Personal information | |||
---|---|---|---|
Date of birth | 21 June 2000 | ||
Place of birth | Merksem, Belgium[1] | ||
Height | 1.89 m (6 ft 2 in)[2] | ||
Position(s) | Centre-back | ||
Team information | |||
Current team | ADO Den Haag | ||
Youth career | |||
2005–2006 | Seja | ||
2006–2016 | Antwerp | ||
2016–2017 | Westerlo | ||
2017–2020 | Antwerp | ||
Senior career* | |||
Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
2020–2023 | MVV | 87 | (1) |
2023– | ADO Den Haag | 33 | (2) |
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 17:40, 20 April 2024 (UTC) |
Matteo Waem (born 21 June 2000) is a Belgian professional footballer who plays as a centre-back for Eerste Divisie club ADO Den Haag.
Matteo Waem, who is of Belgian and Italian parentage, grew up in Merksem, a suburb of Antwerp.[3] He took his first steps in football at the age of five at Seja, a regional football club.[4] At the age of six he joined the Royal Antwerp academy, where he played until 2020.[4] During this period, he also had a short stint at Westerlo for a year before resuming his career at Antwerp. During the 2019–20 season, he was on a trial practice at English EFL Championship club Birmingham City[5] and succeeded in convincing them to a transfer.[6] Due to external factors, however, the deal fell through.[4]
In June 2020, Waem signed with Dutch Eerste Divisie club MVV.[7] He made his professional debut on 5 September 2020 in a 7–1 home loss to Cambuur, replacing Koen Kostons in the 84th minute.[8]
Waem was appointed team captain of MVV ahead of the 2022–23 season.[9] He scored his first professional goal on 5 February 2023, opening the score in the derby against Roda JC, which MVV lost 2–1.[10]
On 13 July 2023, ADO Den Haag announced the signing of Waem on a three-year contract.[3]
Waem has described his younger brother Andreas as his main inspiration.[4] His brother has autism, something Waem has mentioned as the reason for him studying psychology next to his career as a professional footballer.[9]
Club | Season | League | KNVB Cup | Other | Total | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
MVV | 2020–21 | Eerste Divisie | 19 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 19 | 0 | |
2021–22 | Eerste Divisie | 34 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | 36 | 0 | ||
2022–23 | Eerste Divisie | 35 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2[a] | 0 | 38 | 1 | |
Total | 88 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 93 | 1 | ||
ADO Den Haag | 2023–24 | Eerste Divisie | 33 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 37 | 2 |
Career total | 121 | 3 | 7 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 130 | 3 |