Alexandru Mățan

Alexandru Irinel Mățan (Romanian pronunciation: [alekˈsandru məˈt͡san]; born 29 August 1999) is a Romanian professional footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder or a winger for Major League Soccer club Columbus Crew.

Alexandru Mățan
Personal information
Full name Alexandru Irinel Mățan
Date of birth (1999-08-29) 29 August 1999
Place of birth Galați, Romania
Height 1.65 m (5 ft 5 in)
Position(s) Attacking midfielder, winger
Club information
Current team
 Columbus Crew
Number 20
Youth career
0000–2015 Gheorghe Hagi Academy
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2016–2021 Viitorul Constanța 53 (3)
2019–2020 → Voluntari (loan) 25 (1)
2021– Columbus Crew 33 (0)
2022– → Columbus Crew 2 (loan) 1 (0)
National team‡
2015–2016 Romania U17 4 (1)
2017–2018 Romania U19 6 (8)
2017–2021 Romania U21 11 (2)
2021 Romania Olympic 2 (0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 05:01, 19 April 2022 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 8 June 2021

Club career

An academy graduate of Viitorul Constanța,[1] Mățan made his debut in the Liga I on 6 May 2016, aged 16; he entered as a second-half substitute for Ciprian Perju and converted a penalty kick in a 3–3 draw with Dinamo București.[2]

On 6 July 2019, Mățan played the full 90 minutes in a 1–0 victory over CFR Cluj for the season's Supercupa României. He was then sent on a one-season loan to fellow league club Voluntari, totalling 25 games and netting once during his stint.

On 8 March 2021, Mățan joined Major League Soccer team Columbus Crew in a transfer worth around €1.5 million.[3][4]

International career

Mățan scored twice for the Romania national under-19 team in a 4–0 victory over Serbia at the Ilie Oană Stadium in Ploiești, on 21 March 2018.[5]

In 2021, he featured for the under-21 side in all three matches of the UEFA European Championship in an eventual group-stage exit. Mățan contributed with the equaliser of a 2–1 win against hosts Hungary.

Career statistics

Club
As of match played 20 April 2022[6]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National Cup Continental Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Viitorul Constanța 2015–16 Liga I 11———11
2016–17 Liga I 0 0 0 0 0 0 — 0 0
2017–18 Liga I 141110010162
2018–19 Liga I 130314000201
2019–20 Liga I 3 0 0 0 2 0 1 0 6 0
2020–21 Liga I 22 1 1 0 — — 23 1
Total 533526020715
Voluntari (loan) 2019–20 Liga I 25 1 1 0 — — 26 1
Columbus Crew 2021 Major League Soccer 28 0 — 2 0 0 0 30 0
2022 Major League Soccer 4 0 1 0 — 0 0 5 0
Total 32 0 1 0 2 0 0 0 35 0
Columbus Crew 2 2022 MLS Next Pro 1 0 — — 0 0 1 0
Career total 11147280201286

    Honours

    Viitorul Constanța[6]

    Columbus Crew[6]

    References
    1. "Academia Hagi propune un nou jucător de excepţie: Alex Măţan are doar 15 ani, dar i-a impresionat pe antrenori" [Hagi Academy proposes a new exceptional player: Alex Mățan is only 15 years old, but he impressed his coaches] (in Romanian). ProSport. 23 October 2014. Retrieved 3 October 2016.
    2. "Debut perfect pentru noua "perla" a lui Hagi de la Viitorul" [Perfect debut for Hagi's new Viitorul "jewel"] (in Romanian). Ziare.com. 9 May 2016. Retrieved 22 March 2018.
    3. "SIGNED | Columbus Crew SC acquires midfielder Alexandru Matan from Romanian side FC Viitorul Constanta". Columbus Crew SC. 8 March 2021. Retrieved 8 March 2021.
    4. "Transferul lui Alex Mățan la Columbus Crew e 95% rezolvat! Gică Hagi și americanii au ajuns la un acord, fotbalistul trebuie să facă vizita medicală și apoi să plece | EXCLUSIV". Prosport (in Romanian). 25 February 2021. Retrieved 23 July 2021.
    5. "Romania 4–0 Serbia". UEFA.com. 21 March 2018. Retrieved 22 March 2018.
    6. Alexandru Mățan at Soccerway. Retrieved 26 March 2018.
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