Manchester United winger Antony Matheus dos Santos, widely known as Antony, has been dismissed
from the Brazilian national football team, Seleção, as a result of a deeply disturbing domestic violence
allegations involving his former girlfriend, Gabriela Cavallin. The Brazilian Football Federation (CBF)
announced this decision in a statement released on Monday, September 4th, 2023, stating that Antony’s involvement requires a thorough investigation.
CBF’s statement reads, “As a result of the facts that came to light on Monday (04/09) involving
Manchester United striker Antony, and which need to be investigated … the athlete has been dismissed
from the Seleção.”
These allegations have sent shockwaves through the football world and have already led to Antony’s
removal from the national team, affecting his participation in upcoming World Cup qualifiers against
Bolivia and Peru. Coach Fernando Diniz swiftly took action by replacing the 23-year-old winger with
Arsenal’s Gabriel Jesus, who was initially preselected from a list of 36 players sent to FIFA.
The scandal, which centers on allegations made by Antony’s former girlfriend Gabriela Cavallin, has cast a dark shadow over the player’s career. Local media had previously reported the allegations of physical assault, and it is now revealed that this case was already the subject of a police investigation when Antony was called up to the national squad. However, the content of some of the allegations had not yet been made public.
Antony has vehemently denied these allegations, taking to Instagram to proclaim his innocence. He
stated, “I can calmly affirm that the accusations are false, and that evidence already produced and that
will be produced will show that I am innocent.”
These allegations against Antony have taken a grim turn with the emergence of disturbing evidence.
Brazilian media has reported texts, photos, and videos detailing alleged abuse, showing deep cuts,
bruises, threats, and witnesses to corroborate the claims made by Gabriela Cavallin. She described a
harrowing incident where a glass thrown by Antony resulted in a deep cut that exposed her bone, all
while she was pregnant. Unfortunately, she eventually lost the child after 16 weeks of pregnancy.
In an interview with Brazilian outlet UOL, Cavallin recounted numerous instances of abuse allegedly
inflicted by Antony, starting in July 2022, just a month before he joined Manchester United from Ajax.
She claimed that Antony’s jealousy played a significant role in their turbulent relationship. Cavallin’s account of the first physical attack by Antony paints a chilling picture of the violence she endured. She recalled, “He said that if I didn’t stay with him, I wouldn’t stay with anyone. I told him that I was pregnant, that he was scaring me, making my heart race. I was shaking with fear.”
Screenshots of text messages and audio recordings obtained by UOL have shed further light on the
troubled relationship. Antony is alleged to have accused Cavallin of ridiculing him and attempting to
destroy his life in these messages. Despite these difficulties, the couple briefly resumed their relationship after Antony’s return from representing Brazil at the 2022 FIFA World Cup, but the situation deteriorated further.
Cavallin outlined more instances of abuse, including an incident where she claims Antony punched her
on the chest so hard that it shifted her breast implants. She stated, “I don’t remember exactly who the
fight was, but it was someone I had stayed with years ago. He punched me in the chest and my silicone turned. And then I came to Brazil to operate.”
In another horrifying altercation, Cavallin alleged that Antony attempted to hit her on the head with a
glass bowl, causing deep cuts that exposed the bones in her fingers. Antony’s mother and stepfather had to intervene to prevent further harm, even restraining him inside a makeshift football court in their home.
Despite these deeply troubling allegations and the mounting evidence, Antony has maintained his innocence. His representatives released a statement to the Brazilian news outlet, stating, “What can be
observed is that it appears in the media always in the moments when she knows it can harm Antony… But the facts exposed are the same as those being dealt with in the investigative process.”
Antony is currently under investigation for these alleged offenses, and the scandal has raised concerns
not only for his football career but also for Manchester United, who recently had to deal with a similar
case involving English forward Mason Greenwood. The football world now awaits the outcome of the investigation while grappling with the troubling revelations surrounding Antony and the urgent need for accountability in sports.
These allegations has not only cost Antony his place in the national team but also raises significant questions about the responsibilities of football clubs and organizations in addressing such serious allegations within the sport.
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