Dani Cancela

In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Cancela and the second or maternal family name is Rodríguez.

Dani Cancela
Cancela playing with Kitchee in 2012
Personal information
Full name Daniel Cancela Rodríguez
Date of birth (1981-09-23) 23 September 1981 (age 43)[1]
Place of birth A Coruña, Spain
Height 1.75 m (5 ft 9 in)[1]
Position(s) Left-back
Youth career
Deportivo La Coruña
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2000–2006 Deportivo B
2004–2005 → Malpica (loan)
2006–2008 Fuenlabrada 60 (0)
2008–2010 Lugo 38 (1)
2010–2022 Kitchee 155 (4)
Total 253 (5)
International career
2017–2019 Hong Kong 15 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Daniel "Dani" Cancela Rodríguez (Chinese: 丹尼; born 23 September 1981) is a former professional footballer who played as a left-back.

Born in Spain, he spent most of his career with Kitchee in Hong Kong after signing in 2010, eventually going on to represent the Hong Kong national team.

Club career

Spain

Born in A Coruña, Galicia, Cancela played several years for Deportivo de La Coruña, but only appeared officially for the reserves where he spent five seasons, four in the Tercera División. He was also loaned to amateurs Malpica SDC during his contract.[2]

After leaving the Estadio Riazor in 2006, Cancela moved to the Segunda División B, competing two seasons apiece with CF Fuenlabrada and CD Lugo.[3]

Hong Kong

Cancela signed for Kitchee SC in Hong Kong on 26 July 2010, alongside compatriots Fernando Recio and Jordi Tarrés. On 28 January of the following year, he renewed his contract for another two years.[4]

On 19 August 2022, after a match against BG Pathum United F.C. in the round of 16 of the AFC Champions League, Cancela announced his retirement at the age of 40. He made 250 competitive appearances during his spell at the Mong Kok Stadium, winning several honours including eight Premier Leagues.[5]

International career

Cancela received his Hong Kong passport in October 2017, at the age of 36.[6] He made his debut for the national team on 5 October, in a 4–0 friendly win over Laos.[7]

Career statistics

Club

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition[8][9]
Club Season League Cup Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Fuenlabrada 2006–07 Segunda División B 29 0 1 0 0 0 30 0
2007–08 31 0 0 0 0 0 31 0
Total 60 0 1 0 0 0 61 0
Lugo 2008–09 Segunda División B 16 0 1 0 0 0 17 0
2009–10 22 1 0 0 0 0 22 1
Total 38 1 1 0 0 0 39 1
Kitchee 2010–11 Hong Kong First Division League 15 0 3 0 0 0 18 0
2011–12 15 0 5 0 7 0 27 0
2012–13 10 0 5 0 0 0 15 0
2013–14 19 3 4 0 0 0 23 3
2014–15 Hong Kong Premier League 11 0 8 0 0 0 19 0
2015–16 12 0 7 1 0 0 19 1
2016–17 19 1 7 0 0 0 26 1
2017–18 8 0 10 0 4 0 22 0
2018–19 17 0 8 0 7 1 32 1
2019–20 10 0 3 0 0 0 13 0
2020–21 16 0 6 0 5 0 27 0
2021–22 3 0 5 0 1 0 9 0
Total 155 4 71 1 24 1 250 6
Career total 253 5 73 1 24 1 350 7

International

Appearances and goals by national team and year[10]
National team Year Apps Goals
Hong Kong 2017 4 0
2018 6 0
2019 5 0
Total 15 0

Honours

Kitchee

References

  1. ^ a b "Dani Cancela". Eurosport. Retrieved 4 July 2022.
  2. ^ Entrevista Dani Cancela: "En Hong Kong me he encontrado gente con camisetas de Valerón y Riki" (Dani Cancela interview: "I have found folks in Hong Kong with Valerón and Riki shirts"); Vavel, 27 November 2013 (in Spanish)
  3. ^ Losada y Cancela, dos gallegos en el Barcelona chino (Losada y Cancela, two Galicians in Chinese Barcelona); La Voz de Galicia, 12 August 2010 (in Spanish)
  4. ^ Dani Cancela renueva por dos temporadas con el Kitchee de Hong Kong (Dani Cancela renews for two seasons with Kitchee from Hong Kong); La Voz de Galicia, 28 January 2011 (in Spanish)
  5. ^ "El coruñés Dani Cancela, primer extranjero en alcanzar los 250 partidos con el Kitchee" [Coruña-born Dani Cancela, first foreigner to reach 250 games with Kitchee] (in Spanish). Riazor. 19 August 2022. Retrieved 7 September 2022.
  6. ^ "Spanish-born Jorge Tarres condemns violence in Catalonia as he eyes Hong Kong debut in Asian Cup qualifier". South China Morning Post. 2 October 2017. Retrieved 9 October 2017.
  7. ^ "International Friendly Match – Hong Kong 4:0 Laos". Hong Kong Football Association. 5 October 2017. Retrieved 9 October 2017.
  8. ^ "Cancela: Dani Cancela Rodríguez". BDFutbol. Retrieved 3 April 2014.
  9. ^ "Daniel Cancela". Soccerway. Retrieved 3 April 2014.
  10. ^ Dani Cancela at National-Football-Teams.com