Last updated: October 9, 2026.
After Spain won the 2026 World Cup, Gavi described himself as a kid from Los Palacios. He thanked his family and friends. The Gavi family comes from a town of about 38,000 people in the province of Seville, and he has never really left it behind.
His father waited tables and worked in a football club’s laundry. His childhood was spent between a local pitch and the family bar. At 11 he moved to Barcelona, and his family moved with him.
Quick Facts
| Full name | Pablo Martín Páez Gavira |
| Born | August 5, 2004, Los Palacios y Villafranca, Seville, Spain |
| Father | Pablo Páez |
| Mother | Reported as Gema Gavira |
| Sibling | Sister, Aurora Páez Gavira |
| Position | Central midfielder |
| Club | FC Barcelona (number 6) |
| National team | Spain, 2026 World Cup winner |
Who Are Gavi’s Parents?
Gavi’s father is Pablo Páez. His mother’s surname is Gavira, which is where the name Gavi comes from. It is a short form of his second surname.
Pablo Páez, his father
Pablo Páez worked as a waiter for many years. He also worked in the laundry at Real Betis, the Seville club where his son would later play as a boy. That is according to a July 2026 profile of the family by Spanish outlet Divinity.
He later opened his own bar in Los Palacios, called the Bloan. Divinity describes it as the center of family and neighborhood life. Gavi grew up around it and often helped out.
Spanish daily OKDiario reports that once Gavi reached the top level, his father left his job to help manage his son’s career.
His mother
Gavi’s mother is named as Gema Gavira by both Divinity and OKDiario. An earlier fact-check by Maldita.es gave her name as Aurora Belén Gavira. We have not been able to settle which is right, so we report both.
What the sources agree on is her role. She backed him from his first days at the town club and moved to Barcelona with him when he joined Barça. She stays off social media and has never sought attention.
Many websites give other names for her. Our own earlier version of this article did too. That name had no source, and we have corrected it.
Does Gavi Have Siblings?
Yes. Gavi has one sister, Aurora Páez Gavira. She creates content on social media.
Aurora moved to Barcelona with him. In December 2021 she spoke at a youth award ceremony in Los Palacios, and recalled the two of them arriving in the city and catching the academy bus to school.
She was also at the center of a hoax. In June 2022 a photo of her went viral with a false claim that she was Gavi’s mother and was involved with a Barcelona teammate. Maldita.es, a Spanish fact-checking organization, showed the woman in the photo was his sister and the story was invented.
When Gavi suffered his serious knee injury, Aurora posted a public message of support.
Where Did Gavi Grow Up?
Gavi grew up in Los Palacios y Villafranca, in the province of Seville. He started at the town club, La Liara Balompié, at about six. His first coaches told Divinity he never wanted to leave the pitch.
At nine he joined the Real Betis academy. That meant regular trips between Los Palacios and Seville.
He scored more than 90 goals for one Betis youth team. Real Madrid, Atlético Madrid and Villarreal all took an interest. Barcelona signed him in 2015, when he was 11.
His grandparents were a big part of his childhood too. Divinity reports that his maternal grandmother died in March 2026.
How Did His Family Shape His Career?
The family’s biggest decision was to leave Andalusia. Moving an 11-year-old to Barcelona, at the other end of Spain, meant uprooting a household built around a bar and a town where everyone knew them.
It paid off fast. Gavi made his Barcelona debut on August 29, 2021, at 17. Five weeks later he played for Spain against Italy and became the youngest player ever to represent the country at senior level.
In 2022 he became Spain’s youngest goalscorer, scored at the World Cup in Qatar, and won both the Kopa Trophy and the Golden Boy award. In 2023 he took the number 6 shirt once worn by Xavi.
He plays in the Barcelona and Spain midfield with Pedri. He also followed a path set by Lionel Messi, whose family moved to Barcelona for a child’s career a generation earlier.
The Injuries, and the Return
On November 19, 2023, Gavi tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee playing for Spain against Georgia. He missed Euro 2024 and the Olympics. He was out for 348 days.
He came back in October 2024 and signed a new contract to 2030 the following January. Then, in September 2025, he needed surgery on the meniscus in the same knee and missed about six months more.
He returned in March 2026, in time to make Spain’s 26-man World Cup squad alongside Pedri and Rodri. He started the opening game. Spain beat Argentina 1-0 after extra time in the final.
His message afterward, quoted by Divinity, thanked his family and friends and spoke of the work and sacrifice behind it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who are Gavi’s parents? His father is Pablo Páez, a former waiter who worked in the Real Betis laundry and later ran a bar. His mother’s surname is Gavira; Spanish media report her first name as Gema.
Does Gavi have siblings? Yes, one sister, Aurora Páez Gavira.
Why is he called Gavi? It is short for Gavira, his mother’s surname and his second surname.
Where was Gavi born? Los Palacios y Villafranca, near Seville, on August 5, 2004.
What nationality is Gavi? Spanish. He won the 2026 World Cup with Spain.
When did Gavi join Barcelona? In 2015, aged 11, from the Real Betis academy.
Sources
- Divinity: Gavi’s origins, his town and his father’s bar (July 2026, in Spanish)
- OKDiario: profile of Gavi and his family (July 2026, in Spanish)
- Maldita.es: fact-check of the viral photo of Gavi’s sister (June 2022, in Spanish)
- Football España: Spain’s 2026 World Cup squad (May 2026)
- Wikipedia: Gavi, career statistics and dates
