Matheus Cunha: Bio, Salary, Net worth, Lifestyle, Club, and International Career

Matheus Cunha Family and Early Life

Matheus Santos Carneiro da Cunha, or simply Matheus Cunha, was born on 27 May 1999 in a Brazilian household situated in João Pessoa, Paraíba, Brazil, to parents Carmelo Cunha and Luziana Cunha. Cunha was no different from other young Brazilians, who escaped their houses early to roam the Favelas with a ball at their feet. This endeavour was furthered by Matheus's younger brother, Gabriel Cunha, who also played football. Although his journey began through the raw origin of football, i.e., playing futsal, he soon joined the Brazilian club, Coritiba, to begin his Youth career.

Subsequently, his senior career took him to the Swiss club Sion, where he impressed in his 29 appearances by scoring 10 goals. These impressive numbers resulted in a stint for him at the German Bundesliga, where he played for both RB Leipzig and Hertha BSC. Cunha worked hard in the Bundesliga and, despite being a bit goal-shy, his performances for his team were highly acclaimed. This opened the doors for his inclusion in the Brazil under-23 team at the 2020 Summer Olympics, where he won the gold medal for his country.

This victory propelled Matheus' career forward, as he landed on the Spanish shores to join Atletico Madrid. La Liga was always supposed to be a challenge the Brazilian had to conquer to establish himself amongst the great legacy of Brazilian La Liga forwards. However, the unrelenting nature of the league did not allow Matheus Cunha to obtain any consistency after initial problems in his acclimatization. Thus, what was meant to be the Brazilian’s big break instead turned out to be the most challenging part of his career so far, as he struggled massively to get involved in the squad. As a result, in January of 2023, Matheus Cunha was sent out on loan to Wolverhampton Wanderers, and in the summer, the deal was made permanent after certain clauses had been met.

Playing Style and Strengths

Matheus Cunha has already played in the top 3 leagues of Europe, while just being 25 years old, this alone speaks volumes about his versatile tactical profile. The Brazilian is not an outright striker in the sense of not being a goal poacher or a fox in the box type of forward. Matheus Cunha is blessed with a potent first touch, which allows him to turn quickly, look up and analyze the field for possible chance creation opportunities.

He can play in any position in the frontline, like striker, winger, and even attacking midfielder. His tactical profile is similar to a No.10 where he can hold up the ball while waiting for runners to arrive during counters, while also containing the ability to drive through defensive lines himself through his close control and burst of pace, during transitions. Matheus Cunha likes to create a separation between himself and the defenders to get off shots from outside the box and corners from the flanks quickly, to take the opponent by surprise.

Besides all these qualities, Matheus Cunha is also an intelligent forward who is well aware of his abilities and how to gain maximum output out of them. He almost surely capitalizes on lapses of concentration in defense or any loose balls in the 30-yard area, through his incredible sense of positioning and a striker's instinct that has developed over time. Matheus Cunha can maneuver his body angles well, which aids his nimble feet around crowded bodies, to both dribble them and get a quick shot away.

Matheus Cunha Net Worth

While multiple factors have a say in Matheus Cunha’s net worth, if we take a look at endorsements and salaries, it is around £17.50 million. The young Brazilian is seemingly a Nike-signed athlete and has been sporting their boots since the time he was playing at RB Leipzig; royalties from this deal would contribute significantly to his net worth. It is reported that the Wolves' star man and attacker currently resides in a property in Wolverhampton, UK. Even though the specifics of the house are disclosed, it is reported that he lives in a comfortable place that matches his lifestyle and earnings.

Matheus Cunha Salary

Before his latest deal, Matheus Cunha initially signed on for a £2.5 million contract at Atletico Madrid. That said, transfers and subsequent new deals have seen the player’s weekly wages and annual salary increase substantially, which have been a result of his performances on the pitch for now for Wolverhampton Wanderers. Matheus Cunha signed a 5-year, $23,400,000 contract with the Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C., including an average annual salary of $4,680,000. In 2024, Cunha will earn a base salary of $4,680,000 while carrying a cap hit of $4,680,000.

