Joël Matip facts for kids
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Matip warming up for Liverpool in 2022
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Job Joël André Matip | ||
| Date of birth | 8 August 1991 | ||
| Place of birth | Bochum, Germany | ||
| Height | 1.95 m (6 ft 5 in) | ||
| Position(s) | Centre-back | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1995–1997 | SC Weitmar 45 | ||
| 1997–2000 | VfL Bochum | ||
| 2000–2009 | Schalke 04 | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2009–2011 | Schalke 04 II | 4 | (1) |
| 2009–2016 | Schalke 04 | 194 | (17) |
| 2016–2024 | Liverpool | 150 | (9) |
| Total | 348 | (27) | |
| International career | |||
| 2010–2015 | Cameroon | 27 | (1) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Job Joël André Matip, born on August 8, 1991, is a former professional footballer. He was known for playing as a centre-back, a key defensive position.
Matip started his professional journey with Schalke 04 in 2009. While there, he helped his team win the DFB-Pokal and DFL-Supercup in 2011. He played in 258 matches and scored 23 goals for Schalke.
In 2016, Matip moved to Liverpool for free. With Liverpool, he achieved major success. He won the UEFA Champions League in 2019, even starting in the final match. He also helped Liverpool win the 2019 UEFA Super Cup and the 2019–20 Premier League.
Although born and raised in Germany, Matip played for the Cameroon at an international level. He played in the 2010 Africa Cup of Nations and the FIFA World Cups in 2010 and 2014. He decided to retire from international football in 2015. Matip announced his retirement from all professional football in October 2024.
Contents
Joël Matip's Club Career
Starting Out: Early Football Days
Joël Matip began his football journey at a club called SC Weitmar 45. In 1997, he moved to VfL Bochum. After playing for VfL Bochum's youth teams for three years, Matip was noticed by Schalke 04 and joined them in July 2000.
Playing for Schalke 04
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Matip made his first team debut for Schalke on October 27, 2009. His first game in the Bundesliga, Germany's top league, was on November 7, 2009, against Bayern Munich. In that game, he scored a goal that tied the score and was named the best player of the match.
After this great start, Matip became a regular player for Schalke. He often played as a defensive midfielder for the rest of the 2009–10 season, scoring two more goals. In March 2010, he signed a new contract with Schalke 04.
In the 2010–11 season, Matip played in the UEFA Champions League for the first time. Schalke reached the semi-finals, which was a big achievement for the club. On April 5, 2011, he scored his first Champions League goal against Inter Milan. In May 2011, Matip also helped Schalke win the 2011 DFB-Pokal Final (a major German cup competition) by coming on as a substitute.
On February 23, 2013, Matip scored two goals in a 2–1 win against Fortuna Düsseldorf. This victory was important for Schalke, as it was only their second win in 12 games.
Time at Liverpool F.C.
Joining Liverpool in 2016
On February 15, 2016, Matip announced that he would join Liverpool on a free transfer. This happened after his contract with Schalke ended. He played his first game for Liverpool on August 23, 2016, in a 5–0 win against Burton Albion.
He scored his first goal for Liverpool on October 29, 2016, in a 4–2 Premier League win against Crystal Palace. Matip was even voted Liverpool's Player of the Month for his great performances in November.
In January 2017, Matip could not play in a match against Manchester United. This was because of confusion with FIFA and the Cameroon Football Federation about his eligibility to play club football during the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations. Despite this, Matip was seen as a very important player who helped improve Liverpool's defense during the 2016–17 season.
Key Moments: 2017 to 2019 Seasons
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On October 1, 2017, Matip faced some criticism for his performance against Newcastle United. On November 4, he scored his first goal of the 2017–18 season in a 4–1 win over West Ham United.
On January 27, 2018, Matip scored an own goal in a 3–2 loss to West Bromwich Albion in the FA Cup. In March, he got a thigh injury and needed surgery, which meant he missed the rest of the season.
Matip suffered another muscle injury in July 2018. In December, he broke his collarbone after a win against Napoli, which kept him out for six more weeks. Despite interest from other clubs, Matip stayed at Liverpool and became a regular starter.
On June 1, 2019, Matip made an assist for a goal in the 2019 UEFA Champions League final. Liverpool won the match 2–0 against Tottenham Hotspur, securing the Champions League title.
2019–20 Season and Injuries
On August 4, 2019, Matip scored a goal for Liverpool in the 2019 FA Community Shield match. Liverpool lost that game on penalties. He scored his first Premier League goal of the season on August 24, in a 3–1 home win against Arsenal. In October 2019, he signed a new contract with Liverpool, keeping him at the club until June 2024.
The 2019–20 season was tough for Matip due to many injuries. Because of this, Joe Gomez often played instead of him alongside Virgil van Dijk. Matip's first injury that season happened in October 2019 against Manchester United. He returned in January 2020 but got injured again in June 2020 during a match against Everton. This injury meant he could not play for the rest of that season.
Final Years at Liverpool: 2020 to 2024
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On January 28, 2021, Matip had to leave a game against Tottenham Hotspur at half-time. It was later found that he had an ankle ligament injury, which meant he would miss the rest of the 2020–21 season.
On February 23, 2022, Matip scored his first goal of the 2021–22 season in a big 6–0 win against Leeds United. He was named Premier League Player of the Month for February on March 11, 2022. That season, Liverpool almost won four major trophies, finishing second in the Premier League and Champions League, but winning both the EFL Cup and the FA Cup.
