In the world of football where attackers and goalkeepers often steal the spotlight, defenders generally go unnoticed and underappreciated. Today, we shine a light on Barcelona’s unsung hero and right-back who has been consistently outstanding over the past year yet remains vastly underrated. Join us as we delve into the captivating biography of Joao Cancelo, a player whose remarkable performances deserve far more recognition.
João Cancelo Early Life
João Pedro Cavaco Cancelo was born on May 27, 1994, to loving parents Joseph and Filomena Cancelo. Born in the city of Barreiro Portugal, João was raised alongside his younger brother and lifetime best friend Pedro Cancelo. Although João Cancalo had to face the worst of traumas during his childhood(the passing of his mother), he was still brought up correctly with the purest of love between him, his brother, and his father.
João Cancelo began playing football in the streets of his hometown, Berreiro at the tender age of 6 and instantly fell in love with the beautiful game. It seemed as if Cancelo was destined to make a career in football. He revealed that that was where he developed his foundations and basic understanding of the sport. He also expressed his love for the sport when he said,
“When I was young, I always asked my late mother for footballs. For Christmas, for my birthday, I just wanted a football!”
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An extremely old picture of João Cancelo (bottom right) with his parents and younger brother
João Cancelo Father
João Cancelo’s father, Joseph Cancelo, has been a pivotal figure in his life’s journey. After the tragic passing of Cancelo’s mother, Joseph single-handedly took on the responsibility of managing and providing for the family. His unwavering support and encouragement were crucial in nurturing Cancelo’s passion for football, motivating him to pursue a career in the sport. Joseph’s dedication and belief in his son’s potential have been instrumental in shaping Cancelo’s path to success.
João Cancelo Mother
João Cancelo’s mother, Filomena Cancelo was part of a fatal car crash in 2013 which unfortunately very close to Benfica’s training center – a few miles south of Lisbon – in 2013, when the defender was just a teenager at the Portuguese giants. She was an extremely loving and caring mother who would do anything for her children.
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João Cancelo’s mother, Filomena Cancelo
Cancelo revealed that he almost ‘quit’ playing football after his mother’s passing and shared the following emotional statements,
‘When I lost my mother, I didn’t enjoy my football; I was playing because I had to. I really thought of giving up because it didn’t make sense anymore. My love for the game started to gradually come back; my smile slowly returned.”
‘Her personality is most similar to mine. Only I know what she did for me; the difficulties we both went through, the conversations she had with me when there was no money at home, Cancelo added.
‘I would tell her that I would try to do everything to give her a better future so that she would never have to work again. And today, even though she is where she is, I do everything to make her proud of me.”
João Cancelo Brother
Not many know this but Joao Cancelo has a younger brother named Pedro Cancelo who is 22 years of age at the time of writing. Pedro is also a professional footballer who currently plays for Portuguese club Marítimo B and is following in the footsteps of his brother to hopefully break through the highest ranks in world football.
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João Cancelo and his younger brother, Pedro Cancelo
The siblings are pretty close to each other and share an unbreakable sibling bond, helping and being there for each other at every step of their lives. Although the brothers were also in the car crash which took the life of their mother, they miraculously escaped only with minor injuries.
João Cancelo Career Build-up
João Cancelo has played for a long list of clubs in his football career. From Barreirense to Barcelona, his career has been no short of a fairytale story. He talked about his beginnings in the sport in an interview where he revealed,
“When I was eight years old, my father decided to take me to FC Barreirense, the team where I started. I did a trial, they liked me, and I stayed there. From then on, I kept improving.
He added,“When I was 13, I went to Benfica, and that’s where I spent time at the academy until I turned professional.”
João Cancelo grew both as a player and as a person at Benfica where he would spend the most amount of time in his career. In the 6 years he spent at the Portuguese side, Cancelo rose from the club’s ranks and established himself into their first team in 2014 after beginning from their U15 side. Cancelo began to establish himself as a top defender and attracted scouts and representatives from some top European clubs including Valencia, Inter Milan, and Juventus.
João Cancelo during his tenure at Inter Milan and Juventus
Cancelo’s breakthrough transfer would come in 2019 when he decided to join Premier League giants, Manchester City for a massive transfer fee worth €65.00m. The huge price tag came with huge expectations and Cancelo undoubtedly lived up to them. He became a key figure in Manchester City’s Premier League dominating squad and even benched regular starter, Kyle Walker.
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João Cancelo celebrates winning the Premier League with Manchester City
Fallout with Pep Guardiola
Cancelo’s life in England seemed pretty stable, but he would go on to have a training ground bust-up with Spanish manager, Pep Guardiola which is rumored to be the reason behind him leaving the club. Although top media outlets confirmed that the bust-up did in fact happen, Cancelo denied it being the reason for his exit.
He revealed, “It’s a lie that I had a fight with [Pep] Guardiola, a complete lie. I didn’t feel important to the team in recent games. I spoke to the coach and he agreed. I, the coach, and the club decided I had to leave, that it was the best option for me.”
Stability in Spain?
As of the time of writing, Cancelo has turned out to be one of Barcelona’s most important defenders with his intricate dribbling and lightning-fast speed. The right-back has formed a strong partnership with rising youngster Pau Cubarsi at the heart of Barcelona’s defense.
Cancelo has been one of Barcelona’s most consistent players and his contributions on the pitch don’t go unnoticed. He has finally found some stability in his career after the whole Manchester City fiasco.
His one-year loan contract at Barcelona is set to expire at the end of the 2023-24 season and his future is still yet to be decided. The question is, will he return to Manchester City or continue his prospering journey at Barcelona?
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Joao Cancelo Shocking Ronaldo Claim
Joao Cancelo shockingly claimed that his Portugal teammate and football icon Cristiano Ronaldo is “well past his peak” where he insisted that Portugal “do not depend entirely” on the Al-Nassr striker for the upcoming Euros 2024.
Who is João Cancelo’s Girlfriend?
João Cancelo’s beautiful girlfriend, Daniela Machado
Meet João Cancelo’s stunning girlfriend, Daniela Machado. She is an internet personality who constantly posts updates of her life on her social media handles. Cancelo announced his engagement to his partner Daniala in 2021 after 10 years of dating. He revealed it in an Instagram post where he had planned out the proposal on a beach in Maldives with a massive signing that read, “Will you marry me”
As of today, the couple have an adorable daughter together named Alicia Cancelo who was born on December 24, 2019. They still seem to be madly in love with each other and spend time together with their daughter traveling the world and supporting each of the other’s life endeavors. They document their activities on vibrant social media posts.
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João Cancelo with his adorable daughter, Alicia, and girlfriend, Daniela
What is João Cancelo’s Market Value?
At the time of writing, João Cancelo’s market value has been set at 30 million euros.
What is João Cancelo’s Salary?
João Cancelo’s weekly earnings at Barcelona add up to a £240,385 base salary exclusive of bonuses. This equates to £12,500,000 annually. His contract with Barcelona is set to expire this year but the Portuguese star is likely to sign a permanent deal with the Spanish giants.
What is João Cancelo’s net worth?
João Cancelo’s net worth is estimated to be around 10 million dollars but the number varies across varied reports
Who is Cancelo’s Idol?
João Cancelo revealed his childhood idol to be Brazil and Barcelona legend, Ronaldinho Gaúcho. He also revealed the player he looks up to in his position (Right-Back) to be Dani Alves.
Brazilian legends, Ronaldinho and Dani Alves
João Cancelo FIFA
João Cancelo has an overall 86 rating on his EA FC 24 base card. His other attributes have been specified in his FIFA card below.
João Cancelo’s EA FC 24 base variant card
