Daniel Matsunaga facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Daniel Matsunaga
Matsunaga in Shake, Rattle & Roll XV (2014)
Born	Daniel Kenji Silva Matsunaga (1988-11-28) November 28, 1988 (age 36) Brasília, Brazil
Nationality	Brazilian
Citizenship	Filipino
Occupation	Model actor athlete host
Years active	2009–2021
Agent	GMA Artist Center (2010–2012) Talent5 (2012–2014) Star Magic (2014–2021) Brightlight Productions (2020–2021)
Height	6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
Daniel Matsunaga Personal information Playing position Midfielder Senior career* Years Team Apps† (Gls)† 2011–2012 Team Socceroo 2012–2013 Pachanga Diliman 2013 Stallion Sta. Lucia 6 (1) 2014 Kaya 1 (0) 2013–2015 Team Socceroo 2020 Maharlika 0 (0) Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. † Appearances (Goals).

Daniel Kenji Silva Matsunaga (born November 28, 1988) is a Brazilian former model, actor, host, and professional football player. He became famous in the Philippines after appearing in Cosmopolitan Philippines magazine in 2009. He then started acting in TV shows on GMA Network. Later, he joined the reality TV show Pinoy Big Brother on ABS-CBN and won the competition in 2014.

As a football player, Daniel played for teams like Team Socceroo, Pachanga, and Kaya. These teams were part of the United Football League (UFL), which was the top football league in the Philippines at the time.

Daniel's Early Life

Daniel Matsunaga was born in Brasília, the capital city of Brazil. His mother, Gerarda Silva, is Brazilian with Spanish, Portuguese, and French family roots. His father, Paulo Mitsuo Matsunaga, is a Japanese Brazilian who was born and grew up in Brazil. Daniel has one brother and one sister.

Daniel's Entertainment Journey

Starting as a Model and Actor

Daniel began his career as a model for Cosmopolitan Philippines magazine. His first TV acting role was in the drama series The Last Prince on GMA-7. He starred alongside Aljur Abrenica and Kris Bernal.

In 2012, Daniel moved to TV5 and appeared in more TV shows. These included Game N Go, Enchanted, and Misibis Bay.

He later joined ABS-CBN as a celebrity judge for the show It's Showtime.

Becoming a Reality TV Star

On May 17, 2014, Daniel entered the Pinoy Big Brother house. He was the fourth celebrity and eighteenth housemate to join the Pinoy Big Brother: All In season.

After many weeks, on August 24, 2014, Daniel was announced as the big winner of Pinoy Big Brother: All In. This made him even more popular in the Philippines.

Daniel's Football Adventures

Daniel started playing football when he was a child. He even dreamed of playing for the Brazil national football team before he became involved in showbiz. He played for clubs in Brazil and Hong Kong before coming to the Philippines. In the Philippines, he played for Team Socceroo, Pachanga, and Kaya.

He played in the United Football League (UFL), which is no longer active. He started in Division 2 with Team Socceroo in 2011, playing with fellow model and actor Fabio Ide. He then moved to a Division 1 club, Pachanga Diliman, for the 2012 UFL Cup. Later, he joined Stallion for the 2013 season and Kaya for the 2014 season.

Daniel also played street football. He was part of Team Naxional, which won the Philippine qualifying leg for the Neymar Jr's Five Football Tournament. This win allowed them to represent the Philippines in the world final in Brazil. He also played in the 7's Football League.

In August 2020, Daniel returned to professional football. He signed with Philippines Football League newcomer Maharlika F.C.. However, he was not part of their final team for the 2020 season.

Daniel's Personal Life

Daniel Matsunaga is a Christian. In December 2014, he received permanent residency in the Philippines. He has also shared his wish to become a Filipino citizen.

Filmography

Film

Television