Cunha escapes Simeone's 'curse'

Matheus Cunha is playing well for Wolves.

In the world of football, a success story is not always the result of tireless efforts within a team. Sometimes, leaving and looking for a new opportunity can be a crucial turning point in a player's career.

Matheus Cunha, one of the most promising strikers in Brazilian football, is a prime example of this story. After failing to shine under coach Diego Simeone at Atletico Madrid, Cunha decided to leave and is now one of Wolverhampton's brightest stars in the Premier League.

Journey at Atletico Madrid - hope and disappointment

Cunha joined Atletico Madrid in the summer of 2021 with the expectation of becoming an important part of coach Diego Simeone's tactical system. With a transfer value of around 30 million euros, he was expected to replace the old strikers, contributing to the team's attacking style of play. In his first season (2021/22), Cunha showed positive signs, scoring 7 goals and 4 assists in 37 matches. This was a promising start, but what followed was not as expected.

In his second season at Atletico, Cunha was unable to maintain a consistent form. He only had 2 assists in 17 matches without scoring a goal. This not only affected the Brazilian striker's career, but also forced coach Simeone to look for other options.

Matheus Cunha just scored for Brazil in the match against Argentina.

Despite some notable moments, Cunha failed to win the trust of Simeone, who demanded consistency and tactical rigor. During this time, other players such as Joao Félix, Felipe and Lodi all left, causing instability in the Atletico dressing room.

After a long period of not being able to find a place in the team, Cunha decided to leave Atletico Madrid. This decision was agreed by coach Simeone, who understood that both sides would benefit more if Cunha sought opportunities elsewhere.

Turning point in Wolverhampton

After leaving Atletico Madrid, Cunha joined Wolverhampton in the summer of 2022 and quickly proved his worth. Here, he had a spectacular transformation.

In the 2024/25 season, Cunha scored 15 goals for the team, including 13 in the Premier League and 2 in the FA Cup. In addition to his scoring ability, Cunha also contributed 4 assists, clearly showing remarkable progress in his playing style and ability to coordinate with teammates.

The change is not just a change to a new club, but also a change in style. Cunha is not just a pure striker, but also deeply involved in his team's play, dropping into midfield and moving to the left to support the attack. His ability to cover the pitch and his fierce determination to find goals have made the Brazilian one of the most impressive players in the Premier League this season.

As of March 2025, Cunha’s market value has skyrocketed to €55 million, an impressive figure for a player who was once left behind at Atletico. This not only shows Cunha’s remarkable progress but also reflects the difference between the environment at Atletico and Wolverhampton, where he was given the freedom to express himself.

Matheus Cunha has flourished since leaving Atletico.

While Cunha has been a success story since leaving Simeone, not all players who have left Atletico have had a good run. One of the most notable names is Joao Felix, who joined Atletico for a club-record fee of €127 million in 2019.

After great expectations, Felix failed to shine under Simeone. After 131 appearances and only 33 goals and 16 assists, Felix's career at Atletico was considered a failure, especially when he failed to prove his worth at other clubs such as Chelsea, Barcelona or Milan.

Felix is ​​proof that a player can fail even with the best of conditions. Expected to become a shining star at Atletico, he could not find a place in Simeone's strict tactical style.

Felix's talent was undeniable, but his inability to fit into Simeone's style meant he was unable to reach his full potential. The Portuguese star's loan and eventual sale to Chelsea marked the end of a promising but unsuccessful transfer programme.

Cunha's story also highlights other cases such as Antoine Griezmann, Filipe Luis or Diego Costa. These players all had time to leave, but then returned to Atletico and found their peak form again.

Griezmann, in particular, has established himself as one of the world's best players since returning to Simeone. Although he struggled at times at Barcelona, ​​his return to Atletico has seen him recover and regain his form.

In addition, Saul Niguez, who was once a mainstay of the team, has also failed to maintain his form while on loan at Chelsea and now at Sevilla. Meanwhile, players like Arda Turan and Alvaro Morata have failed to find themselves after leaving, and are now playing in other leagues.

Matheus Cunha's story is proof that sometimes, leaving can be the right move in your career. After failing to make the grade at Atletico Madrid, Cunha found his feet at Wolverhampton, where he was given the freedom to develop his abilities.

With remarkable progress in the Premier League, Cunha not only escaped the "Simeone curse" but also put his name on the list of rising stars in Europe.

Source: https://znews.vn/cunha-thoat-khoi-loi-nguyen-simeone-post1541234.html