{{Short description|Italian football player (born 1999)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=August 2024}} {{Infobox football biography | name = Gabriel Meli | fullname = Gabriel Manuel Meli | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1999|2|5|df=yes}} | birth_place = Bagno a Ripoli, Italy | image = | height = 1.88 m | position = Goalkeeper | currentclub = Messina | clubnumber = | youthyears1 = {{0|0000}}–2012 | youthclubs1 = Prato | youthyears2 = 2012–2018 | youthclubs2 = Empoli | years1 = 2016–2023 | clubs1 = Empoli | caps1 = 0 | goals1 = 0 | years2 = 2018–2019 | clubs2 = → Pistoiese (loan) | caps2 = 21 | goals2 = 0 | years3 = 2020 | clubs3 = → Rimini (loan) | caps3 = 5 | goals3 = 0 | years4 = 2020–2021 | clubs4 = → Fano (loan) | caps4 = 17 | goals4 = 0 | years5 = 2021–2022 | clubs5 = → Südtirol (loan) | caps5 = 0 | goals5 = 0 | years6 = 2022–2023 | clubs6 = → Apollon Larissa (loan) | caps6 = 5 | goals6 = 0 | years7 = 2023 | clubs7 = → Recanatese (loan) | caps7 = 2 | goals7 = 0 | years8 = 2023–2024 | clubs8 = Recanatese | caps8 = 35 | goals8 = 0 | years9 = 2024–2025 | clubs9 = Taranto | caps9 = 2 | goals9 = 0 | years10 = 2025– | clubs10 = Messina | caps10 = 0 | goals10 = 0 | nationalyears1 = 2015–2016 | nationalteam1 = Italy U17 | nationalcaps1 = 2 | nationalgoals1 = 0 | nationalyears2 = 2016–2017 | nationalteam2 = Italy U18 | nationalcaps2 = 5 | nationalgoals2 = 0 | nationalyears3 = 2017 | nationalteam3 = Italy U19 | nationalcaps3 = 1 | nationalgoals3 = 0 | nationalyears4 = 2018 | nationalteam4 = Italy U20 | nationalcaps4 = 1 | nationalgoals4 = 0 | pcupdate = 27 January 2025 | ntupdate = 8 August 2018 }}
'''Gabriel Manuel Meli''' (born 5 February 1999) is an Italian professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for {{Italian football updater|Messina}} club Messina.
==Club career== === Empoli === Meli is a youth product of Empoli youth system. He made his first appearance for the team as an un-used substitute for the last matches of the 2015–16 season, he made also other bench appearances in the 2016–17 and 2017–18 seasons, but he never appeared on the field. Meli also won the 2017–18 Serie B title.
==== Loan to Pistoiese ==== On 18 July 2018, Meli was loaned to Serie C club Pistoiese on a 2-year loan deal.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.tuttomercatoweb.com/serie-c/ufficiale-pistoiese-in-prestito-biennale-arriva-meli-1135865|title=UFFICIALE: Pistoiese, in prestito biennale arriva Meli - TUTTOmercatoWEB.com|access-date=2018-11-27}}</ref> On 26 September he made his professional debut in Serie C debut for Pistoiese in a 3–3 away draw against Pro Piacenza.<ref>{{cite web|publisher=Soccerway|url=https://int.soccerway.com/matches/2018/09/26/italy/serie-c1/atletico-pro-piacenza/ac-pistoiese/2918846/|title=Game Report by Soccerway|date=26 September 2018}}</ref> On 3 November he kept his first clean sheet for Pistoiese in a 0–0 home draw against Alessandria.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://uk.soccerway.com/matches/2018/11/03/italy/serie-c1/ac-pistoiese/us-alessandria-1912/2918914/|title=Pistoiese vs. Alessandria - 3 November 2018 - Soccerway|website=uk.soccerway.com|language=en|access-date=2018-11-27}}</ref> He became Pistoiese's first-choice early in the season. Eight days later, he kept his second consecutive clean sheet in a 0–0 away draw against Cuneo.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://uk.soccerway.com/matches/2018/11/11/italy/serie-c1/ac-cuneo-1905/ac-pistoiese/2918921/|title=Cuneo vs. Pistoiese - 11 November 2018 - Soccerway|website=uk.soccerway.com|language=en|access-date=2018-11-27}}</ref> One week later, on 18 November, he kept his third clean sheet in a 2–0 home win over Piacenza.