How an Award-Winning Photographer Captures the Passion of Soccer

Jul 14, 2024

Jeremy Gray

The image is split into two sections. The left side shows a close-up of a soccer ball being kicked on a field. The right side features a soccer player in a red and green uniform, celebrating with arms outstretched in the rain.

The 2024 World Sports Photography Awards winners were recently announced, and the winner of the football (soccer) category, Brazilian-born and Portugal-based photographer Marcelo Guelber Góes, spoke with PetaPixel about his very impressive victory and career as a sports photographer.

Guelber Góes didn’t just best formidable challengers in the World Sports Photography Awards, he faces stiff competition in sports photography in general.

“Football is the most popular sport in the world, especially in Europe, where you have the most valuable leagues and teams in the world,” Guelber Góes tells PetaPixel. “So, you have to assume that it’s a very competitive field of work, and the competition is ferocious.”

A soccer player wearing a red and green jersey with the number 7 celebrates in the rain with arms outstretched and eyes closed. He is wearing a captain's armband, and the background is a blurred crowd. — Marcelo Guelber Góes captured this fantastic photo of Cristiano Ronaldo during the UEFA Euro qualifiers. This photo was named the best football (soccer) photo in the 2024 World Sports Photography Awards.

The photographer adds that he has a tough hill to climb. He’s a freelancer who works with a small agency, which limits his possibilities for getting credentials for some of the world’s biggest soccer matches and tournaments.

“Most of the time, I work alone without team support. It is overwhelming and stressful. You really need to love what you do, otherwise you will ask yourself what you are doing several times,” Guelber Góes adds. “As I do often.”

A soccer player wearing a blue Napoli jersey and a protective face mask gestures with his hands on the field. He has short blond hair and is wearing a Champions League patch on his right sleeve. The background shows a blurred crowd of spectators.

Guelber Góes loves soccer and photography, and his passion shows through in his work. This love of the sport elevates his work and makes it unique.

“We live in a world where everything is either fake or AI. Being a photographer allows us to bring our own humanity and apply it to you work, making it as unique as we are,” the photographer says. “I believe the results of the World Sports Photography Awards 2024 reflect that.”

A soccer player in a blue jersey attempts to kick the ball while another player in a red and white jersey slides in attempting to tackle. Both players are intensely focused, and the action occurs on a grassy field with some spectators and lights in the background.

Being a freelancer and working for a small agency presents some challenges, but it also allows for more creativity and freedom in how Guelber Góes can approach a specific match.

“If you are working as a freelancer, you are free to decide where you want to go with your work, and you will try to balance it as much as you want to go creative. You also have bills to pay. It’s not easy!”

A soccer player in a blue uniform with the number 9 is controlling a ball on the field. He is wearing a face mask, and behind him, blurred, are a sideline official in yellow and a blue "Champions" banner.

While many photographers have moved to mirrorless, Guelber Góes uses a Canon 1DX Mark III DSLR camera. Given the incredible quality of his work, this shows that you don’t need the newest gear to take great photos.

He notes that as so many photographers are switching from DSLR to mirrorless, the used market for DSLR cameras is as affordable as ever, which makes the entry point into sports photography “very accessible.”

Two soccer players wearing red and white jerseys celebrate a goal, running with arms outstretched and expressions of joy. A teammate follows behind, and opponents in blue jerseys can be seen in the background on the field.

“Being a photographer has a lot to do with running a small business, and your key decisions, like buying gear, must be motivated by strategic decisions.”

He does plan to switch to mirrorless, but it will be “at the right moment,” and aligned with larger business strategy and goals.

A close-up of a soccer player's foot, wearing a yellow sock and black cleat, about to kick a UEFA Champions League soccer ball adorned with blue and yellow patterns. The ball is positioned on a grassy field near a white line.

As for lenses, he keeps it simple.

“I have a 300mm f/2.8 for action shots and a wide lens for when the action is too close or when I shoot the environment of the game. I usually shoot with a 16-35mm f/2.8 or 24-70mm f/2.8.”

A close-up of a soccer player's tattooed leg wearing green shorts and an orange cleat in mid-air during a game. The background is blurred, focusing attention on the player's dynamic movement and detailed tattoos. The image is by ODYSSEY Images.

Beyond eschewing trends in pro photography right now with his gear choice, Marcelo Guelber Góes also bucks expectations by not having formal photography training. However, he has had a great education through mentors.

“I have been working with photography as a freelancer since 2005, although with little commitment,” he explains. In 2019, I took a sabbatical in New York City and reconnected with photography, and I have been doing it full-time since.”

A soccer player wearing a blue and white striped jersey with "Betano" and "New Balance" logos stands on a field, looking up with both index fingers pointing upwards. The background features a blurred crowd. The image is credited to "ODYSSEY images" in the bottom right corner.

Photography runs in the family for Guelber Góes. Born and raised in Brazil, his father was an important photojournalist and photographer for a Brazilian president. He also ran a successful photography studio and wedding photography business.

Growing up in Brazil also instilled a love of soccer.

“I am a big fan of Clube Atlético Mineiro, popularly known as Galo (rooster). I was in the stadium for the entire campaign of Taça Libertadores da América and saw my team become champion in a very dramatic way,” the photographer recalls. His oldest son was named after the team’s championship-winning goalkeeper, Victor, and his youngest shares his name, Diego, with the team’s striker.

“This particular game of the campaign, the quarterfinals match, was about to finish. It was tied 1-1, and the draw was good for us, but we could not lose that game. In the last minute of the game, a penalty happened for the visitors. The feeling was overwhelming for us as it has happened several times before,” the photographer recalls. “However, our goalkeeper managed to stop the ball with his left foot… and I fainted a little in the stands.”

It would have been a fantastic game to be photographing down on the pitch, he recalls. If he could have photographed any soccer moment, it would have been that one.

However, he has gotten many great photos of unforgettable moments in the sport.

Two soccer players wearing red jerseys celebrate on the field. The player on the left, with "DI MARIA 11" on his back, is kneeling and smiling, while the player on the right is crouched, reaching out with both hands to touch his shoulders. The background shows spectators and other players. — Benfica forward Angel Dí María (11) celebrates his opening goal with Benfica midfielder Orkun Kokçu (10)

Angel Dí María

“Last year, I got Ángel Di María celebrating a goal in the final of Supertaça Portugal staring at me, and it was an amazing picture as well.”

But one of Guelber Góes’ favorite photos is among his first.

“The first good picture that I took was of a Champions League match between Paris Saint-Germain vs SL Benfica in Paris where Kylian Mbappé scored a goal and celebrated in front of me,” he says. “This will always be one of my favorite pictures as I felt that I was progressing in my work.”

A soccer player in a dark blue and red jersey celebrates with arms outstretched on a soccer field. He appears to have just scored a goal. In the background, a goalkeeper in a green kit stands near the goalpost, with spectators and other players visible. — Kylian Mbappé (PSG) celebrates a goal in the UEFA Champions League.

Neymar (PSG) dribbling during the same Champions League match.

To see more from Marcelo Guelber Góes, follow him on Instagram. He does a fantastic job capturing the stories and emotions of each match, which, ultimately, are what make soccer such a meaningful sport for fans around the world.

Image credits: Marco Guelber Góes / Odyssey Images