Matthew Real
_(cropped).jpg) Real with Bethlehem Steel in 2018 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Matthew Joseph Real[1] | ||
| Date of birth | July 10, 1999 | ||
| Place of birth | Drexel Hill, Pennsylvania, United States | ||
| Height | 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)[2] | ||
| Position | Left-back | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Hartford Athletic | ||
| Number | 3 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 2013–2016 | Philadelphia Union | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2016–2019 | Bethlehem Steel | 57 | (2) |
| 2018–2024 | Philadelphia Union | 52 | (2) |
| 2022–2024 | Philadelphia Union II | 10 | (4) |
| 2024 | → Colorado Springs Switchbacks (loan) | 26 | (1) |
| 2025 | Colorado Springs Switchbacks | 22 | (1) |
| 2026– | Hartford Athletic | 8 | (0) |
| International career | |||
| 2017 | United States U18 | 8 | (0) |
| 2018–2019 | United States U20 | 11 | (0) |
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals as of July 12, 2026 | |||
Matthew Joseph Real (born July 10, 1999) is an American professional soccer player who plays as a left-back for Hartford Athletic in the USL Championship.[3]
Club career
[edit]Bethlehem Steel FC
[edit]Real signed an amateur deal to play with United Soccer League side Bethlehem Steel FC for their 2016 season. He had committed to play college soccer at Wake Forest University,[4] before opting to sign a professional contract with Bethlehem Steel FC on January 17, 2017.[5]
Philadelphia Union
[edit]Real signed a homegrown contract with Bethlehem Steel's MLS parent club Philadelphia Union on January 18, 2018.[6] Real made his MLS debut in the Union's 3–0 loss to the Colorado Rapids on March 31, 2018. Putting forth a solid 75-minute performance, saving a goal on the line to keep the Rapids scoreless heading into the half. In September 2020, Real scored his first goal for the Union as a substitute in a 3–0 victory over New York Red Bulls.[7]
Colorado Springs Switchbacks
[edit]In April 2024, Real joined USL Championship club Colorado Springs Switchbacks on loan for the 2024 season.[8]
Real signed with the Switchbacks on a permanent deal in January 2025.[9]
Hartford Athletic
[edit]He transferred to Hartford Athletic in December 2025.[10]
Personal life
[edit]Real was born in the United States to a Brazilian father and an Italian American mother.[11]
Career statistics
[edit]- As of match played November 21, 2021[12]
| Club | Season | League | National cup | Continental | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Bethlehem Steel | 2016 | USL Championship | 2 | 0 | — | — | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | ||
| 2017 | 18 | 1 | — | — | 1[a] | 0 | 19 | 1 | ||||
| 2018 | 21 | 1 | — | — | 1[a] | 0 | 22 | 1 | ||||
| 2019 | 18 | 0 | — | — | 0 | 0 | 18 | 0 | ||||
| Total | 59 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 61 | 2 | ||
| Philadelphia Union | 2018 | Major League Soccer | 3 | 0 | 1[b] | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | |
| 2019 | 3 | 0 | 1[b] | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | |||
| 2020 | 15 | 1 | — | — | 1[c] | 0 | 16 | 1 | ||||
| 2021 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3[d] | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 0 | ||
| Total | 29 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 35 | 1 | ||
| Career total | 88 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 96 | 3 | ||
- 1 2 Appearances in USL Cup Playoffs
- 1 2 Appearances in U.S. Open Cup
- ↑ Appearances in MLS is Back Tournament
- ↑ Appearances in CONCACAF Champions League
Honors
[edit]Philadelphia Union
United States U20
References
[edit]- ↑ "FIFA U-20 World Cup Poland 2019: List of Players: USA" (PDF). FIFA. June 13, 2019. p. 24. Archived from the original (PDF) on February 6, 2020.
- ↑ "Matthew Real". Philadelphia Union. Retrieved August 23, 2022.
- ↑ "Matthew Real | Philadelphia Union Profile". philadelphiaunion.com. Retrieved May 21, 2021.
- ↑ "Matthew Real verbally commits to Wake Forest". December 3, 2015.
- ↑ "Bethlehem Steel FC signs defender Matthew Real | Philadelphia Union".
- ↑ "Philadelphia Union Sign Homegrown Defender Matthew Real".
- ↑ Matthew Ralph (September 7, 2020). "'Angry' about not starting, Matt Real chips in first MLS goal off the bench". Brotherly Game. Retrieved May 21, 2021.
- ↑ "Switchbacks FC Acquire Defender Matt Real On Loan From Philadelphia Union For 2024". www.switchbacksfc.com. April 18, 2024. Retrieved April 19, 2024.
- ↑ Purslow, Ashley. "Switchbacks FC Announce Matt Real's Signing for 2025 Season!". SwitchbacksFC.com. Colorado Springs Switchbacks. Retrieved January 9, 2025.
- ↑ https://www.uslchampionship.com/news_article/show/1351438
- ↑ "AAA Start Your Journey: Matt Real | Philadelphia Union". Archived from the original on November 22, 2018. Retrieved November 22, 2018.
- ↑ "Matthew Real". Soccerway. Playmaker Stats. Retrieved May 21, 2021.
- ↑ Major League Soccer [@MLS] (November 8, 2020). "SUPPORTERS' SHIELD WINNERS @PhilaUnion win their first trophy in club history! #DOOP" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
- ↑ Sigal, Jonathan (November 5, 2022). "Hollywood ending! LAFC win legendary MLS Cup 2022 over Philadelphia Union". Major League Soccer. Retrieved April 27, 2023.
External links
[edit]
Media related to Matthew Real at Wikimedia Commons- Matthew Real at USL Championship
- Bethlehem Steel FC player profile
  | This biographical article related to association football in the United States, about a defender born in the 1990s, is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by adding missing information. |
- 1999 births
- Living people
- Sportspeople from Drexel Hill, Pennsylvania
- Soccer players from Delaware County, Pennsylvania
- American men's soccer players
- American people of Brazilian descent
- Sportspeople of Brazilian descent
- American people of Italian descent
- Men's association football defenders
- Philadelphia Union II players
- Philadelphia Union players
- Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC players
- USL Championship players
- Major League Soccer players
- MLS Next Pro players
- United States men's under-20 international soccer players
- Homegrown Players (MLS)
- 21st-century American sportsmen
- American soccer defender, 1990s birth stubs