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://uk.soccerway.com/matches/2018/11/18/italy/serie-c1/ac-pistoiese/piacenza-calcio/2918936/|title=Pistoiese vs. Piacenza - 18 November 2018 - Soccerway|website=uk.soccerway.com|language=en|access-date=2018-11-27}}</ref> However he became the second goalkeeper behind Jacopo Pagnini in the second part of the season. Meli ended his season-long loan to Pistoiese with 21 appearances, 5 clean sheets and 27 goals conceded.<ref name=":0">{{Soccerway|gabriel-meli/442672}}</ref> Empoli recalled him from loan early, at the end of the first season.<ref>{{cite press release|publisher=Pistoiese|url=http://www.uspistoiese1921.it/arancione-centrocampista-alessandro-bordin-portiere-meli-torna-allempoli/|title=È arancione il centrocampista Alessandro Bordin. Il portiere Meli torna all'Empoli|date=30 June 2019|language=Italian|access-date=3 September 2019|archive-date=31 August 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190831093442/http://www.uspistoiese1921.it/arancione-centrocampista-alessandro-bordin-portiere-meli-torna-allempoli/|url-status=dead}}</ref>
==== Loan to Rimini ==== After remaining an unused goalkeeper in the first part of the season, on 21 January 2020, Meli was loaned to Serie C club Rimini on loan until the end of the season.<ref>{{cite press release|publisher=Rimini|url=https://news.riminifc.it/2020/01/21/gabriel-meli-in-biancorosso/|title=GABRIEL MELI IN BIANCOROSSO|date=21 January 2020|language=Italian}}</ref> Five days later, on 26 January, Meli made his debut for Rimini in a 3–1 home defeat against Vicenza Virtus.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://uk.soccerway.com/matches/2020/01/26/italy/serie-c1/rimini-calcio-fc/vicenza-calcio/3109741/|title=Rimini vs. Vicenza Virtus - 26 January 2020 - Soccerway|website=uk.soccerway.com|access-date=2020-02-03}}</ref> He became Rimini's first-choice goalkeeper in the second part season. Three weeks later, on 15 February, he kept his first clean sheet for the club in a 2–0 home win over Modena and one more week later, on 22 February, he kept his second clean sheet in a 0–0 away draw against Virtus Verona.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Rimini vs. Modena - 15 February 2020 - Soccerway|url=https://uk.soccerway.com/matches/2020/02/15/italy/serie-c1/rimini-calcio-fc/modena-fc/3109772/|access-date=2020-07-22|website=uk.soccerway.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Virtus Verona vs. Rimini - 22 February 2020 - Soccerway|url=https://uk.soccerway.com/matches/2020/02/22/italy/serie-c1/usd-virtusvecomp-verona/rimini-calcio-fc/3109782/|access-date=2020-07-22|website=uk.soccerway.com}}</ref> Meli ended his 6-month loan to Rimini with only 5 appearances, 6 goals conceded and 2 clean sheet, however at the end of the season Rimini was relegated in Serie D.<ref name=":0" />
==== Loan to Fano ==== On 21 August 2020, Meli was signed by Serie C club Alma Juventus Fano on a season-long loan deal.<ref>{{Cite web|title=UFFICIALE - Fano, in porta ecco Gabriel Meli|url=https://www.tuttoc.com/ufficialita/ufficiale-fano-in-porta-ecco-gabriel-meli-256535|access-date=2020-08-31|website=www.tuttoc.com|language=it}}</ref> On 27 September he made his league debut for the club in a 2–2 away draw against Perugia.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Perugia vs. Fano - 27 September 2020 - Soccerway|url=https://uk.soccerway.com/matches/2020/09/27/italy/serie-c1/perugia-calcio/fano-calcio-ssd/3380422/|access-date=2020-10-10|website=uk.soccerway.com}}</ref> Ten days later, on 7 October, Meli kept his first clean sheet for the club in a 0–0 away draw against Carpi.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Perugia vs. Fano - 27 September 2020 - Soccerway|url=https://uk.soccerway.com/matches/2020/09/27/italy/serie-c1/perugia-calcio/fano-calcio-ssd/3380422/|access-date=2020-10-10|website=uk.soccerway.com}}</ref> On 11 November he kept his second clean sheet for the club in a 0–0 away draw against Fermana and four weeks later his third clean sheet with another 0–0 away draw against Vis Pesaro.