Matheus Cunha Wife

By all means, Matheus Cunha shares the best moments of his life on social media. Taking to Instagram to showcase the highs and the big moments from his matches and normal routine life, he has occasionally shown off his partner and wife, Gabriela Nogueira da Cunha.

The young couple tied the knot earlier this year in March and also have a son together. Whilst not much is known of their story or how they met, the couple has seemingly been together since 2018 and have often expressed their love for each other on social media.

Matheus Cunha Career

The journey of the Brazilian is a testament to his talent and resilience. With the surging influence at Wolves, he is now seen as one of the best attacking players in the Premier League. His technicality, pace, and eye for goal are heavily relied upon by the team as an outlet and means of turning over possession and keeping the ball moving. With the team looking to protect their position in the Premier League this season, Cunha has been their saving grace in attack, many times.

Club Career

Matheus Cunha started his footballing career among the youth ranks of Brazilian club Coritiba, where his impressive performance in the Dallas Cup paved the way for his rapid ascension to professional football.

2017-2018: After developing his skillset in his native country, Cunha immediately received offers from professional league clubs, out of which Cunha chose to play for the Swiss club Sion. Cunha quickly became a stellar performer for the club, scoring 10 goals in 29 games of his first professional season, which also included a hat-trick against Thun in a 4-1 victory.

2018-2020: Cunha quickly made European clubs realize his valuable player profile, inviting suitors from the prestigious Bundesliga this time. RB Leipzig signed Cunha on 24 June 2018 on a 5-year deal. He was able to score only 2 goals in the league during this time; however, he shone in the 2019 UEFA Europa League campaign for his team, scoring 6 goals in the campaign.

2020-2021: Cunha's stint at RB Leipzig was cut short due to his inconsistent output for the club. He still, however, had a will to prove his mettle in the Bundesliga, and thus he joined Hertha BSC in 2020. Hertha was the club against which Matheus scored his first Bundesliga goal, and this translated well into his game while playing for them. He scored 12 league goals in 39 games, igniting the spark in himself that doubters believed was extinguished in Germany

2021-2023: Matheus Cunha was always one to test himself against the best of the best, never settling in the solace of comfort. Therefore, when Atletico Madrid came knocking for him with a 5-year contract and a transfer fee of 30 million Euros, there was no doubt in its acceptance. Although the forward started his career in Spain with vigor, he quickly fell into a ditch of dismal displays, keeping him out of Simeone's squad.

2023-2025: In January of 2023, Matheus Cunha was sent out on loan to Wolverhampton Wanderers and in the summer, the deal was made permanent after certain clauses had been met. During his time at the Molineux, Cunha has excelled and became the star of the team, rescuing them on a number of occasions. Having played across the frontline, Cunha’s abilities to deliver have become ever so important for the club’s efforts to stave off relegation.

International Career

At the International level, the ex-Atletico Madrid man plays for Brazil. Initially, Matheus Cunha made a name for himself as a youngster and was a part of Brazil’s under-23 team squad at the 2019 Toulon Tournament and the 2020 CONMEBOL Pre-Olympic Tournament, being the top scorer in the former.

Further, he was also part of the squad for the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, collecting the gold medal. As for his senior appearances, Cunha played in the 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification matches as well.

Matheus Cunha Awards and Achievements

Matheus Cunha has been a certified asset for all the teams he has played; however, this does not necessarily amount to trophies and recognition. Due to having a tumultuous club career Matheus Cunha's club and international trophy cabinet is quite scarce, however this in no way gives a sign for the future as the Brazilian is still 25 and close to reaching his peak performance.

Winning a Gold medal with the Brazilian Olympic team in 2021 and being CONMEBOL's top goal scorer in 2019 are some of his notable achievements.