On September 13, 2022, Matip scored his first Champions League goal for Liverpool with a header in a 2–1 win against Ajax. On December 3, 2023, Matip left a game against Fulham due to an ACL injury. This serious injury meant he would miss the rest of the 2023–24 season.
On May 17, 2024, it was confirmed that Matip would leave Liverpool when his contract ended. On October 12, 2024, Joël Matip announced that he was retiring from professional football at the age of 33.
International Career for Cameroon
Matip was first called up to play for Cameroon on December 23, 2009, for the 2010 Africa Cup of Nations, but he chose not to go. On March 2, 2010, at just 18 years old, Matip decided to play for Cameroon. He met with the national team before a friendly match against Italy on March 3, 2010, where he made his first appearance.
He then played for Cameroon in the 2010 FIFA World Cup. He was also part of the Cameroon team for the 2014 FIFA World Cup. In that tournament, he played twice and scored a goal against the host team, Brazil. This was Cameroon's only goal in the tournament.
In January 2017, Matip was chosen for the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations but again refused the call-up. It was later explained that Matip had retired from the national team when he was still at Schalke. However, he had not officially told the Cameroonian Football Association in the way FIFA requires. While this confusion was sorted out by FIFA, Matip could not play for Liverpool during this time. He missed a Premier League game and an FA Cup match. Matip said he retired from the national team because he was unhappy with how things were run and had bad experiences with the coaching staff.
How Joël Matip Played
Joël Matip was known for being a strong and smart player. He was especially good at dribbling the ball up the field, which helped his team create attacking chances.
Personal Life
Joël Matip was born in Bochum, Germany. His mother is German, and his father, Jean Matip, was a former Cameroonian footballer. He has a brother, Marvin Matip, who also played for Cameroon internationally. He is also a cousin of another footballer, Joseph-Désiré Job. Matip went to a school called Gesamtschule Berger Feld.
He married his long-time partner, Larissa Stollenwerk, after Liverpool won the Premier League title in 2020. In June 2021, they welcomed their first child, a son.
Career Statistics
Club
| Club | Season | League | National cup | League cup | Europe | Other | Total | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Schalke 04 II | 2009–10 | Regionalliga West | 3 | 1 | — | — | — | — | 3 | 1 | ||||
| 2010–11 | Regionalliga West | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 1 | 0 | |||||
| Total | 4 | 1 | — | — | — | — | 4 | 1 | ||||||
| Schalke 04 | 2009–10 | Bundesliga | 20 | 3 | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | 22 | 3 | |||
| 2010–11 | Bundesliga | 26 | 0 | 4 | 0 | — | 11 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 42 | 1 | ||
| 2011–12 | Bundesliga | 30 | 3 | 3 | 1 | — | 13 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 47 | 5 | ||
| 2012–13 | Bundesliga | 32 | 3 | 1 | 0 | — | 6 | 0 | — | 39 | 3 | |||
| 2013–14 | Bundesliga | 31 | 3 | 3 | 0 | — | 8 | 1 | — | 42 | 4 | |||
| 2014–15 | Bundesliga | 21 | 2 | 1 | 1 | — | 3 | 0 | — | 25 | 3 | |||
| 2015–16 | Bundesliga | 34 | 3 | 2 | 0 | — | 5 | 1 | — | 41 | 4 | |||
| Total | 194 | 17 | 16 | 2 | — | 46 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 258 | 23 | |||
| Liverpool | 2016–17 | Premier League | 29 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | — | — | 32 | 1 | ||
| 2017–18 | Premier League | 25 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 0 | — | 35 | 1 | ||
| 2018–19 | Premier League | 22 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 8 | 0 | — | 31 | 1 | ||
| 2019–20 | Premier League | 9 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 13 | 2 | |
| 2020–21 | Premier League | 10 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 1 | |
| 2021–22 | Premier League | 31 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 7 | 0 | — | 43 | 3 | ||
| 2022–23 | Premier League | 14 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 21 | 2 | |
| 2023–24 | Premier League | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | — | 14 | 0 | ||
| Total | 150 | 9 | 5 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 33 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 201 | 11 | ||
| Career total | 348 | 27 | 21 | 2 | 10 | 0 | 79 | 5 | 5 | 1 | 463 | 35 | ||
International
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cameroon | 2010 | 6 | 0 |
| 2011 | 3 | 0 | |
| 2012 | 4 | 0 | |
| 2013 | 6 | 0 | |
| 2014 | 7 | 1 | |
| 2015 | 1 | 0 | |
| Total | 27 | 1 | |
- Cameroon score listed first, score column indicates score after each Matip goal
| No. | Date | Venue | Cap | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 23 June 2014 | Estádio Nacional Mané Garrincha, Brasília, Brazil | 26 |  Brazil |
1–1 | 1–4 | 2014 FIFA World Cup |
Honours and Awards
Schalke 04
- DFB-Pokal: 2010–11
- DFL-Supercup: 2011
Liverpool
- Premier League: 2019–20
- FA Cup: 2021–22
- EFL Cup: 2021–22
- FA Community Shield: 2022
- UEFA Champions League: 2018–19; runner-up: 2021–22
- UEFA Super Cup: 2019
Individual Awards
- PFA Player of the Month: September 2019
- Premier League Player of the Month: February 2022
- CAF Team of the Year: 2019
See also
In Spanish: Joel Matip para niños