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Fermana vs. Fano - 11 November 2020 - Soccerway|url=https://uk.soccerway.com/matches/2020/11/11/italy/serie-c1/fermana/fano-calcio-ssd/3380508/|access-date=2020-12-19|website=uk.soccerway.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Vis Pesaro vs. Fano - 6 December 2020 - Soccerway|url=https://uk.soccerway.com/matches/2020/12/06/italy/serie-c1/vis-pesaro/fano-calcio-ssd/3380556/|access-date=2020-12-19|website=uk.soccerway.com}}</ref> He lost the role of starting goalkeeper to Aniello Viscovo in the second half of the season. Meli ended his season-long loan to Fano with 17 appearances, all in the first part of the season, 23 goals conceded and 4 clean sheet.<ref name=":0" />
==== Loan to Südtirol ==== On 27 July 2021, he was loaned to Serie C club Südtirol.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Redazione|date=27 July 2021|title=FC Südtirol: dall'Empoli arriva il portiere Gabriel Meli|url=https://www.lavocedibolzano.it/fc-sudtirol-dallempoli-arriva-il-portiere-gabriel-meli/|access-date=6 November 2021|website=La voce di Bolzano|language=it-IT}}</ref>
==== Loan to Recanatese ==== On 25 January 2023, Meli moved to Serie C club Recanatese on loan.<ref>{{cite web|publisher=Picchio News|url=https://picchionews.it/sport/recanatese-doppio-colpo-in-entrata-tra-i-pali-c-e-meli-in-difesa-arriva-il-centrale-vona|title=25 January 2023|date=25 January 2023|access-date=26 January 2023|language=it}}</ref>
===Taranto=== On 20 August 2024, Meli signed a one-year deal with Taranto.<ref>{{cite web|publisher=Taranto|url=https://www.tarantofootballclub.it/2024/08/20/gabriel-meli-e-ufficialmente-rossoblu/|title=GABRIEL MELI È UFFICIALMENTE ROSSOBLU|trans-title=GABRIEL MELI IS OFFICIALLY RED AND BLUE|date=20 August 2024|access-date=21 August 2024|language=it}}</ref>
==International career== Meli was part of the Italy squad at the 2016 UEFA European Under-17 Championship, but stayed on the bench in all games behind the first-choice goalkeeper Alessandro Plizzari.
== Career statistics == === Club === {{updated|18 July 2021}} {| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;" |+ ! rowspan="2" |Club ! rowspan="2" |Season ! colspan="3" |League ! colspan="2" |Cup ! colspan="2" |Europe ! colspan="2" |Other ! colspan="2" |Total |- !League !Apps !Goals !Apps !Goals !Apps !Goals !Apps !Goals !Apps !Goals |- |Pistoiese (loan) |2018–19 |Serie C |21 |0 |0 |0 | colspan="2" |— | colspan="2" |— |21 |0 |- |Rimini (loan) |2019–20 |Serie C |5 |0 | colspan="2" |— | colspan="2" |— | colspan="2" |— |5 |0 |- |Fano (loan) |2020–21 |Serie C |17 |0 |0 |0 | colspan="2" |— | colspan="2" |— |17 |0 |- ! colspan="3" |Career total !43 !0 !0 !0 ! colspan="2" |— ! colspan="2" |— !43 !0 |}
== Honours == === Club === '''Empoli'''
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== * {{Soccerway|gabriel-meli/442672}} {{ACR Messina squad}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Meli, Gabriel}} Category:1999 births Category:Living people Category:Footballers from Bagno a Ripoli Category:Italian men's footballers Category:Italy men's youth international footballers Category:Men's association football goalkeepers Category:Serie C players Category:Serie A players Category:Serie B players Category:Super League Greece 2 players Category:Empoli FC players Category:FC Pistoiese SSD players Category:Rimini FC 1912 players Category:Alma Juventus Fano 1906 players Category:FC Südtirol players Category:Apollon Larissa F.C. players Category:US Recanatese players Category:Taranto FC 1927 players Category:ACR Messina players Category:Italian expatriate men's footballers Category:Italian expatriate sportspeople in Greece Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Greece Category:21st-century Italian sportsmen