Dani (footballer, born 1982)

Dani
Dani with CFR Cluj in 2008
Personal information
Full name Daniel Ricardo da Silva Soares[1]
Date of birth (1982-01-30) 30 January 1982[1]
Place of birth Felgueiras, Portugal[1]
Height 1.77 m (5 ft 10 in)[1]
Position Defensive midfielder
Youth career
1994–1998 Barrosas
1998–2001 Vizela
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2001–2006 Vizela 114 (1)
2006 Paços Ferreira 14 (0)
2007–2010 CFR Cluj 94 (2)
2010–2011 Iraklis 24 (2)
2011–2013 Skoda Xanthi 45 (0)
2013–2016 Vitória Setúbal 83 (0)
2016–2018 Vizela 26 (0)
2018–2019 Lixa 30 (2)
2019–2021 Maia Lidador 31 (1)
Total 461 (8)
Managerial career
2024–2025 Cinfães (assistant)
2025–2026 Marco 09 (assistant)
2026 CFR Cluj (assistant)
* Club domestic league appearances and goals

Daniel Ricardo da Silva Soares (born 30 January 1982), commonly known as Dani, is a Portuguese former professional footballer who played as a defensive midfielder.

Club career

Portugal

Dani started playing football for Vizela, located near his birthcity of Felgueiras. He remained 14 years with the club his youth spell accounted for, spending his first four seasons as a senior in the third division, the latter ending in league victory and promotion to the Segunda Liga.[2][3]

For the 2006–07 campaign, Dani moved to the Primeira Liga with Paços de Ferreira,[4] making his debut in the competition on 27 August 2006 in a 2–1 away loss against Braga where he featured the full 90 minutes.[5] He started in all his league appearances during his short tenure.

CFR Cluj

During the 2007 winter transfer window, Dani signed a four-and-a-half-year contract with CFR Cluj in Romania.[6] He scored his first Liga I goal more than one year later, in a 1–1 draw at FC Unirea Urziceni.[7]

Dani finished his first full season with 29 games as the team won the national championship,[8][9] going on to be an important midfield unit in winning seven major titles, including three consecutive Cupa României.[10][11][12]

Greece

On 31 August 2010, Dani agreed to a two-year deal at Iraklis of Super League Greece.[13] He made his competitive debut for his new team on 11 September, in a 1–1 draw away to Atromitos.[14] He scored his first league goal in the 19th round of the campaign, opening the score an eventual 2–0 home win over AEK Athens.[15][16]

In late July 2011, Dani joined fellow top-flight side Skoda Xanthi.[17]

Vitória Setúbal

Dani returned to Portugal in summer 2013 after six and a half years away, with the 31-year-old signing a two-year contract with Vitória de Setúbal and reuniting with his former Paços manager José Mota.[18] During his stint, always spent in the top tier,[19][20] he took part in 95 matches in all competitions, being sent off for two yellow cards in a 0–0 home draw against Arouca on 1 November 2015; the last was the result of a professional foul in injury time.[21]

