Brazilian captains Bruno and Gabi chat in ROTATIONS season finale

A relaxed and inspiring conversation between two of the most iconic captains of the Brazilian national team capped off the first season of ROTATIONS presented by Decathlon, as host Bruno Rezende met international superstar Gabriela ‘Gabi’ Guimarães in their home country for the fifth and last episode of the series in 2026.

The chat took place in Brazil’s largest city, São Paulo, and had a typical Brazilian atmosphere, featuring traditional local barbecue and genuine Brazilian music, delivered by Thiaguinho, one of the country’s most popular singers and one of Bruno’s best friends.

A lot of the conversation revolved around leadership, a role both Bruno and Gabi got to play for many years with the Brazilian national team and their club teams, and that Thiaguinho also gets to experience as the leader of his band.

“It’s funny, because many people saw a strong leadership profile in me way before I did,” Gabi revealed. “I matured a lot in a short period of time because I wanted to understand what exactly being a leader was and what kind of a leader I could be. At some point, I realized that it was about continuing to do what I had already been doing, such as setting the example with my commitment and dedication and being a person who tries to make sure everyone is well and who likes to solve problems. But it’s an evolving process, and I'm constantly learning how to get better at it.”

Coached by Bruno’s father, the legendary Bernardo Rezende, for many years during her club career in Brazil, Gabi revealed that she has the 40-year-old setter, who captained Brazil between 2013 and 2024, as one of her references in the role.

“I always had you (Bruno) as a big reference when it comes to leadership,” Gabi said. “Your father often talked about your dedication and about how hard it was for you two to separate the moments in which he should be your coach or your father. He always remarked on your commitment, and now, having you as a friend, I really admire how you continue to be someone who cares about everyone around you after having won everything.”

Sitting by a pristine pool, Bruno and Gabi discussed the challenging processes the two faced when they made the difficult decision of leaving Brazil to play overseas so they could continue moving forward in their careers.

“I had a plan of playing overseas, but it wasn’t easy to figure out if I was ready for it or not,” Gabi said. “I had experienced some injuries and had questions if I had what it took to play in the world’s best leagues. I started thinking about it after the Rio 2016 Olympics, when I was still earning my space with the national team, and I understood that I needed to be mentally ready not only as a player, but as a person, and that maybe at that point I’d need to leave my comfort zone and make some sacrifices to take the next step in my career.”

Gabi recalls that her first step overseas was a big one, as she decided to sign with Turkish giants VakifBank, one of the strongest teams on the planet, ahead of the 2019-2020 season and joined a team with massive ambitions as one of their main stars.

“The scenario I found when I got there was mind-changing, as it showed me right from the start that I was getting into a whole other level of volleyball,” the outside hitter reflected. “It was really challenging and demanding at the start. I built a great relationship with Guidetti (Giovanni, head coach), and he was incredibly important for me. One of the first things he told me was that he wanted to prepare me to be the team captain, and I was shocked because I have never seen myself in that position.”

Wearing Brazil’s jersey was naturally another topic of the conversation, and the theme led Gabi to revisit her first impressions when called up to play for Brazil’s youth national teams and the influence the generation that won gold at the Beijing 2008 Olympics had on her career.

“To play for the national team is really a childhood dream and it brings me back to my youth because I always loved watching and playing sports and dreamed about representing Brazil, winning a medal and listening to the national anthem,” she said. “I played many sports before volleyball, but when I was first called up to Brazil’s youth national team in 2008 and got to be in Saquarema alongside that incredible generation that won the Beijing Olympics, that was a strong sign that I should continue because I had never been so close to my dream before.”

Thiaguinho joined the conversation and compared the routine and the challenges of an athlete’s life to his own as a musician, as both careers bring joy to those watching, require long periods of time away from home and their families and require them to be able to perform the entire time regardless of difficult situations they may be facing outside the stages or the courts.

The fifth episode of ROTATIONS, featuring Gabi and Thiaguinho, is available to watch now on Volleyball World's YouTube channel and on Spotify.