Mateo Joseph

In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Joseph and the second or maternal family name is Fernández-Regatillo.
Mateo Joseph
Personal information
Full name Mateo Joseph Fernández-Regatillo[1]
Date of birth (2003-10-19) 19 October 2003 (age 21)
Place of birth Santander, Spain
Height 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)[2]
Position(s) Forward
Team information
Current team
 Leeds United
Number 19
Youth career
–2013 Escobedo
2013–2017 Racing Santander
2017–2022 Espanyol
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2022– Leeds United 47 (3)
International career‡
2023 England U20 10 (3)
2024– Spain U21 5 (5)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 17:46, 30 December 2024 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 03:52, 16 October 2024 (UTC)

Mateo Joseph Fernández-Regatillo (born 19 October 2003) is a Spanish professional footballer who plays as a forward for EFL Championship club Leeds United.

Club career

Early career

Born in Santander, Joseph grew up in Escobedo de Camargo [es], and began playing for local side UM Escobedo.[3][4] He joined the academy of Espanyol in 2017, after a prolific season at Racing Santander.[5]

Leeds United

On 4 January 2022, he transferred to English club Leeds United on a three-year contract, where he was originally assigned to their U-23 side.[6] He made his senior and professional debut for Leeds United as a starter in an EFL Cup tie away to Wolverhampton Wanderers on 9 November 2022.[7] His Premier League debut came three days later, coming off the bench in an away defeat to Tottenham Hotspur.[8]

On 28 February 2024, Joseph scored his first two senior career goals in a 3–2 defeat away at Chelsea in the FA Cup fifth round.[9]

Joseph scored his first goal of the 2024–25 season in a 2–0 home league win over Hull when he met Manor Solomon's near post cross to open the scoring for The Whites.[10]

International career

In March 2023, Joseph received his first call-up to the England U20 squad [11] and made his debut during a 2–0 win over Germany in Manchester on 22 March 2023.[12]

On 10 May 2023, Joseph was included in the England squad for the 2023 FIFA U-20 World Cup.[13]

On 15 March 2024, Joseph was called up by the Spain national under-21 team to play the 2025 UEFA European Under-21 Championship qualification Group B match against Belgium eleven days later.[14]

Personal life

Joseph was born in Spain to an English father of Antiguan descent and a Spanish mother. He holds Spanish and British citizenship.[15] He is a relative of Emile Heskey with his father being the former England striker's cousin.[16]

Playing style

Joseph is a strong and technically proficient forward, and has earned playing comparisons to a young Sergio Agüero. He is a prolific scorer, having scored 14 goals in 21 games as a U19 for Espanyol in the 2021-22 season.[17]

Career statistics

As of match played 29 December 2024
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League FA Cup EFL Cup Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Leeds United 2022–23[18] Premier League 3 0 2 0 1 0 0 0 6 0
2023–24[19] Championship 20 1 4 2 0 0 2[a] 0 26 3
2024–25[20] Championship 24 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 24 2
Career total 47 3 6 2 1 0 2 0 50 5

Notes

  1. ^ Appearances in Championship play-offs

References

  1. ^ "FIFA U-20 World Cup Argentina 2023™ SQUAD LIST: England (ENG)" (PDF). FIFA. 22 May 2023. p. 6. Retrieved 30 May 2023.
  2. ^ Muñoz, Felipe (5 January 2022). "Lo pretendían Barcelona y City... Así juega la la joya de 18 años que fichó en el Leeds de Bielsa" [Barcelona and City wanted it... This is how the 18-year-old jewel who signed for Bielsa's Leeds plays Fuente]. Emol.com (in Spanish).
  3. ^ "Mateo Joseph, el español más 'british' apuesta por La Roja: "Veo un 2-1"" [Mateo Joseph, the Spaniard more 'British' bet for La Roja: "I see it a 2–1"] (in Spanish). Diario AS. 13 July 2024. Retrieved 15 November 2024.
  4. ^ "¿Quién es Mateo Joseph, la nueva perla española?" [Who is Mateo Joseph, the new Spanish pearl?] (in Spanish). Mundo Deportivo. 11 October 2024. Retrieved 15 November 2024.
  5. ^ "Mateo Joseph, el exracinguista que deslumbra en juveniles | Todo sobre el Racing en racinguismo.com" [Mateo Joseph, the former racinguista who dazzles in youth]. www.racinguismo.com (in Spanish).
  6. ^ Molero, Iván (4 January 2022). "Mateo Joseph ya es del Leeds" [Mateo Joseph is already from Leeds]. Diario AS (in Spanish). Retrieved 28 January 2023.
  7. ^ Smith, Emma (9 November 2022). "Carabao Cup: Wolves 1-0 Leeds - Boubacar Traore fires hosts into last 16". BBC Sport. Retrieved 8 February 2023.
  8. ^ Howarth, Matthew (12 November 2022). "Tottenham Hotspur 4-3 Leeds United: Rodrigo Bentancur's two late goals earn Spurs dramatic victory". BBC Sport. Retrieved 8 February 2023.
  9. ^ "Chelsea 3-2 Leeds United". BBC Sport. 28 February 2024. Retrieved 28 February 2024.
  10. ^ "Leeds United 2-0 Hull City: Mateo Joseph strikes as Leeds win again". BBC Sport. 31 August 2024. Retrieved 2 September 2024.
  11. ^ "England MU20 squad for March triple-header". englandfootball.com. 17 March 2023. Retrieved 17 March 2023.
  12. ^ "Report: England MU20s 2-0 Germany". England Football. 22 March 2023. Retrieved 22 March 2023.
  13. ^ Veevers, Nick (10 May 2023). "England MU20s squad named for World Cup in Argentina". EnglandFootball.com. Retrieved 22 May 2023.
  14. ^ "OFICIAL | Convocatoria para los partidos frente a Eslovaquia y Bélgica".
  15. ^ "Mateo Joseph, pólvora para el Juvenil A | La Grada" [Mateo Joseph, gunpowder for Juvenil A] (in Spanish). 29 March 2021. Retrieved 28 January 2023.
  16. ^ "Meet Mateo Joseph Fernández: Leeds United's latest signing is related to Emile Heskey and wanted by Barcelona". thetimes.co.uk. 11 January 2022. Retrieved 17 March 2023.
  17. ^ Football, Planet (5 January 2022). "All you need to know about Leeds United wonderkid Mateo Fernandez". Planet Football.
  18. ^ "Games played by Mateo Joseph in 2022/2023". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 8 February 2023.
  19. ^ "Games played by Mateo Joseph in 2023/2024". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 26 May 2024.
  20. ^ "Games played by Mateo Joseph in 2024/2025". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 30 December 2024.