Manchester United’s Brazilian striker Matheus Cunha has started training in Brazilian jiu-jitsu. The 25-year-old forward recently shared images on social media showing himself on the mats, grappling with training partners and working on his ground technique.
“Those who are not graduates, please show respect,” Cunha wrote in his caption.
The images captured Cunha executing throws and controlling positions during a training session. According to sources, his instructor Lucio Lagarto, who trains students at Valour Jiu-Jitsu. Lagarto recently promoted Cunha to white belt with one stripe.
Lagarto expressed his appreciation for working with the Manchester United player. “My life purpose continues every day: to bring joy and real value to the lives of the people around me,” he shared on social media. “It’s a true privilege to share knowledge with someone as special as @cunha, a genuine role model both on and off the mats. Having his trust, and the trust of his family, training with me is something I deeply value and take great pride in.”
Lagarto posted the video along with a video narration, saying: “What’s the hardest belt to get in jiu-jitsu? It’s the white belt,” he explained.
“The first belt that you get, that you get when you first start jiu-jitsu, that’s the biggest barrier that you’re gonna overcome. The first stripe you’re gonna get, just like that first white belt is the hardest thing to get on the mat, is to say, oh yeah, all these problems are me,” he said.
Cunha joins a growing number of elite athletes from other sports who have discovered the benefits of Brazilian jiu-jitsu training. French football legend Bixente Lizarazu, who won the 1998 FIFA World Cup, began training Brazilian jiu-jitsu in 2007 after retiring from professional football.
He earned his black belt in 2019 after approximately 15 years of dedication to the art, winning gold at the IBJJF European Championships as a blue belt in 2009 and bronze as a purple belt in 2010. Lizarazu continues to train regularly in Capbreton in southwestern France.
Basketball players have also embraced grappling arts with increasing frequency. Former NBA All-Star Roy Hibbert holds a purple belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu, while Boston Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla has become an outspoken advocate for incorporating martial arts into athletic development.
Mazzulla described the unique accountability that grappling provides. “You can hide psychologically in the world today. The one place you can’t hide is in a match,” he observed.
The mental benefits extend beyond toughness training. “It actually humbles me because by the time I get to them, I have a level of empathy for what they’re going through,” Mazzulla explained. “It helps me coach them better. It helps me understand.”
Even in American football, martial arts training has found a place. Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa incorporated judo into his training regimen specifically to learn proper falling techniques.
“We’ve got a plan set up…… I’ll be doing judo on Fridays just so that I can kind of figure out understanding my body and how to fall… Just trying to help myself,” Tagovailoa explained on Up & Adams.
Mastering break falls, known as Ukemi in judo, protects practitioners from significant injuries by teaching proper body positioning during falls. UFC superstar Conor McGregor recently credited judo break falls with protecting him after a bicycle he was riding was struck by a vehicle.
For Cunha, who joined Manchester United from Wolves in a £62.5 million transfer during summer 2025, the jiu-jitsu training provides an outlet away from the pressures of top-level football. He has made 16 Premier League starts for Manchester United, recording four goals and two assists. One of those assists came in a memorable 2-0 victory over Manchester City, where he appeared as a substitute.
