Aljoša Matko Explained

Aljoša Matko
Birth Date:29 March 2000
Birth Place:Novo Mesto, Slovenia[1]
Height:[2]
Position:Forward, winger
Currentclub:Celje
Clubnumber:7
Youthyears1:2005–2013
Youthclubs1:Bela Krajina
Youthyears2:2013–2015
Youthclubs2:Krka
Youthyears3:2015–2019
Youthclubs3:Maribor
Years1:2019–2021
Clubs1:Maribor
Caps1:31
Goals1:7
Years2:2019–2020
Clubs2:Bravo (loan)
Caps2:34
Goals2:15
Years3:2021–2022
Clubs3:Hammarby IF
Caps3:13
Goals3:2
Years4:2022
Clubs4:Olimpija Ljubljana (loan)
Caps4:15
Goals4:1
Years5:2022–
Clubs5:Celje
Caps5:51
Goals5:29
Nationalyears1:2015–2016
Nationalteam1:Slovenia U16
Nationalcaps1:14
Nationalgoals1:5
Nationalyears2:2016–2017
Nationalteam2:Slovenia U17
Nationalcaps2:12
Nationalgoals2:0
Nationalyears3:2017–2018
Nationalteam3:Slovenia U18
Nationalcaps3:5
Nationalgoals3:3
Nationalyears4:2018–2019
Nationalteam4:Slovenia U19
Nationalcaps4:12
Nationalgoals4:7
Nationalyears5:2020–2022
Nationalteam5:Slovenia U21
Nationalcaps5:18
Nationalgoals5:5
Pcupdate:21 April 2024

Aljoša Matko (born 29 March 2000) is a Slovenian footballer who plays as a forward for Slovenian PrvaLiga club Celje.

Early life

Matko was born in Novo Mesto and grew up in Črnomelj.[1] He began his career at the age of four with local club Bela Krajina, where he stayed for eight years. In 2013 he moved to Krka, before joining the youth academy of domestic giants Maribor in 2015.[3] He went on to score 67 goals in 93 games in the club's youth system.[4]

Club career

Maribor

In 2019–20, Matko was sent on loan from Maribor to fellow PrvaLiga club Bravo, where he made his debut in senior football. Matko scored 15 goals in 34 games for Bravo, that finished sixth in the table, which meant that he became the fourth best goalscorer in the whole league.[3]

Back at Maribor for the 2020–21 season, Matko established himself as a starter under manager Mauro Camoranesi. At the end of 2020, he won the Purple Warrior, a trophy awarded to the most distinguished Maribor player in the past year.[5] [6] He was also named Slovenian Youth Footballer of the Year by the Slovenian magazine EkipaSN.[7] On 29 January 2021, Matko extended his contract with Maribor until the summer of 2024.[8] In April of the same year, Matko was involved in a car accident as a driver but escaped uninjured, although several passengers suffered from severe injuries.[9] He soon returned to the pitch and ended the season making 29 league appearances, scoring seven goals, as Maribor finished second in the table behind Mura.

Hammarby IF

On 12 August 2021, Matko transferred to Hammarby IF in the Swedish Allsvenskan for an undisclosed fee, signing a three-year contract.[10] He made his competitive debut for the club only four days later, on 16 August, in a 2–0 home loss to IF Elfsborg.[11] On 22 August, he scored his first Allsvenskan goal for the club, against the same opponent, IF Elfsborg, in a 2–2 away draw.[12]

On 1 February 2022, Matko returned to Slovenia by joining Olimpija Ljubljana on loan for the remainder of the PrvaLiga season, with an option to make the transfer permanent.[13] [14] He returned to Hammarby in July 2022, but failed to make any competitive appearances under new head coach Martí Cifuentes. In total, Matko played 13 Allsvenskan games for the club, scoring twice.[15]

Celje

On 15 August 2022, Matko transferred to PrvaLiga club Celje and signed a two-year contract until 2024.[16]

International career

Between 2015 and 2022, Matko was capped for all Slovenian youth teams from under-16 to under-21, making over 60 appearances for all selections.[17]

