Daniel Benha, 27, has traveled the world on loan and currently plays for Chinese club Dalian Yingbo.
summary
Daniel Penha, the 27-year-old Brazilian player with Dalian Yingbo in China, has had his contract renewed with Atletico MG to maintain the health plan supporting his wife Larissa Matias’ cancer treatment, highlighting the club’s solidarity in the face of the situation.
Daniel Benha (27 years old) left Brazilian football in 2021, heading to the Australian Newcastle Jets. Still under contract with Atletico MG, the midfielder’s adventures include South Korea and Portugal, until his arrival at Dalian Yingbo, from China, in July this year.
Accustomed to changes in his lifestyle and on the pitch, the Brasilia native found himself facing a football where individuality makes the difference. The “marriage” of his qualities made him a star in “the city that breathes football.”
“We got off the bus and the fans were already waiting. People arrive with notebooks with photos. I signed thousands of photos when I was 17 years old. It’s unbelievable,” he said in a conversation with. land.
This affection makes Penha feel even more willing to immerse himself in Chinese culture. Although in his city he does not have much contact with foods that are considered more “exotic” for Brazilians, the athlete has already encountered a situation similar to that of confusing a container of beans with a container of ice cream in the refrigerator.
“They make a lot of delicious things with beans. In one of the first hotels I went to on a trip (with the team), I went to get some candy-like dough after dinner. I thought it was chocolate. When I bit into it, it was bean cake. I bit into it and immediately took it out of my mouth. The Chinese started laughing a lot,” he joked about the confusion.
Amid these changes, Benha is closely following his wife Larissa Matias’ treatment for cancer that has spread to the bones and lung. A worsening illness even forced him to leave his love of Australian rules football behind to play in Portugal in 2024.
In addition to the support provided by his family, the midfielder remains grateful to Atlético-MG for their support in difficult times. Jallo’s senior officers are doing their best to help her with her treatment. “They supported my wife, called the best doctors and asked them to help her,” he says.
More than the mentioned names of managers such as Paulo Brax, Rodrigo Caetano and Victor, Peña saw his wife’s story spark help from other Gallo employees during the period when he used the club’s facilities to treat a knee injury.
He adds: “One of the women who takes care of the CT scan told me that there is a person being treated in the hospital who has a wonderful doctor. I called the doctor and talked about him. The physiotherapists helped me find the best doctor to help her regain movement in her face. I am very excited for Atletico and the people who work there.”
While grateful to Gallo, Benha is still considering a return to Atletico. In fact, this comeback came close twice during this period: once under Eduardo Coudet, in 2023, and again with Kuka, last year.
