeonato Paulista.[2] He played 14 matches and scored a goal before at the end of the season, before joining Serrano on a permanent deal in 2014. In 2015, he joined Botafogo da Paraíba before joining Gama in January 2016. At Gama, he played 27 league matches and scored three goals. By the start of June 2016, he had left Gama and signed for ABC. He played two seasons at Gama, after which he joined Campinense in March 2017. He spent two months with the Paraíba-based club before joining Itabaiana in May 2017.[3]

In January 2018, Gama rejoined his former club Gama. His second spell at the club was less eventful as he played 10 league matches before he joined URT.[3]

IFK Värnamo

In July 2018, he signed for Swedish club IFK Värnamo on a free transfer. He made his debut on 6 August 2018 in their 1–1 league draw against Landskrona. In his second start, he scored his first goal for IFK Värnamo in a 3–1 victory over his future club Jönköping.[4]

He scored his second goal for the club on 12 September 2019 in a 2–1 victory over GAIS.[5] In the next game week, he scored another goal against Degerfors, however this time the match ended in a 2–1 loss to IFK Värnamo.[6] At the end of the season, he had played in 14 out of 15 possible league matches.[7] He also played in both legs of their relegation play-offs with the club dropping from the Superettan to the Division 1 after losing to Varbergs BoIS. In January 2019, Gama joined Swedish club Jönköpings Södra.

Asante Kotoko

After playing for several clubs in Brazil, in November 2020, Gama was signed by Ghanaian club Asante Kotoko as they looked to bolster their club ahead of the 2020–2021 season and raise their chances in the continental cup.[8] [9] [10] He made his debut after coming on in the 83rd minute for Godfred Asiamah in a 1–1 draw against Medeama on 27 December 2021.[11] His debut was delayed for over a month due to delayed acquisition and processing of his work permit.[12]

On 11 January 2021, he made his full debut for the club after playing the full 90 minutes and providing the assist to Kwame Opoku's second goal to give Kotoko a 2–0 victory over Liberty Professionals.[13] [14] 3 April 2021, Gama scored his first goal for Asante Kotoko, scoring a volley in the 7th minute in their Ghana Premier League 1–1 draw against Techiman Eleven Wonders.[15] [16] The following week, he was awarded the man of the match[17] after he provided the assist to Ismail Abdul-Ganiyu for the first goal and scored the second goal via an assist from Augustine Okrah to help Kotoko win by 4–0 against Bechem United.[18] On 6 June 2021, he scored his third goal of the season and was adjudged the man of the match in Kotoko's 1–0 victory over regional rivals Ashanti Gold.[19] [20] After scoring twice in June and winning two man of the match awards, he was nominated for the GPL NASCO player of the month for June. The award was however won by West African Football Academy player Augustine Boakye.[21] [22]

At the end of the season, he played 28 league matches, scored 4 goals, provided 6 assists and won 4 man of the match awards. He was also nominated for the Ghana Football Awards Home-based player of the year.[23] He was regarded publicly that season as being the best player in the Ghana Premier League including by former Ghanaian international Charles Taylor.[24] [25] In October 2021, Gama emerged as the most attractive player in the Ghana Premier League based on the African Sports Centre for Data, Research and Technology's 2021 Ghana Premier League Report, taking over from former Black Stars striker Asamoah Gyan who joined Legon Cities the season before.[26]

Bahrain

In July 2022, after the expiration of his contract with Asante Kotoko, Gama signed for Bahrain Al Muharraq SC as a free agent on a one-year deal.[27] [28] He played the first part of the season for Al Muharraq in the Bahraini Premier League and subsequently moved to Busaiteen Club in the Second Bahraini League. He put up impressive performances, played 18 matches, scoring 8 goals and assisted 10 to help Busaiteen to a second-place finish to gain promotion to the Bahraini Premier League.

International career

Gama has featured for the Brazil U-17 and U-20 team. After playing for Asante Kotoko in Ghana, mentioned in an interview at radio station Pure FM, that he will consider nationality switch if Ghana shows interest in him but he can't say 'no' and nor say 'yes' at the time of the interview in April 2021.[29]

