North London Banter
Tottenham’s Richarlison and Arsenal’s Gabriel continued their rivalry this weekend at the North London Derby, both on the pitch and online. During preseason, Richarlison won Man of the Match against Arsenal and tagged Gabriel on social media, poking fun at the result.
Fast forward to the Premier League clash this past weekend, and Arsenal dismantled Tottenham 4–1. Despite being out injured, Gabriel responded in kind, tagging Richarlison in a post after the match that quickly went viral. Following the post, Gabriel saw his popularity jump 39 places to land him at 67th overall in the Goalden View Popularity Ranking (GVPR). In addition to the social media engagement, the widespread attention surrounding his injury news also contributed to his popularity rise.
On the pitch, Richarlison impressed with a spectacular goal from distance, catching goalkeeper David Raya out. Despite the heavy loss and being the subject of Gabriel’s banter, Richarlison’s popularity still managed to increase, albeit by a modest 4 places. He now sits at 55th in the GVPR.
Popularity Factors
This head-to-head highlights how popularity is not just about goals or assists, but also about engagement. Fans and journalists alike enjoyed the narrative of two national team teammates yet domestic league rivals trading jabs. Social media interactions like these dramatically increase visibility and create buzz. Consequently, these factors often translate into higher GVPR rankings even when a player loses or is out injured.
In Richarlison’s case, his moment of brilliance helped maintain his popularity. For Gabriel, the combination of social media presence and sympathy from fans due to his injury created a unique boost, showing how off-field events can significantly impact perception.
GVPR Roundup
At Goalden View, we track who is trending in football each week. Our state-of-the-art algorithm factors in both on-field performance and off-field attention. The Richarlison-Gabriel rivalry shows that, alongside results on the pitch, even friendly social media exchanges can have a measurable impact on a player’s popularity.