One On One With Danilo, Juventus And Brazil Captain

With the same resoluteness displayed in his defensive duels at Juventus, Danilo Luiz da Silva, more commonly known as Danilo, confidently tackles all kinds of questions about his off-the-pitch plans, goals and fears.

“Thinking about what’s coming after soccer, you feel a bit scared because that’s all you’ve known so far,” said Danilo, the current captain of Serie A giants Juventus and a two-time UEFA Champions League winner, during our most recent conversation at the J|Hotel in Turin, Italy. “Suddenly, your life has to change.”

The Brazil international, who will once again represent his country this summer in the 2024 Copa América, has learned a lot throughout his phenomenal soccer career, drawing precious life lessons that he has treasured and carried over in everything he has been doing off the pitch.

“In soccer, as in life, resilience is the most important thing. One moment you’re low and the next you’re high, it’s a wheel that keeps spinning,” said Danilo. “You have to understand that when you’re at the bottom, you need to grind and stay focused if you want to get back to the top.”

Danilo’s Entrepreneurial Spirit

As a defender that often gets praised for his superb game vision, Danilo has been far-sighted in his investment choices, as he defines himself as a “passionate for strategy, tactics and organization” both in the soccer and business realms.

Last year, Danilo allocated R$7 million, or about $1.5 million at today’s exchange rate, in Vila Clube, a venue in Juiz de Fora, Brazil that features restaurants with different types of cuisine, a relaxation area with pools and a sports area with padel, volleyball and footvolley courts. Danilo’s long-term idea, he explains, is to grow Vila Clube into a chain with several venues spread across his home country.

While there are many business ideas currently brewing inside of his head, the most exciting entrepreneurial venture underway is certainly Voz Futura, or “Future Voice,” a company that he personally founded four years ago.

“It’s a very exciting project, because it mixes positive social initiatives with business,” Danilo said.

Voz Futura originated from an idea that Danilo had in 2020 in the middle of the Covid-19 pandemic, when negativity spread all over the place, from the streets to houses and social media channels. Danilo aimed to create a platform that could disseminate positive stories and help people look at the bright side of things during such a challenging time.

On the entertainment side, Voz Futura produces original content, such as podcasts and documentaries, and hosts events with influential people in the sports and entertainment industries. As far as the educational branch, the company focuses on developing research on culture and behavior and leverages its network of experts to provide lectures and courses that revolve around the sphere of social emotional development.

The company’s first round of investment, which was raised between partners and close friends four years ago, amounted to R$1 million, or about $200 thousand, and a second round of funding is now approaching. Since its foundation, Danilo explained, he has envisioned Voz Futura to become a reference in the emotional sustainability field.

“I’m really happy about how it’s going,” he said. “And I look forward to investing increasingly more of my time and resources once I stop playing.”

Danilo’s Social Responsibility

As one of the captains chosen by head coach Dorival Júnior for the Brazilian Seleção in the games leading up to the 2024 Copa América, Danilo is very well aware of the reputation that he enjoys as a key player in one of the world’s most successful national soccer teams. On top of that, he is also the first-ever Brazilian to be named captain of Serie A powerhouse Juventus, the most decorated club in Italian soccer.

Considering his global fame, which is also visible in his 3.3 million audience on Instagram, Danilo believes that soccer players have a responsibility to positively influence the actions of sports fans and anyone that looks up to them.

“We need to understand that without soccer, many of us wouldn’t have gotten to these places,” he said. “We now need to give back by influencing people to be better.”

Danilo has already been putting his energy and financial resources to the service of Bicas, his hometown, a municipality located 150 miles north of the city of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. In 2017, he established a nonprofit organization called Futuro Redondo, or “Round Future,” which currently helps 200 local kids between the ages of 7 and 15.

Futuro Redondo had the initial goal of taking kids off the street by providing them with a place to gather after school, where they could play sports and socialize with each other. Over the years, Futuro Redondo gradually broadened its services, and today, it offers comprehensive support and care thanks to the work of doctors, psychologists and dentists that are now available for those who enroll in the program.

