Daniel Bennett

Early career and club debut

Bennett was selected to join the FAS Milo Scheme for talented young footballers at the age of 12. He was drafted as a trainee by National Football League side Tiong Bahru three years later, giving him the opportunity to train with the team before he left Singapore to further his tertiary studies in England.

Balestier Central

Bennett returned to Singapore in 1999 hoping to make a career as a professional footballer. Then Balestier Central coach P. N. Sivaji gave him his first opportunity with the S.League club.

Tanjong Pagar United

Bennett moved to previous club Tanjong Pagar United (formerly Tiong Bahru) in May 2000. Having played as a midfielder for 15 years, his defining career shift to defence came when coach Tohari Paijan played him as a centre-back in the absence of regular stopper Lim Tong Hai in a league match. Recognition of his performances came when he was selected in the Singapore selection that faced Manchester United and Liverpool in a couple of high-profile friendly matches, and culminated in a S.League Player of the Year award.

Wrexham

Bradford City manager Jim Jefferies was impressed with Bennett and offered him a trial at the Yorkshire club. On 8 February 2002, Wrexham manager Denis Smith signed him on a short-term contract til the end of the 2001-02 Football League. Although it is not known how much Wrexham had paid to secure the deal, the club's fans paid money to ensure the club could…

After deliberating for two years, Bennett applied for Singaporean citizenship and therefore became eligible to become a Singapore national footballer. He made his debut under then head coach Jan B. Poulsen in a friendly match against the Philippines on 11 December 2002. He had a goal disallowed that day, an effort that he still maintains was a legitimate goal. He would score his first international goal against Hong Kong on 4 August 2003. His timely citizenship meant that he took part in the 2002 ASEAN Football Championship in co-hosts Singapore. However, the Lions failed their target of reaching the final. However, Bennett and his country would achieve significant successes in football within the next few years. Under coach Radojko Avramović, Bennett never missed a call-up to Singapore's tournament squad. He scored with a long-range effort in the 3rd minute of the 2004 finals first leg against Indonesia in front of an intimidating 100,000 Senayan crowd. This meant that Singapore went on to become champions of Southeast Asia, their second title after their 1998 triumph. Bennett earned his 100th cap against Thailand on 24 August 2011 and was inducted into the FIFA Century Club. With his 122nd appearance in the away leg of the 2012 ASEAN Football Championship finals, Bennett surpassed Aide Iskandar and Malek Awab as Singapore's most capped player. Bennett subsequently completed a hat-trick of titles with tournament wins in 2007 and 2012. As of January 2017, Bennett amassed 132…

Bennett was born in Great Yarmouth, England. However, his family moved to Singapore shortly after when he was two years old. He was educated in Singapore at Tanglin Trust School and the United World College of South East Asia, where his father Andrew was a teacher and later headmaster until 2004. Bennett graduated with an honours degree in Sports Science from Loughborough University.

Bennett married Cherry Cheung on 5 January 2005.