Grill Gilberto on uefa.com

Gilberto chat at 16.00CET on Thursday 25 March

Join us on Thursday 25 March at 16.00CET for a MasterCard Talk Football chat with Gilberto. You will be able to ask him about Arsenal FC's UEFA Champions League quarter-final against Chelsea FC, and get an insider's view on playing for the world champions Brazil.

National team
A latecomer to international football, the combative central midfield player featured in every minute of Brazil's seven matches at the 2002 FIFA World Cup. It was his ability to subdue opposition midfield lines while playing the holding role which allowed his more creative team-mates the freedom to express themselves. No performance was more impressive than when he marked the Turkish playmaker Yildiray Bastürk out of the game during Brazil's 1-0 semi-final victory.

Club career
After a three-year spell with América FC which began in 1997 and included a Brazilian Cup success, Gilberto joined Clube Atlético Mineiro, the team beaten in that final. During his time at Mineiro, he made his international debut against Bolivia and helped the club to the Minas Gerais state championship.

Arsenal move
Gilberto's industrious World Cup displays convinced Arsenal manager Arsène Wenger that a man he described as a "naturally gifted, world-class player" could adapt to life in England. The South American duly signed a long-term contract for an undisclosed fee - thought to be €6.5m - with the 2001/02 Premiership and FA Cup winners.

Successful season
Gilberto announced himself as a force in English football by scoring the only goal in the 2002/03 FA Community Shield against Liverpool FC in Cardiff. A memorable first season which saw him score the fastest goal in Champions League history - timed at 20.07 seconds against PSV Eindhoven - ended at the same Welsh venue as Arsenal defeated Southampton FC in the FA Cup final. He described the season as "the best of my life".

Send your questions now
To send your questions to Gilberto ahead of Thursday's chat, click here to go to the MasterCard Talk Football section.