Pablo Gonçalves Maia Fortunato

Pablo Maia never had to leave São Paulo to make it at São Paulo. He joined the club's Centro de Formação de Atletas in 2017 after coming through Independente de Limeira and Portuguesa Santista, and he was promoted internally rather than bought in — there is no transfer fee anywhere in his record. He made his senior debut in 2022 and immediately stood out, taking the Revelation of the Campeonato Paulista award that year.

The individual recognition that followed put him among the best young holding midfielders anywhere: the CIES Observatory rated him the best Under-23 defensive midfielder in the world in 2022, and the IFFHS named him the best Under-20 defensive midfielder in South America in the same year. Trophies came with the team rather than just the individual prizes — São Paulo won the Copa do Brasil in 2023 with Maia in the squad, and the Supercopa do Brasil followed in 2024.

The senior national team called him up in March 2024, and he came on as a substitute in a friendly win over England at Wembley, earning his first cap. Brazil included him in the squad for the Copa América 2024, but a thigh injury picked up in training at the end of April ruled him out before the tournament began.

He is right-footed and was still wearing São Paulo's colours as a graduate of the club's own academy.