Gabri Veiga

Gabri Veiga
Personal information
Full name	Gabriel Veiga Novas
Date of birth	27 May 2002 (age 22)
Place of birth	O Porriño, Galicia, Spain
Height	1.84 m (6 ft 0 in)
Position(s)	Central midfielder
Team information
Current team	Al-Ahli
Number	24
Youth career
	UD Louro Tameiga
	Santa Mariña
	Celta
Senior career*
Years	Team
2019–2021	Celta B
2021–2023	Celta
2023–	Al-Ahli
International career‡
2019–2020	Spain U18
2022–	Spain U21
Medal record
Representing Spain
UEFA European Under-21 Championship
	*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 20:28, 20 January 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 midfielder for Saudi Pro League club Al-Ahli.

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.^[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]

Al-Ahli

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]

Career statistics

Club

As of match played 20 January 2025^[11]

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club	Season	League			National cup^[a]		Continental		Other		Total
Club	Season	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	15	5	1	0	5^[c]	1	1^[d]	0	22	6
	Total		33	9	3	0	5	1	1	0	42	10
Career total			146	30	9	0	5	1	2	0	162	31

^ Includes Copa del Rey, King Cup
^ Appearance in Segunda División B play-offs
^ Appearances in AFC Champions League Elite
^ Appearance in Saudi Super Cup

Honours

Individual

La Liga Player of the Month: February 2023^[12]

References

^ "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.

External links

Profile at the RC Celta de Vigo website
Gabri Veiga at BDFutbol
Gabri Veiga at Soccerway

This biographical article related to a Spanish association football midfielder is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.

[12] Includes Copa del Rey, King Cup

[13] Appearance in Segunda División B play-offs

[14] Appearances in AFC Champions League Elite

[15] Appearance in Saudi Super Cup

[1] "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.

[2] "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.

[3] "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.

[4] "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.

[5] Romano, Fabrizio (28 June 2023). "Manchester City join Liverpool and Chelsea in race for Celta's Gabri Veiga". The Guardian. Retrieved 26 August 2023.

[6] "Las razones de Gabri Veiga para irse a jugar a Arabia" (in Spanish). Marca. 26 August 2023.

[7] Al-Ahli Saudi FC [@ALAHLI_FCEN] (26 August 2023). "Bienvenido, Gabri! 💚" (Tweet). Retrieved 26 August 2023 – via Twitter.

[8] "Saudi Al-Ahli announced the transfer of the Spanish supertalent". Dailysports. 26 August 2023.

[Independent-9] Latham-Coyle, Harry (24 August 2023). "Toni Kroos calls Spanish 21-year-old's transfer to Saudi Arabia 'embarrassing'". The Independent.

[MSN-10] "'Embarrassing': Real Madrid midfielder Toni Kroos blasts Gabri Veiga Saudi Pro League transfer". MSN. 24 August 2023.

[11] Gabri Veiga at BDFutbol

[16] "Gabri Veiga named LaLiga Santander Player of the Month for February". La Liga. 2 March 2023. Retrieved 5 March 2023.

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