Joao Gomes is tailor-made for the Premier League.
Balancing wholehearted tenacity and commitment off the ball with composure and quality in possession, the midfielder has flourished in gold and black and has now racked up a century of appearances for Wolves.
Gomes is currently one of 31 Brazilian representatives in the English top flight, having first become a fixture in the Wolves side back in the 2023/24 season following a move from Flamengo the previous January.
But growing up in a favela in Rio de Janeiro, the kind of Premier League stardom he has experienced during the last few years must have felt a lifetime away – but Gomes was born with a belief that one day he would be able to live out his dreams.
“I’m from a community where there’s not a lot to do,” Gomes explained. “Everyone has a different idea of what a favela is, but I’m from a community that doesn’t look like a community.
“We don’t have as many opportunities as someone from here [in England], but you have talented people who are never found due to that lack of opportunity. You can find people a lot better than me, but who never got the same chances in life. My dream is to build an academy there to offer the chances to those with talent that are often wasted away.
“But I always dreamt about playing in the Premier League and when I came here, it went beyond my expectations. It was truly something amazing and magical.
“I don't think it’s easy for anyone to move to the Premier League, even more so when you’re coming from a league that’s a bit quieter, and then you come here and things are much quicker, they’re much more attacking, but you also have to have a good defence.
“Everyone needs a certain period to adapt and everyone needs a period of adjustment to the Premier League, so I think that’s extremely normal.”
Yet it didn’t take Gomes long to become fully acclimatized to a new continent, country and club.
Brought in by Julen Lopetegui, the midfielder got his Wolves career off to a scoring start when handed his debut away at Southampton.
Less than two weeks after becoming part of the pack, Wolves found themselves 1-0 down at St Mary’s, and with just 20 minutes remaining in the contest, he was brought on for his Premier League bow, but the Brazilian’s introduction helped the turn the game on its head.
Two years since @GomesOficial08's debut goal 🥹
— Wolves (@Wolves) February 11, 2025
📅 #OnThisDay | @wlv_uni pic.twitter.com/vQ47bydKgy
Minutes after his arrival onto the pitch, Wolves were back level, and with just three minutes left on the clock, Gomes picked up the ball in the middle of the Southampton half, raced towards and the box and let fly. Although his initial effort was blocked, he quickly pounced on the rebound at the edge of the box to side-foot a perfectly placed finish into the top corner of the net.
Joao Gomes was finally freed and it was the perfect start to his Wolves career.
“I think the way I play goes hand in hand with the league’s pace. The matches are more physical, there’s more fight over the ball, so I would say so. I think I was born to play here.”
However, his first season was one of transition. Having been a constant presence at Flamengo before his move to the Black Country, Gomes had to settle into life at Molineux.
Eased in gently by Lopetegui, Gomes turned out another 10 times in his debut Premier League campaign, as he backed up the likes of Ruben Neves, Joao Moutinho and Mario Lemina in the heart of the Wolves midfield.
But that development period at the end of the 2022/23 season proved to be of great benefit.
“These six months made all the difference. When I first arrived, I didn’t know a single English word – absolutely none.
“But little by little you are taught the language and learn to listen to everyone around you, and I think that helped me improve as an individual and to fully adjust.
“It was a big change because I left Rio with 38 degrees weather and landed in the UK with zero degrees weather. Brazil was very sunny and here it’s very cold. There are other things to consider such as family and friends who are hard to leave behind, but my wife, who is here with me, is instrumental.
“She is the one who gives me all the support to disconnect as soon as I get on the pitch and focus solely on my work, and when I first played, thank God, I was able to score because it was almost as if a weight was lifted off my shoulders. I definitely felt that pressure was taken off me.”
Taking over the role – and squad number – left by Neves upon his departure from Molineux in the summer of 2023, Gomes excelled with the added responsibility of leading from the heart of the team.
Forming a positive relationship with head coach Gary O’Neil, Gomes was one of the first names on the teamsheet throughout 2023/24, as he played a role in every possible game when he wasn’t missing through suspension.
