Think of the best full-backs in the world and Joao Cancelo’s name automatically pops into our minds. Be it right back or sometimes even left back, the Portuguese superstar’s versatility and attacking mindset, alongside remarkable defensive qualities, make him one of a kind. Today, however, light is shed on his personal life. Many are eager to know about his wife and social media influencer, Daniela Machado, and uncover the infamous tale of her taking a jab at Pep Guardiola.

Say ola to Daniela Machado, wife of Joao Cancelo

Daniela Machado is also Portuguese and was born on May 13, 1993. She is a year older than Joao Cancelo and surprisingly shares the same birthday month with the defender, born on May 27, 1994. Unfortunately, there are no details available regarding Machado’s parents or siblings. On the other hand, there is a belief that she comes from a middle-class background and used to live near Cancelo’s family. There are also no details available regarding her education, but she has completed her education and eventually pursued a career in modeling.

Daniela has a remarkable presence on social media and currently boasts over 122K followers on Instagram, as of June 2024. She regularly posts pictures of herself in stunning outfits. Likewise, her following suggests she is friends with Cristiano Ronaldo’s girlfriend, Georgina Rodriguez, given that her Cancelo shares a locker room with CR7 in Portugal. Interestingly, Machado and Cancelo are childhood sweethearts and have been dating since 2011, when the right-back wasn’t fully a professional soccer player as he was trying to break through in Benfica’s first team.

However, as Cancelo went on to play for some world-class clubs like Valencia, Juventus, and Manchester City, he decided to take the next step and put a ring on Machado’s finger. He organized a romantic proposal on the beaches of Maldives in 2021. Despite being engaged and having yet to tie the knot, the couple share a daughter named Alicia, born in 2019. In fact, very soon, the family will become from three to four as Machado is pregnant as of this article.

While most details about Machado are known, let’s delve into the backstory of how and why she took a dig at Pep Guardiola.

Why did Cancelo’s partner once take a jibe at Pep Guardiola?

Getting a yes for a proposal and enjoying domestic success with Manchester City, everything was going quite well in Joao Cancelo’s life. However, following a disappointing 2022 World Cup with his nation, the fullback lost his place in Pep Guardiola’s XI to Nathen Ake at left back and Rico Lewis at right back, something which didn’t settle in the eyes of Cancelo. A rift with the City boss took place, as he ended up leaving Etihad for Bayern Munich in the winter of 2023.

Forget Cancelo, his partner Daniela Machado, was more than frustrated by the treatment of his husband by Guardiola. Hence, when the defender finally struck a loan deal with the Bavarians, she took to Instagram to celebrate his fiance’s new journey while writing, “You were the best full-back on Spain, Italy and England. You are the best in the world. You don’t have to prove anything to anybody anymore.” These words are enough to indicate that it was a dig at Guardiola.