Gabriel Tota Marks Triumphant Return with Stunning Goal Against Cruzeiro

Gabriel Tota made a remarkable comeback to professional football on January 10, 2026, scoring a spectacular long-range goal in Pouso Alegre's 2-1 victory over Cruzeiro. This match was particularly notable as it was Tita's coaching debut for Cruzeiro, marking his return after a 468-day hiatus. Tota's appearance came nearly three years after he was banned from football for his involvement in the 2022 Operação Penalidade Máxima match-fixing investigation.

Tota, now 24, had been sanctioned by both the Sport Tribunal of Justice of Sports (STJD) and FIFA, sidelining him while the investigation unfolded. After serving two years of his penalty, his ban was lifted, enabling him to resume his professional career. In an emotional statement to Sportv, Tota said, "It was a very tough period. I had to have a lot of resilience. I took a lot of hits, but thankfully I managed to turn it around."

During his suspension, Gabriel Tota remained active by participating in amateur competitions around Brazil and playing in the Kings League, a unique football format created by Gerard Piqué that merges sport with entertainment.

Pouso Alegre, competing in Série D and the Campeonato Mineiro, is managed by Danilo, a former Corinthians idol. The victory over Cruzeiro not only marked Tota’s impactful return but also positioned Pouso Alegre favorably in their group standings.

Meanwhile, Tite, the new coach for Cruzeiro, addressed his own recent challenges after returning to coaching post-mental health recovery. In a press conference, he shared, "It's life! It's what I know how to do; my whole life has been like this," and expressed optimism about continuing to coach for another six years. Despite his return, Cruzeiro sits fourth in their group following this loss, with upcoming matches slated for January 14.