Mateusz Klich facts for kids
Klich with 1. FC Kaiserslautern in 2015
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 13 June 1990 | ||
| Place of birth | Tarnów, Poland | ||
| Height | 1.83 m | ||
| Playing position | Midfielder | ||
| Club information | |||
| Current club | Atlanta United | ||
| Number | 43 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1999–2003 | Tarnovia Tarnów | ||
| 2003–2007 | Cracovia | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| 2008–2011 | Cracovia | 56 | (5) |
| 2011–2013 | VfL Wolfsburg II | 12 | (1) |
| 2012–2013 | → PEC Zwolle (loan) | 13 | (2) |
| 2013–2014 | PEC Zwolle | 30 | (4) |
| 2014–2015 | VfL Wolfsburg II | 6 | (3) |
| 2015–2016 | 1. FC Kaiserslautern | 21 | (4) |
| 2015–2016 | 1. FC Kaiserslautern II | 4 | (0) |
| 2016–2017 | Twente | 29 | (6) |
| 2017–2023 | Leeds United | 177 | (21) |
| 2018 | → Utrecht (loan) | 16 | (1) |
| 2023–2024 | D.C. United | 63 | (6) |
| 2025– | Atlanta United | 0 | (0) |
| National team‡ | |||
| 2008 | Poland U18 | 5 | (0) |
| 2008 | Poland U19 | 1 | (0) |
| 2010–2011 | Poland U20 | 2 | (0) |
| 2010–2012 | Poland U21 | 9 | (2) |
| 2011–2022 | Poland | 41 | (2) |
† Appearances (Goals). |
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Mateusz Andrzej Klich (born on 13 June 1990) is a professional football player from Poland. He plays as a midfielder for Atlanta United.
Contents
- Mateusz Klich: A Football Journey
- International Career with Poland
- Personal Life
- Honours and Awards
- See also
Mateusz Klich: A Football Journey
Mateusz Klich has had an exciting career playing for many different football clubs in Europe and the United States. He is known for his skill in the midfield, helping his teams score goals and win important matches.
Early Career in Poland
Mateusz Klich was born in Tarnów, Poland. He started his professional football journey with Cracovia. He made his first appearance in Poland's top league, the Ekstraklasa, in November 2008. By the 2009–10 season, he became a regular player for Cracovia.
Moving to Germany: Wolfsburg
In June 2011, Klich joined Bundesliga team VfL Wolfsburg in Germany. This was a big move for him. Wolfsburg paid a good amount for him, making him the most valuable player Cracovia had ever sold at that time.
Success in the Netherlands: PEC Zwolle
Klich was first loaned to the Dutch club PEC Zwolle. Later, he joined them permanently. During his time at Zwolle, he helped the team achieve a major victory. In 2014, they won the KNVB Cup, beating Ajax 5–1 in the final. This win also meant Zwolle qualified for the Europa League, a big European competition.
Back to Wolfsburg and Germany
After his successful time in the Netherlands, Wolfsburg decided to bring Klich back in June 2014. However, he found it hard to get a regular spot in the main team. He mostly played for the reserve team during this period.
In January 2015, Klich moved to another German club, 1. FC Kaiserslautern, which plays in the 2. Bundesliga. He stayed there until 2016.
Back to the Netherlands: FC Twente
On 26 August 2016, Klich returned to the Netherlands to play for Eredivisie side FC Twente. He quickly made an impact, scoring his first goal for the club in October 2016. In his first season, he scored six goals and helped FC Twente finish seventh in the league.
Time in England: Leeds United
In June 2017, Mateusz Klich signed a three-year deal with the English club Leeds United. He made his first appearance for Leeds in a League Cup match in August. However, he didn't play much in his first season. He was loaned out to FC Utrecht in the Netherlands to get more playing time.
Loan to FC Utrecht
Klich joined FC Utrecht on loan in January 2018. He quickly found his good form again. He helped Utrecht finish 5th in the league, which allowed them to compete in the Europa League playoffs. He even scored his first goal for the club in the final game of the season. Klich felt he had "unfinished business" at Leeds and wanted to return.
Becoming a Key Player at Leeds
When Klich returned to Leeds for the 2018–19 season, a new coach, Marcelo Bielsa, had arrived. Klich became a very important player under Bielsa. He scored his first league goal for Leeds in the opening game of the season against Stoke City. He continued to score, and his great performances led to him being called up to the Poland squad again after four years.
One of his most talked-about goals came in April 2019 against Aston Villa. There was a lot of confusion on the field, but Klich scored. After this, the coach, Marcelo Bielsa, made a very unusual decision: he told his team to let Aston Villa score an unchallenged goal to make things fair. This showed great sportsmanship.
Klich played in almost every game for Leeds during the 2018–19 season. He scored 10 goals and made 9 assists, showing how vital he was to the team.
Promotion to the Premier League
In the 2019–20 season, Klich continued his excellent form. He signed a new contract with Leeds in November 2019. He was a key player as Leeds United won the EFL Championship and earned promotion to the Premier League, England's top football league, in July 2020. This was a huge achievement for the club and Klich.
Playing in the Premier League
Klich made his Premier League debut in September 2020 against Liverpool, even scoring a goal in an exciting match. He continued to perform well, scoring and assisting goals in other Premier League games. He played 35 matches in the 2020–21 season, scoring 4 goals.
In the 2021–22 season, he scored one goal and provided two assists in the Premier League.
Farewell to Leeds
In the 2022–23 season, Klich played fewer matches for Leeds. His final game for the club was on 4 January 2023. After the match, his teammates honored him by wearing shirts with his face on them and forming a "guard of honor" to clap him off the pitch. It was a very emotional moment for Klich and the fans.
Playing in the USA: D.C. United and Atlanta United
On 12 January 2023, Mateusz Klich moved to the United States to play for Major League Soccer side D.C. United. He scored in his very first game for the team. He played for D.C. United for two seasons.
In December 2024, Klich was traded to Atlanta United, another MLS team, starting a new chapter in his career.
International Career with Poland
Mateusz Klich has also proudly represented his home country, Poland. He made his debut for the national team on 5 June 2011 in a friendly match against Argentina, which Poland won 2–1.
He scored his first goal for Poland in August 2013 against Denmark. After a four-year break, he was called back to the national team in August 2018. He scored his second international goal in September 2018 against the Republic of Ireland, which was an equalizer. In May 2021, Klich was part of Poland's squad for the UEFA Euro 2020 tournament.
Personal Life
Mateusz Klich comes from a family of athletes. His father, Wojciech Klich, was also a professional footballer and now coaches youth players. His mother, Małgorzata, is a PE teacher and won a bronze medal in swimming at the Polish championships. His sister, Maja, is also a swimmer.
Mateusz Klich became a father on 6 November 2018, when his partner gave birth to their daughter, Laura.
Leeds United fans even have a special song for Klich, which is a reworked version of the song "Rotterdam" by The Beautiful South.
Honours and Awards
Mateusz Klich has won several important titles and awards during his career:
- PEC Zwolle
- KNVB Cup: 2013–14
- Leeds United
- EFL Championship: 2019–20
- Individual
- Leeds United Goal of the Season: 2018–19
See also
In Spanish: Mateusz Klich para niños
