| Matt Dibley-Dias | |
| Full Name: | Matthew Max Dibley-Dias |
| Birth Date: | 29 October 2003 |
| Birth Place: | Lower Hutt, New Zealand |
| Height: | 1.83m (06feet)[1] |
| Position: | Central midfielder |
| Currentclub: | Northampton Town (on loan from Fulham) |
| Youthyears1: | 2008–2011 |
| Youthclubs1: | West Ham United |
| Youthyears2: | 2011–2016 |
| Youthclubs2: | Brentford |
| Youthyears3: | 2016–2024 |
| Youthclubs3: | Fulham |
| Years1: | 2024– |
| Clubs1: | Fulham |
| Caps1: | 0 |
| Goals1: | 0 |
| Years2: | 2024– |
| Clubs2: | → Northampton Town (loan) |
| Caps2: | 1 |
| Goals2: | 0 |
| Club-Update: | 19 August 2024 |
Matthew Max Dibley-Dias (born 29 October 2003) is a New Zealand professional footballer who plays as a central midfielder for Northampton Town on loan from Fulham.
Dibley-Dias was born in Lower Hutt, New Zealand to a Brazilian father and a New Zealand mother. He moved to England with his family at a young age.[2] [3] He is the grandson of Brazilian footballer Manoelzinho,[4] and is eligible to represent Portugal and Brazil internationally through his father, England and New Zealand through his mother.[5] [6]
Dibley-Dias has been described as "in strong form for Fulham’s U-21 side and as "being touted as a first-team player in waiting".[7] He mainly operates as a midfielder and is known for his long-shooting ability.[8] [2]
He joined the youth academy of English Premier League side Fulham at the age of fourteen,[9] and signed a three-year professional contract with the club in September 2021.[2] In 2023 he signed a contract extension to 2027.[10] He received the Johnny Haynes academy player of the year award for the 2022/23 season.[11] [12] He has appeared on Fulham's bench four times, including at the end of their 2022–23 Premier League season and for their 2023–24 season opener.[5] [11]
In July 2024, Dibley-Dias joined League One side Northampton Town on a season-long loan deal.[13]
Dibley-Dias accepted a call-up to play in friendly matches on behalf of the All Whites in October 2023, but was unable to play due to a hamstring injury.[5] [14] All Whites coach Darren Bazeley said the injury was a "real shame".[14] The New Zealand Herald noted that Dibley-Dias "has been pursued by Bazeley and New Zealand Football for a long time".[15] He had previously rejected an offer to play for New Zealand at the 2023 FIFA U-20 World Cup due to opportunities with Fulham.[10]
| Club | Season | League | FA Cup | EFL Cup | Other | Total | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | |||
| Fulham | 2023–24 | Premier League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | ||
| Total | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||
| Fulham U21 | 2023–24 | — | — | — | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | |||||
| Northampton Town (loan) | 2024–25 | League One | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | |
| Career total | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 0 | |||
Fulham U21
Fulham U23
Fulham U18
Individual