Daniel da Cruz Carvalho (born 2 November 1976), commonly known asDani, is a Portuguese former professionalfootballer who played mainly as anattacking midfielder.
He spent most of his eight-year professional career withAjax after starting out atSporting CP, appearing in nearly 100 competitive matches and winning three major titles. He also competed abroad in England withWest Ham United, and in Spain withAtlético Madrid.
All youth levels comprised, Dani played 69 times forPortugal and scored 33 goals. He made his full debut in 1995.
Subsequently, Dani representedAFC Ajax, appearing regularly for theAmsterdam side but almost never as an undisputed starter. He did score an important goal in the1996–97 UEFA Champions League quarter-final tie againstAtlético Madrid, in a 3–2 away win (4–3 aggregate).[8]
In December 2000, following a brief spell withS.L. Benfica, Dani signed for Atlético Madrid of the SpanishSegunda División on the recommendation of his compatriotPaulo Futre, the latter'sdirector of football,[9] teaming up with also-PortugueseHugo Leal.[10] After theColchonerosreturned toLa Liga with him as an important unit,[11][12] he was pretty much absent for the majority of the2002–03 campaign and, having failed to find a new team, definitively retired from football in early 2004 at only 27.[13]
Dani earned ninecaps forPortugal, the first coming on 12 December 1995 in a 1–1friendly withEngland, and the last on 29 March 2000 in a 2–1 victory overDenmark (also friendly).[14][4]
Before and during his playing career, Dani worked regularly as a model. After retiring, he worked in television, including as apundit forTVI 24.[17][18][19]
Dani married Patrícia Claro in 2009. The couple had two daughters, Maria Luísa (born 2011) and Benedita (2015).[20][21][22]
Redknapp, when he was manager at West Ham, once said about the player: "Dani is so good-looking I don't know whether to play him or fuck him".[23]
^"At. Madrid (con)vence no "inferno" da II Liga" [At. Madrid win and convince (Portuguese wordplay, impossible to translate otherwise) in II League "hell"].Record (in Portuguese). 2 September 2001. Retrieved29 April 2020.