Although the team got off to a slow start, a win at home to Manchester City – which saw the Brazilian produce a quality display for a player of just 22-years-old – proved to be the turning point of another encouraging Premier League season.
Speaking in September 2023, Gomes said: “It’s not an easy or quick process. It takes time to get there so we need to be patient, but I think we’re on the right path.
“When you usually have to deal with an unexpected change, you think about it. You’re in the middle of something and out of nowhere your situation changes. It’s not that easy to adapt, but we’re playing better already, and I think we’ll slowly get to where we want to be.
“For me, I think it is always good to surround yourself with a positive mindset. That’s the key and will make the difference. The more wins we have, the more positive our environment will be, and this is the only way moving forward.”
As his first full season in gold and black progressed, it was during a very productive February 2024 when Gomes was beginning to show his full potential.
Starring in a 4-2 win away at Chelsea, in which the Brazilian was key in helping his fellow countryman Mathues Cunha bag a hat-trick, it was another visit to the capital two weeks later where he put down a marker.
Wolves paid a visit to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and Gomes struck not only his first goal of the season, but his second, as he helped his side to the perfect away performance – and completed the first brace of his career.
Like against Chelsea a fortnight previously, Wolves’ game plan was clear – press high and rob the ball in dangerous areas, with Gomes in particular causing the hosts serious problems.
His first goal of the season came courtesy of Pablo Sarabia, with the Spaniard whipping in a dead ball towards Gomes, who’d been left completely unmarked out eight yards from goal, and the Brazilian rose highest to guide his header into the top corner and spark scenes of jubilation in the away end.
Then just 15 minutes after Spurs had equalised, Gomes added his second. Pedro Neto was the man to carry Wolves up the field down the right side, before the Portuguese chopped back and laid a perfectly placed ball off for the midfielder – who had made a late darting run into the box – to thump home first time.
“I think it was the first time in my career that I’ve scored two goals in a match. That’s really rare, especially for a player like me that barely gets to the box.
“I scored at least one in Brazil, against Sao Paulo FC, but it’s been a long time ago. Now I’m very happy here and hoping to be able to continue this work.”
While with his goal celebration, Gomes announced he and his wife Mylla were expecting their first child.
“Yes, I will have my first child. We are expecting on 16th May. I’m now really anxious for his birth, that’s pretty much it, but I’m really happy.”
The birth of his son, Pedro, rounded off a memorable first full season in England for Gomes.
However, becoming a new father also gave the midfielder a new outlook, not only on football, but life in general.
“It was very difficult, especially in the first few weeks. I remember running from training to go home to give more support to my wife, although I don’t think there was any specific situation in which I had to leave a training session or I had to miss one training session.
“Obviously everything gets more intense, everything gets more rushed, but that’s normal for any father of a family. It’s not different for me because I’m a footballer.
“But nowadays, I look at everything with a more affectionate eye. I value the time I spend in my home, with my family.
“I think I’ve started to see everything in a different way. We start to care less about irrelevant things and we start to give more importance to something that is much more valuable than anything else, in this case, our own time with our family.”
Fatherhood can sometimes make a man grow up quickly. But for Gomes, he’s always been a mature presence who belies his youthful years.
With a keen interest in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and literature, Gomes has plenty of ways to keep occupied off the field, so it should also not come as a shock that he was able to learn the English language within a few months of joining the club.
However, what makes Gomes even more remarkable is how he was able to pick up a new language at lightening speed in spite of his speech impediment.
In the club’s official documentary Joao Gomes: The Pitbull, which was released in July 2024, the midfielder opened up for the first time about how his fight to overcome a severe stammer and how he has liberated himself from the fear that came with it.
“It used to be something that saddened me and kind of blocked me. I’ve always wanted to express myself, but I felt stuck and inferior.
“Nowadays, I’m much more at peace with it and accept myself a lot more so I have more determination to speak out and express myself.
“I obviously take longer to communicate, but that’s something people have to respect.”
