World Championship Best Outside Hitter Gabi celebrates 1 million followers on Instagram

The popularity of Gabriela ‘Gabi’ Guimaraes is obvious to see on social media where the star Brazilian outside hitter has become the latest international volleyball player to reach the mark of one million followers on Instagram.

The 28-year-old Gabi hit the 1M mark during the 2022 FIVB Volleyball Women’s World Championship. Her exceptional performances in the tournament, during which she led Brazil to silver and was selected for the tournament's Dream Team, also saw more fans around the world follow her on Instagram.

The charismatic Gabi was selected to be the new captain of the Brazilian national team ahead of the 2022 international season. As one of its most experienced players, she is also one of the most popular players on the squad after the retirement of other key players following last year’s Tokyo Olympics.

Follow Gabi Guimaraes on Instagram

Her spectacular club season with Türkiye’s VakifBank also contributed to Gabi’s popularity on social. In her third season with the club, she helped the Istanbul based team win the FIVB Volleyball Women’s Club World Championship and CEV Champions League. Her club also won the Turkish League, Cup and Supercup.

Gabi is part of an expanding group of volleyball players with over a million followers on Instagram. The list includes fellow Brazilian national team member Rosamaria Montibeller, compatriots Douglas Souza, Bruno Rezende and Jaqueline Carvalho, Korea's Kim Yeon Koung, Thailand’s Nootsara Tomkom and Iran’s Saeid Marouf, among others.