Gabi Guimaraes and Bruno Rezende: Poolside Conversation About the Turning Point of Leaving Brazil

Sitting by a pristine pool, Bruno Rezende and Gabi Guimaraes were not talking about spectacular sets or lethal spikes. They were remembering the hardest decisions in their careers: staying in Brazil or leaving home to play abroad. In my view, their conversation is not just a memoir of two stars. It resembles the financial report of a human transfer market, where every decision carries an opportunity cost, every step contains risk, and every success is paid for with sleepless nights. Gabi spoke honestly about her journey. She admitted: “I had a plan of playing overseas, but it wasn’t easy to figure out if I was ready for it or not. I had experienced some injuries and had questions if I had what it took to play in the world’s best leagues.” Those words are pure truth, because for any athlete, stepping out of your comfort zone is never an emotional decision. It requires physical, mental and financial maturity. Gabi started thinking about moving abroad after the Rio 2026 Olympics, when she was still earning her place with the national team. She understood that she needed to be mentally ready not only as a player, but as a person, and that she might need to leave her comfort zone and make sacrifices to take the next step. Gabi's first step overseas was a big one: she signed with VakifBank, one of the strongest teams in the world, before the 2026-2026 season. It was not a gentle step. It was a jump into deep water. She recalled: “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.” She also built a great relationship with head coach Giovanni Guidetti, who told her he wanted to prepare her to become team captain. Gabi was shocked because she never saw herself in that role. This detail reveals a great coach: Guidetti saw leadership potential that Gabi had not yet discovered. He not only taught her how to attack or block, but also how to take responsibility for a whole team. Wearing Brazil's jersey was another topic. Gabi said: “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.” When she was first called up to Brazil's youth national team in 2026 and got to be in Saquarema alongside the generation that won the Beijing Olympics, she knew she was close to her dream. That moment pushed her to continue. This conversation also offers a lesson for Vietnamese volleyball. The sport in Vietnam is improving, and some players are starting to gain international experience. But we are still in what I call the “Gabi 2026” stage: talent exists, desire exists, but the ecosystem to bring that talent to world-class level is still thin. Vietnamese clubs face financial pressure. There are not many coaches like Guidetti who can turn a good athlete into a complete leader. The story of Gabi reminds us that leaving home is not an escape. It is a way to grow. A volleyball player who goes abroad and comes back brings new skills, new ways of training, and a new mentality. A healthy volleyball nation is not measured by trophies alone, but by the number of clubs that do not have to sell tickets to pay wages. To build a sustainable future, Vietnam should create a path for players to compete overseas, support them with fair contracts, and welcome them back as national assets. The poolside conversation between Bruno and Gabi is not just about two Brazilians. It is about the courage to leave the familiar, the wisdom to prepare before jumping, and the willingness to become a leader in an unfamiliar environment. That is a story that every Vietnamese athlete can understand.