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Birthdate:
28.04.1974
Birthplace: Dumfries, Scotland
Other clubs: Sunderland (loan), Leeds, Blackburn, Stoke
Bought from: Local
Signed for LFC: £0 27.05.1992
International debut: 15.11.2000 vs. Australia
International caps: 6/0 (at Leeds) - 27.03.2002
Liverpool debut:
23.10.1993
Last appearance: 14.05.2000
Debut goal: 16.01.1999
Last goal: 12.12.1999
Contract expiry: 18.08.2000
LFC league games/goals: 127 / 1
Total LFC games/goals: 155 / 2
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Player Notes:
Matteo was brought to the club only eleven-years-old after catching Kenny Dalglish's eye when he was watching his son Paul play. Matteo finally got his breakthrough in the 1996/97 season after only playing a few games in a variety of positions since making his debut 3 years earlier. He had already played for England's Under-21 team when he was called up by Glenn Hoddle to the senior squad but injuries prevented him from making his international debut. His parents are English but he later decided to play for Scotland, qualifying because he was born in Dumfries. Interestingly enough he could have also played for Italy because his grandparents are Italian.
He started out in left-midfield but developed into a left-back, also playing as sweeper in a number of games. Houllier saw him as a left-back but he preferred Steve Staunton and a lot of Reds fans were sorry to see him leave because they were convinced he had a good future ahead of him in the game. He joined Leeds United and played in over a hundred league matches for the Yorkshire club and was made captain when Rio Ferdinand left to join Manchester United in 2002. He later became Blackburn's captain for a while, as well.
After his time at Ewood Park, Matteo moved to Championship club Stoke City on a free transfer during the January, 2007 transfer-window. Although Stoke were promoted to the Premier League at the end of the 2007-08 season, Matteo had played little part in that success as his last appearance had been in November, 2007. Matteo featured as sub in Stoke's 3-2 win over Cheltenham in the league cup on 26th of August 2008 and at the end of the 2008/9 season he called it quits. |
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