Honours

Vizela

CFR Cluj

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Dani at WorldFootball.net
  2. ↑ "Dani pode estar de regresso a Portugal" [Dani may be returning to Portugal]. Diário Digital de Vizela (in Portuguese). 15 June 2013. Retrieved 6 August 2026.
  3. 1 2 "Futebol Clube de Vizela". Diário Digital de Vizela (in Portuguese). 12 March 2022. Retrieved 6 August 2026.
  4. ↑ "Dani ganha terreno" [Dani gaining momentum]. Record (in Portuguese). 20 August 2006. Retrieved 6 August 2026.
  5. ↑ "Justiça no último minuto com um autogolo" [Last-minute justice with own goal]. Correio da Manhã (in Portuguese). 27 August 2006. Retrieved 11 October 2017.
  6. ↑ "Inca doi portughezi la CFR Cluj" [Two more Portuguese at CFR Cluj]. Ziarul de Iași (in Romanian). 18 January 2007. Retrieved 7 August 2019.
  7. ↑ "Unirea Urziceni-CFR Cluj, scor 1–1, Steaua rămâne pe primul loc în clasament" [Unirea Urziceni-CFR Cluj, 1–1 the score, Steaua remain first in the standings] (in Romanian). Mediafax. 10 April 2008. Retrieved 7 August 2019.
  8. 1 2 "Cluj é campeão da Roménia" [Cluj are Romanian champions] (in Portuguese). Rádio e Televisão de Portugal. 8 May 2008. Retrieved 6 August 2026.
  9. 1 2 "Campionii naționali" [National champions] (in Romanian). Romanian Soccer. Retrieved 6 August 2026.
  10. 1 2 "Cluj – capitala fotbalului! CFR a castigat eventul" [Cluj – the capital of football! CFR won the tournament] (in Romanian). Sport.ro. 10 May 2008. Retrieved 6 August 2026.
  11. 1 2 "Cupa României rămâne la Cluj-Napoca!" [Cluj-Napoca renew Cup title!] (in Romanian). CFR Cluj. 13 June 2009. Archived from the original on 16 June 2009. Retrieved 14 June 2009.
  12. 1 2 Tismăneanu, Vladimir (27 May 2010). "FC Vaslui – CFR Cluj 4–5. Ardelenii au câştigat Cupa României la penalty-uri" [FC Vaslui – CFR Cluj 4–5. Transylvanians won the Romanian Cup on penalties]. Evenimentul Zilei (in Romanian). Retrieved 6 August 2026.
  13. ↑ "Ο ΗΡΑΚΛΗΣ απέκτησε τον Dani" [Iraklis acquired Dani] (in Greek). Iraklis F.C. 31 August 2010. Archived from the original on 21 July 2011. Retrieved 14 February 2011.
  14. ↑ "Super League: Ατρόμητος – ΗΡΑΚΛΗΣ 1–1" [Super League: Atromitos – Iraklis 1–1] (in Greek). Iraklis F.C. 11 September 2010. Archived from the original on 21 July 2011. Retrieved 14 February 2011.
  15. ↑ "Super League: ΗΡΑΚΛΗΣ – Α.Ε.Κ. 2–0" [Super League: Iraklis – A.E.K. 2–0] (in Greek). Iraklis F.C. 19 December 2010. Archived from the original on 21 July 2011. Retrieved 14 February 2011.
  16. ↑ Ηρακλής–ΑΕΚ 2–0 [Iraklis–ΑΕΚ 2–0] (in Greek). Contra. 19 December 2010. Archived from the original on 27 April 2011. Retrieved 14 February 2011.
  17. ↑ Ανακοίνωση [Announcement] (in Greek). Skoda Xanthi F.C. 27 July 2011. Archived from the original on 19 August 2011. Retrieved 29 July 2011.
  18. ↑ "V. Setúbal anuncia contratação de Dani (ex-Xanthi)" [V. Setúbal announce signing of Dani (ex-Xanthi)] (in Portuguese). Mais Futebol. 26 June 2013. Retrieved 6 August 2026.
  19. ↑ Marques, David (2 June 2016). "V. Setúbal: Dani recebeu proposta para renovar" [V. Setúbal: Dani received an offer to renew] (in Portuguese). Mais Futebol. Retrieved 6 August 2026.
  20. ↑ Lopes Pereira, Ricardo (15 June 2016). "Médio Dani deixa Bonfim" [Midfielder Dani leaves Bonfim]. Record (in Portuguese). Retrieved 6 August 2026.
  21. ↑ Marques, David (1 November 2015). "V. Setúbal-Arouca, 0-0 (destaques)" [V. Setúbal-Arouca, 0–0 (highlights)] (in Portuguese). Televisão Independente. Retrieved 6 August 2026.
  22. ↑ "CFR Cluj câştigat Supercupa României" [CFR Cluj win Romanian Supercup]. Gândul (in Romanian). 27 July 2009. Retrieved 13 February 2011.
  23. ↑ "CFR Cluj a castigat Supercupa Romaniei" [CFR Cluj won Romanian Supercup] (in Romanian). Știrile Pro TV. 18 July 2010. Retrieved 6 August 2026.
  • Dani at ForaDeJogo (archived)
  • Dani at RomanianSoccer.ro (in Romanian)
  • Dani at Soccerway
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