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Manchester United attacker Matheus Cunha has certainly made a big difference since signing in the summer.
The Brazilian has helped transform the attack from being one of the worst in the league to one of the most potent, alongside fellow summer signings Bryan Mbeumo and Benjamin Sesko.
Cunha has rarely been shy about his love for the club and has already spoken about how he wants to help awaken the sleeping giant that is Manchester United Football Club.
Experiences of leaving Brazil
In an interview with Caze TV, Cunha discussed his experiences of leaving his native Brazil at a young age.
At just 18 years old, he left his country to move to Switzerland to play for FC Sion, before spells at RB Leipzig, Atlético Madrid, Wolverhampton Wanderers, and now United.
He claimed, “I left Brazil very young. When we go to the national team sometimes you feel a bit lost. In Europe, especially in England, people recognise you a lot. They shout ‘Cunha, Cunha.’ In Brazil it can be different.”
Cunha opened up on how this can make him feel and he stated, “Of course sometimes it gives you a little frustration. You think: ‘I do so many things and it’s not always that clear.’ But I understand Brazilian fans completely.”
Position switch
The United man revealed that while playing in Brazil he was always a midfielder, but a sudden growth spurt resulted in him being moved further forward.
He explained, “There came a moment when I was too skinny and then I grew a lot. I stretched out and suddenly everyone said: ‘You’re too big now, go play up front.’”
It was clearly the right career move, as he recalled, “I started scoring goals there and it just kept going. In Switzerland [FC Sion] they told me to play as a striker and I scored ten goals in three months.”
He explains he was a striker in the Brazilian team that won the Olympics and for Atlético Madrid, so playing further forward for United is no big deal for him.
As a result of switching between number 10, midfielder, winger and striker over the years, he explained, “It helped me understand other positions and the game as a whole. Today I feel like a much more complete and versatile player because of that.”
Interests outside of football
Cunha revealed that he likes to learn not just on the pitch but off it, and stated that he studied some law and that languages have always interested him.
He explained, “My aunt was a Portuguese teacher, and my parents were always very close to me. They always taught me that you have to learn and go through things in life. I’m close to opening the institute now. So I go and talk to people who already have institutes and ask what the best projects are.”
Cunha elaborated, “I speak languages, so I’m thinking how we can contact language schools and maybe make them partners of the institute. That way young people can learn better than I did.”
Matheus Cunha 25/26 season stats
| Games played | Goals | Assists | Mins played |
|---|---|---|---|
| 28 | 6 | 3 | 2083 |
Source: transfermarkt.com
Featured image Alex Livesey via Getty Images
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