Honours

Asante Kotoko

Individual

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Teye. Prince Narkortu. 16 January 2021. Fabio Gama: Brazilian playmaker tipped to enter history books at Asante Kotoko. 2021-01-17. Goal.
  2. Web site: Mirassol vs. Botafogo SP - 16 February 2013 - Soccerway. 2021-12-25. int.soccerway.com.
  3. Web site: Fábio Gama. 2021-12-27. worldfootball.net. en.
  4. Web site: Jönköpings Södra IF - IFK Värnamo 1:3 (Superettan 2018, 18. Round). 2021-12-25. worldfootball.net. en.
  5. Web site: GAIS Göteborg - IFK Värnamo 1:2 (Superettan 2018, 22. Round). 2021-12-25. worldfootball.net. en.
  6. Web site: IFK Värnamo - Degerfors IF 1:2 (Superettan 2018, 23. Round). 2021-12-25. worldfootball.net. en.
  7. Web site: Fábio Gama » Superettan 2018. 2021-12-25. worldfootball.net. en.
  8. Web site: 2020-10-23. DONE DEAL: Kotoko sign Brazilian midfielder. 2021-01-17. Ghana Sports Online. en-US. 2020-11-24. https://web.archive.org/web/20201124032332/https://ghanasportsonline.com/2020/10/done-deal-kotoko-sign-brazilian-midfielder/. dead.
  9. Web site: Fabio Gama: New Asante Kotoko Brazilian recruit hailed after criticism of his signing Goal.com. 2021-01-17. Goal.
  10. Web site: Teye. Prince Narkortu. 7 November 2020. Fabio Gama: Asante Kotoko sign former Brazil U20 midfielder. 2021-01-17. Goal.
  11. Web site: Eshun. Bill. 27 December 2020. Brazilian midfielder Fabio Gama makes Kotoko debut - MyJoyOnline.com. 24 December 2021. My Joy Online.
  12. Web site: 27 December 2021. Brazilian star Fabio Gama finally marks Asante Kotoko debut. 24 December 2021. GhanaSoccernet.
  13. Web site: Brazilian midfielder Fabio Gama happy with full Kotoko debut - MyJoyOnline.com. 2021-01-17. www.myjoyonline.com. en-US.
  14. Web site: Teye. Prince Narkortu. 12 January 2021. Fabio Gama: Brazilian midfielder reacts after full Asante Kotoko debut. 2021-01-17. Goal.
  15. Web site: Teye. Prince Narkortu. 3 April 2021. Fabio Gama opens Asante Kotoko scoring account in Ghana Premier League clash with Eleven Wonders. 24 December 2021. Goal.
  16. Web site: 2021-04-03. VIDEO: Brazilian star Fabio Gama scores debut goal for Ghanaian giants Asante Kotoko. 2021-12-24. GhanaSoccernet. en.
  17. Web site: Appiah. Samuel Ekow Amoasi. 7 April 2021. Fabio Gama named Man of The Match after impressive display against Bechem United. 25 December 2021. Modern Ghana.
  18. Web site: 7 April 2021. Fabio Gama scores in Asante Kotoko drubbing of Bechem United. 25 December 2021. Ghana Football Association. GFA Communications.
  19. Web site: Teye. Prince Narkortu. 6 June 2021. Fabio Gama the hero as Asante Kotoko pip Ashanti Gold in Ghana Premier League derby. 27 December 2021. Goal.
  20. Web site: 6 June 2021. 2020/21 Ghana Premier League: Brazilian playmaker Fabio Gama wins MVP award as Asante Kotoko pip AshantiGold in derby. 27 December 2021. GhanaSoccernet.
  21. Web site: 22 July 2021. Boakye, Gama, Anaful and Boateng earn NASCO player of the month nomination. 25 December 2021. Ghana Football Association.
  22. Web site: 29 July 2021. Augustine Boakye wins NASCO GPL Player of Month for June. 25 December 2021. Ghana Football Association.
  23. Web site: 2021 Ghana Football Awards nominees announced; see full nominees list. 2021-12-25. My Joy Online. Adom Online.
  24. Web site: 2021-02-14. Fabio Gama is the best player in Ghana Premier League – Kofi Kinaata. 2021-12-25. GhanaWeb. en.
  25. Web site: Charles Taylor tips Fabio Gama to win GPL best player of the season award. 2021-12-25. Footballghana. en.
  26. Web site: Teye. Prince Narkortu. 21 October 2021. Fabio Gama: Asante Kotoko's Brazilian star replaces Asamoah Gyan as Ghana Premier League poster boy - Report. 27 December 2021. Goal.
  27. Web site: 24 July 2022 . Bahraini giants confirm signing ex-Asante Kotoko midfielder Fabio Gama . 11 June 2023 . GhanaWeb.
  28. Web site: Appiah . Samuel Ekow Amoasi . 25 July 2022 . Former Asante Kotoko player Fabio Gama joins Bahrain side Muharraq . 11 June 2023 . Adom Online .
  29. Web site: Teye . Prince Narkortu . 22 April 2021 . Fabio Gama: Asante Kotoko's Brazilian midfielder will consider nationality switch to play for Ghana . 27 December 2021 . Goal.
  30. Web site: 2022-06-12 . Asante Kotoko crowned Ghana Premier League champions for record 24th time . 2022-07-07 . GhanaSoccernet . en.
  31. Web site: 2022-06-04 . 'It's an amazing feeling' - Fabio Gama after winning Ghana Premier League with Asante Kotoko . 2022-07-07 . GhanaWeb . en.