“It was my father’s dream. And then it became mine, too,” Danilo said. “More and more kids every year ask to join Futuro Redondo, and we wish we were able to take them all in.”

Danilo’s Rise As A Leader

The leadership and confidence that today radiate from Danilo’s personality have been forged by over a decade spent at the highest level of soccer, as it didn’t take long for European scouts to notice his talents as a young footballer for Brazilian side Santos.

However, his professional journey in European soccer — which kicked off at Primeira Liga side Porto in 2012 and continued at Real Madrid, Manchester City and most recently, Juventus — wasn’t always a smooth one.

“During my first 10 months at Porto, I thought every day of going back home. I couldn’t get accustomed to the new culture, climate, environment, and I was just 20 years old,” said Danilo, who is now about to turn 33. “But the worst thing is that I did not externalize this fear: I didn’t talk to anyone about it, which I would definitely do if I could go back.”

Over the years, Danilo shared the locker room with highly charismatic footballers — Sergio Ramos, Vincent Kompany and Giorgio Chiellini, just to name some — and was coached by world-class managers like Pep Guardiola, Zinedine Zidane, Rafael Benítez and Massimiliano Allegri.

“As far as what concerns the pitch, Pep (Guardiola) thinks about soccer in a completely different way in the movements and space occupation. Now that I’m getting older, I take advantage of his teachings on how to run smarter, and I help my teammates move better, too,” said Danilo. “As far as managing the team off the pitch, Allegri is undoubtedly the smartest.”

All these people taught him something along the way and molded his character as a winner at both the club and national team levels.

His résumé, which currently boasts an astonishing 26 trophies, includes back-to-back UEFA Champions League victories and domestic titles in the English Premier League, Spain’s La Liga, Italy’s Serie A and Portugal’s Primeira Liga. Most recently, Danilo lifted his first piece of silverware as the Juventus captain following the Bianconeri’s Coppa Italia win over Atalanta.

However, the one person that completely revolutionized his approach as a man and leader is Gianluigi Buffon, the Italy and Juventus legend and one of the best goalkeepers of all time.

“Everybody saw what he did on the pitch, but it’s what he did in the day-to-day, his empathy and how he interacted with the people around him that really impressed me,” said Danilo. “He became my idol in soccer.”

The respect that Buffon commanded in the eyes of his teammates, opponents, the technical staff and the entire sports community inspired Danilo to grow into a similar type of leader, especially one that knows how to listen to his teammates.

“People think that leaders must always talk loudly, give advice to everyone. But it’s not completely true,” added Danilo. “In fact, one of the most important aspects is listening.”

When asked about what’s coming next, Danilo’s answer was sound: “Juventus and Brazil.” And it couldn’t be otherwise, he added, because “this job doesn’t allow you to mentally unplug.”

His contract with the Bianconeri, which is set to expire in June 2025, has an option to extend the terms for another year. As his winning nature pushes him to continuously add silverware to his already-packed trophy wall, Danilo envisions himself leading Juventus to their 37th Scudetto and Brazil to their sixth FIFA World Cup, with the next edition set to take place across the United States, Mexico and Canada in the summer of 2026.

When trying to respond to the questions about his post-career plans and ambitions, Danilo paused for a second to reflect.

“Thinking about what’s coming after soccer, you feel a bit scared because that’s all you’ve known so far. Suddenly, your life has to change,” he said. “But the first thing I will do after soccer is enroll in college and study Clinical Psychology. I want to do it to focus on my personal growth while helping those close to me with the projects I’ve started.”

Regardless of what the future holds for Danilo, his determination and character suggest that he won’t be caught wrong-footed when it’s time to hang up his soccer boots.

“Funny enough, I was just talking to Timothy (Timothy Weah) and Wes (Weston McKennie) about what we are going to do after soccer, and they said they see me as a motivational speaker in the future,” Danilo concluded with a smile.

“But let’s see: It’s too early to tell.”