Defining Moments | Joao Gomes

Charting the key moments in Joao Gomes' career which made him the player he is today. Senior debut 22nd October 2020 | Flamengo 3-1 Junior FC Joining Flamengo in 2009, Joao Gomes progressed through the club’s youth set-up to make his senior bow during the 2020 Brazilian Serie A season. The midfielder first appeared on the bench on 18th September 2020, as Flamengo fell to a 5-0 loss to Independiente in the Copa Libertadores – the South American equivalent of the Champions League – before making his debut in the competition a few weeks later as he came off the bench at half-time of his side’s 3-1 victory over Junior FC. His league debut was to follow in early November as he played the whole 90 minutes of Flamengo’s defeat to Sao Paulo. First trophy 25th February 2021 | Campeonato Brasileiro During the second half of the 2020 Serie A season, Gomes became a regular figure in the Flamengo squad – being part of a 4-1 win over Santos and a 4-3 victory against EC Bahia – although he found further starts hard to come by as the side continued an impressive league campaign. Gomes featured in important wins against Goias, Palmeiras, Gremio, Recife, Vasco da Gama and Internacional, and despite a final-day defeat to Sao Paulo, Flamengo had done enough to claim their seventh league title, while giving Gomes the inaugural trophy of his career. First senior goal 23rd May 2021 | Flamengo 3-1 Fluminense Following his breakthrough season in 2020, Gomes continued to increase his game time, mainly off the bench, the following year. Although Flamengo were unable to claim successive league titles – falling short of champions Atletico Mineiro by 13 points, Gomes helped his club to a few more cups, by claiming the Supercopa do Brasil before netting his first senior goal to secure the Campeonato Carioca in a derby victory against Fluminense. Leading 2-1 heading into the final five minutes, Gomes came off the bench and scored just one minute later to secure the cup. First South American Title 29th October 2022 | Copa Libertadores Gomes’ performances soon saw him develop into a regular for Flamengo, with the midfielder playing a part in all but one of Flamengo’s games in the run to the Copa Libertadores final in 2022. The Brazilian played a key role as Flamengo claimed victories over the likes of CA Talleres, Universidad Catolica, Velez Sarsfield and Corinthians – which included an assist in the quarter-final first-leg victory. The run culminated in Flamengo facing Athletico Paranaense in the final, and Gomes was in from the start as a Gabriel Barbosa goal on the stroke of half-time secured a 1-0 win and his first continental title. International Debut 23rd March 2024 | England 0-1 Brazil Although he was not part of a Brazilian national side throughout his youth career, Gomes first came onto his country’s radar after moving to the Premier League with Wolves, and the midfielder’s performances saw him receive a first call-up in early 2024. His displays in the English top flight saw the then-23-year-old make his international debut in the country where he was playing his club football, as he started a 1-0 win for Brazil against England at Wembley. Gomes would turn out for the entire 90 minutes of the match as he earned the first of his 10 international caps so far. This article originally featured in Wolves' official 2025/26 matchday programme. Last season's programmes are still available to purchase online through retailers Curtis Sports.