It’s been a busy summer for Matheus Cunha. Heading back to Brazil, the forward used his time to get married and give back to the young people of his city, while helping Wolves sign new right back Pedro Lima.
After starting the summer with his wedding to now wife Gabriela, Cunha was also presented with the medal of Joao Pessoa, the Brazilian equivalent of the freedom of the city, something of a great honour to the forward. But he is not the only player from the city to now be part of the Wolves squad, following the acquisition of exciting youngster Lima – who already has a big fan in the form of Cunha’s mum.
On his summer back in Brazil
“It was amazing. I did a lot of things, I’m a married man now and the wedding was amazing with all of my family, my friends and people I haven’t seen for a long time, and we got everyone together. Everything that I wanted to do, we did it.”
On getting married during the off season
“It was amazing and it really was a dream come true. I always dreamed of this. But it was really emotional – I cried a lot! I saw all my family there, my son, and it was very beautiful. My wife was amazing. It was a beautiful moment.
“I feel the battery is complete now. I spent time with the people and it recharged me. They gave me the power to come back and I hope I’ll come with an unbelievable season, even better than the last one – more goals, more assists and a lot of wins for the club.”
On using his break to help young people
“It’s all about giving back. I have the opportunity to be someone who represents the people, to encourage the kids to go for their dreams, and it’s a different feeling.
“To go back and to feel everyone is supporting you and see everyone very emotional to see you in person, it’s a different feeling.
“I’m someone who wants to give back because I’m a representative of my people and for my people, and I’m very happy to go there and see the kids, because that motivates me much more.”
The energy when Cunha is back in the building 🤩 pic.twitter.com/3nK1xswDGX
— Wolves (@Wolves) July 8, 2024
On being awarded the medal of Joao Pessoa
“To put it into words is very hard. To be someone who represents your people, people who you love a lot, my city is not very big, but the people watch me on the TV and they have all this emotion to see this guy comes from the same city as me and I’m representing my city for the world.
“It’s hard to put my feelings into words because I saw my family there and everyone cried because these kinds of things you never dream of. It’s a great honour to be this guy, and I’m really grateful for everything that has happened in my life.”
On helping to bring Pedro Lima to Wolves
“It's not normal to even have one player to come from this region, this city, and I’m here, so to have two players from the same city at the same club, it’s unbelievable.
“Everyone was laughing a lot, talking like I was his new agent. I had some information for the club, but I’m very happy to play with him.
“He’s someone that everyone in Brazil is saying good words about, he’s played very well, and he comes from a club that my family supports a lot, it was the club where I played futsal when I was a kid. I still follow the club, so I followed him, and it’s very nice to have him here with me. I hope I can help him and I hope he can help the team on the pitch.”
On his mum’s support of Lima
“It's funny because my mum supports Sport Recife, the club that he comes from, and I told her that I’d talked with him to come here and she asked me to get her one of his Sport shirts because she was such a fan of his.
“It’s funny and I’ve talked with him about this, but these kinds of things are very beautiful in life. He’s come here, he’s got a very beautiful history, very similar to my one, and to play together here I hope will open the way [for more people to from his region] to come to the Premier League and to a new country, so I’m very happy to be this guy.”
