"The Deadly Weapon" of the UAE National Team.. Who is Guilherme Pala who stole the spotlight in the match against Bahrain?

The UAE national team shines in the Gulf Cup hosted by Saudi Arabia (Gulf 27), having achieved two victories in the first two matches, scoring 7 goals without conceding any. Amid the "White's" brilliance in the tournament, player Guilherme Pala has made a name for himself as a secret weapon that Croatian coach Zlatko Dalic kept for the right moment.

When the score of the UAE vs. Bahrain match indicated that the "White" was leading by a single goal, Zlatko decided to use this weapon that the Emirati fans were eager to see with the national team, following his impressive performance in the local league with Shabab Al Ahli Dubai. Pala needed only three minutes after entering the field in the 63rd minute to score the second goal for the UAE, marking his first impact in the Gulf tournament.

In addition to the goal, Pala delivered good performances, executing several eye-catching dribbles and showcasing beautiful technical moments during the match, which ended with a clean sheet of 3-0 for the "White" against the defending champion. So, who is this prominent star in the UAE ranks?

Pala's full name is Guilherme da Silva Gonçalves, and he was born on September 16, 2001, which means he is approximately 25 years old. Pala began his football career with the Brazilian club Madureira, then joined Flamengo's under-20 team on loan, before returning to his club and then transferring to Ferroviária in Brazil, where he stayed until 2012 when he moved to Shabab Al Ahli.

During his journey in the UAE, Pala played with Shabab Al Ahli in 132 matches over the past five seasons and the current season in the ADNOC Pro League, scoring 38 goals and providing 21 assists. He won the league title with Shabab Al Ahli twice in the 2022/2023 and 2024/2025 seasons.