MANCHESTER, England :Manchester United’s stadium will not feel entirely unfamiliar to Matheus Cunha when the Brazilian makes his home debut for his new team next season. It is almost like he has been playing at Old Trafford for years.
A day after United completed the signing of Cunha from Wolverhampton Wanderers, the dynamic forward said he grew up in the Brazilian beach city of Joao Pessoa dreaming of one day playing for the club.
“It is hard to find a way to explain this club to me,” the 26-year-old said in an interview with United’s in-house media. “My house didn’t have the channel to watch the Premier League. My cousin’s house didn’t have the channel.
“Only in my grandma’s house, we can watch the Premier League, so we organised to go every weekend. And for me, it was always a bit inside of me, this club. When I play with (my cousin) in the street, on the beach, on the gravel pitch, we called these pitches ‘Old Trafford.’ Imagine.
“So, wow, it’s so hard to be here now, thinking about the past — it’s very emotional for me.”
Cunha scored 15 Premier League goals for Wolves last season. He also helped Brazil qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup on Tuesday, setting up the only goal in a decisive 1-0 win at home to Paraguay.
His move to Manchester raised some eyebrows after United finished a woeful 15th in the Premier League and failed to qualify for any European football next season.
But he said the club and its former stars had left a lasting impression.
“It’s hard to talk about because I remember the whole squad at the time that I started to watch,” he said. “In the front, (Wayne) Rooney, wow. Someone that I think I have a lot of particulars in my game, because I always give everything.
“I remember he was the No. 10 and everyone loved the skills of the player in his shirt, but he brings more. He goes to the grass (slide tackle) to take the ball, this kind of energy inside of him was a big example.
“(Cristiano) Ronaldo, everyone knows, it is easy to talk about him. Ryan Giggs. Everyone. I can imagine the team, it started with (Edwin) Van der Sar in the goal, Rio Ferdinand, (Nemanja) Vidic, the defenders, Paul Scholes, wow, (Michael) Carrick. The team for me, honestly, was a big impact for my teenage years.”