With the under-21 team, Matko appeared at the 2021 UEFA European Under-21 Championship, hosted by Slovenia. He featured in all three games in the group stage and scored Slovenia's only goal of the tournament in a 1–1 draw against Czech Republic.[18]

Career statistics

Club

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
ClubSeasonLeagueNational cupContinentalTotal
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Bravo2019–20PrvaLiga3415103515
Maribor2020–21PrvaLiga2971010317
2021–2220001030
Total3171020347
Hammarby IF20211321000142
Career total782430208324

Honours

Maribor

2018–19

Celje

Individual

2020[7]

2020[6]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Enajstmetrovka: Aljoša Matko . Football Association of Slovenia . 24 September 2020 . sl . 15 May 2020.
  2. Web site: Aljoša Matko – osebni karton. https://web.archive.org/web/20200924202453/https://www.nkmaribor.com/igralci/?id=75879&id_mostva=1. 24 September 2020. 24 September 2020. NK Maribor. sl.
  3. Web site: HTV: Aljosa Matko på plats - "Mitt jobb att vara redo direkt". 14 August 2021. Hammarby Fotboll. 18 August 2021. Swedish.
  4. Web site: Aljoša Matko v Hammarby. Aljoša Matko is leaving for Hammarby. 12 August 2021. NK Maribor. 12 August 2021. sl.
  5. Web site: Vedno 100% za ta grb. Always 100% for this crest. 16 February 2021. NK Maribor. 19 August 2021. sl.
  6. Web site: Vijol'čni bojevnik 2020: Aljoša Matko. Purple Warrior 2020: Aljoša Matko. 13 February 2021. NK Maribor. 19 August 2021. sl.
  7. Web site: Oblak slovenski nogometaš leta, Kosić najboljši trener. 4 January 2021. RTV Slovenija. 19 August 2021. sl. R. K..
  8. Web site: Aljoša Matko: Nova zvestoba, do 2024. 29 January 2021. NK Maribor. 19 August 2021. Slovenian.
  9. Web site: R. P. . NK Maribor podal stališče o prometni nesreči Aljoše Matka . . 30 August 2021 . sl . 12 April 2021.
  10. Web site: Hektiskt avslut på deadline day – tre avtal klara. 12 August 2021. Hammarby Fotboll. 12 August 2021. Swedish.
  11. Web site: Blytung förlust när serien vände. 16 August 2021. Hammarby Fotboll. 12 August 2021. Swedish.
  12. Web site: Sanslösa stopptidsminuter gav poäng i Borås. 22 August 2021. Hammarby Fotboll. 22 August 2021. Swedish.
  13. Web site: Aljosa Matko på lån till Ljubljana. 1 February 2022. Hammarby Fotboll. 1 February 2022. Swedish.
  14. Web site: R. K. . Presenečenje iz Stožic: Aljoša Matko okrepil Olimpijo . . 1 February 2022 . sl . 1 February 2022.
  15. Web site: Aljosa Matko lämnar Hammarby. 15 August 2022. Hammarby Fotboll. 15 August 2022. Swedish.
  16. Web site: Res je je zgodilo! Aljoša Matko uradno v Celju, tukaj so podrobnosti . Ekipa24.si . 15 August 2022 . sl . 15 August 2022.
  17. Web site: Aljoša Matko – Nogometna zveza Slovenije . Football Association of Slovenia . 19 August 2021 . sl.
  18. Web site: Poseben spomin in dodaten motiv. A special memory and an additional motivation. 3 April 2021. NK Maribor. 19 August 2021. sl.
  19. Web site: sl. 18 May 2024. SPINS XI: Objavljamo imena najboljših nogometašev in trenerja sezone 2023/2024 v Sloveniji. 22 May 2024. spins.si.
  20. Web site: Izbor najboljšega v avgustu: Nagrado je prejel Aljoša Matko, drugo mesto pa je pripadlo Josipu Iličiću. Nogomania . 27 May 2024 . sl . 7 September 2023.
  21. Web site: Dramatična odločitev o najboljšem strelcu Prve lige Telemach: Celjan Aljoša Matko si je strelsko lovoriko priigral v 93. minuti . Planet Nogomet . 20 May 2024 . sl-SI . 18 May 2024.