That maturity was on full display once again last season, as despite Wolves’ struggles on the pitch, Gomes continued to impress as he produced the best goalscoring season of his career.
Four goals in all competitions, together with two assists, also saw the Brazilian honoured with the 2024/25 Supporters’ Player of the Season Award.
“They’re wonderful. They’re very passionate about football, but they can tell the difference between who I am on and off the pitch. They respect me a lot.
“Nowadays I can go out for a walk like a normal person and, of course, you have people stopping you here or there but it’s not over the top like it was in Rio.”
Despite a slow start to the campaign for the team, and while others shone in various moments, Gomes showed incredible consistency as the bedrock of a side which fought valiantly against Premier League relegation.
His first two goals of the season helped Wolves to a draw at home to Crystal Palace as well as a being part of a dominant 4-1 away win against Fulham in which he also grabbed an assist, as Wolves looked to be turning the tide.
Although it was a false dawn, and saw O’Neil replaced by Vitor Pereira as head coach, the Old Gold found the form they needed to turn their season around, with Gomes netting in the home visit of Fulham and away at Blackburn Rovers in the FA Cup to give the team hope of another cup run – which would ultimately end in disappointment on penalties at Bournemouth in the next round.
Six months later, and Gomes is fully settled into life in Wolverhampton. The leafy surroundings of Tettenhall are a far cry from his upbringing in Rio, but as a quiet and unassuming individual, he is making the most of his time in the Black Country.
“I like the nature here. There are so many green areas out in the open for you to go visit with your wife and dogs and have a picnic.
“Those are the little things that matter and that I’m passionate about. I’m not one to go out. I’d rather stay at home to enjoy the company of the people I love and admire.
“Here I have a great house and car, so I didn’t feel much of a difference from Rio to here. It was mostly the weather but apart from that, I truly feel at home.”
This season has seen Gomes take on a leadership role within the group.
Alongside Matt Doherty, Jose Sa and Jorgen Strand Larsen Gomes is one of five ‘captains’ supporting official skipper Toti to have worn the armband at various stages throughout the campaign.
Taking on the captaincy in the final game of pre-season against Celta Vigo, Gomes led the team out for a Premier League fixture for the first time against Brighton & Hove Albion earlier this month on appearance number 98.
Although another 90-minute display full of heart and determination was ultimately not able to secure a first three points of the season for his team, the passion the midfielder shows on and off the pitch is going to be vital if the team are to turn another season around.
It was similar disappointment in game number 100. Finally bringing up the century of Old Gold appearances, Gomes had to wait to make an impact.
🐺🗣️ pic.twitter.com/OPK4icgOPx
— Wolves (@Wolves) October 27, 2025
Left on the bench for the opening 70 minutes of Wolves’ defeat to Burnley on Sunday, Gomes tried to make up for lost time as he exerted his quality onto proceedings. Winning tackle after tackle in midfield as he attempted to give the fans a moment which can get them off their seats and make Molineux the fortress it needs to be.
His tenacity came so close to being rewarded with victory, but after the team spurned opportunities to put the tie 3-2 in their favour, Burnley produced a hammer blow to counter down the other end to snatch all three points.
Although it wasn’t a 100th game to savour, Gomes has proved in his two and a half years in gold and black to be one of the most impressive signings the club has made in the 2020s.
And with a World Cup coming up in June, the midfielder knows its his performances with Wolves this season which are going to make or break whether he gets the chance to represent his country this summer – and being the lynchpin the Old Gold need to stage a remarkable recovery once more will go a long way to seeing him achieve another lifelong dream.
“I’m always working towards it. I know I have to do well here at Wolves for me to go, and I know my team also has to do well, because I think that’s one of the determining factors.
“For me, I’m thinking about what I can do at Wolves first to earn a call-up to the national team.
“Obviously playing for their country at a World Cup is a dream for everyone. But for me, it’s just that I think I need to focus on the job that I’m doing here first, mainly to get Wolves out of this situation, which is the most important thing right now, and then we’ll see what happens.”
