Wikipedia

Matz Sels

Matz Willy Els Sels(born 26 February 1992) is a Belgian professionalfootballerwho plays as agoalkeeperforPremier LeagueclubNottingham Forestand theBelgium national team.

Matz Sels
Sels playing forGentin 2015
Personal information
Full name Matz Willy Els Sels[1]
Date of birth (1992-02-26)26 February 1992(age 32)[2]
Place of birth Lint,Belgium
Height 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in)[2]
Position(s) Goalkeeper
Team information
Current team
 Nottingham Forest
Number 26
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2010–2014 Lierse 30 (0)
2014–2016 Gent 94 (0)
2016–2018 Newcastle United 9 (0)
2017–2018 →Anderlecht(loan) 32 (0)
2018–2024 Strasbourg 164 (0)
2024– Nottingham Forest 28 (0)
International career‡
2009 Belgium U17 2 (0)
2009–2010 Belgium U18 8 (0)
2010–2011 Belgium U19 5 (0)
2012–2014 Belgium U21 4 (0)
2021– Belgium 8 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 23 November 2024
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 26 March 2024

Club career

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Lierse SK

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Sels started his youth career at Kontich, and transferred toLierseat the age of seven. Over there, he made his first-team debut in 2010. After the departure ofEiji KawashimatoStandard Liègein the summer of 2012, Sels became the first choice keeper. In his first game in the First Division, on 29 July 2012 againstGent,he saved a penalty. At the start of the 2013–14 season, when he refused to sign a new contract, he was demoted to the second team.[citation needed]

Gent

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On 31 December 2013, it was announced that Sels would complete a transfer toK.A.A. Gentonce the transfer window opened. He would become the number one goalkeeper asFrank Boeckx's contract was due to expire at the end of the season. Sels made his debut for Gent on 14 January 2014 againstK.V. Kortrijk,in the quarter-finals of theBelgian Cup.He helped Gent qualify for the next round after penalties; with the game ending 1–1 on aggregate.[citation needed]

Sels played a key role in helping Gent become champions of the2014–15 Belgian Pro League,the first national championship in the club's history. This triumph allowed Gent to qualify for the2015–16 UEFA Champions League.[citation needed]

On his Champions League debut Sels dramatically saved anAlexandre Lacazettepenalty to help his side secure a 1–1 draw withOlympique Lyonnais.[3]On 13 January 2016 he was votedBest Goalkeeper of Belgium 2015.[4]

Newcastle United

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On 29 June 2016, Sels completed a transfer toPremier LeagueclubNewcastle Unitedon a five-year contract for a reported transfer fee of £6.5 million. Sels made his Newcastle debut in theChampionshipon 5 August againstFulham.[5]Sels kept a run of four clean sheets spanning 20 August to 13 September.[6]Sels came under considerable fire from Newcastle fans for allowing a late equaliser fromAaron TshibolaatAston Villaon 24 September.[7]Despite receiving endorsement from managerRafa Benítezduring the week,[8]Sels lost his place in the lineup toKarl DarlowagainstNorwich Cityon 28 September.[9]His displacement from the lineup also received notable media coverage in his native Belgium.[10]When Newcastle's next League Cup tilt came up, it was Sels who got the start, enjoying a clean sheet in a 6–0 victory overPreston North Endon 25 October. [11]

Loan to Anderlecht

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On 22 June 2017, Sels signed forAnderlechton a season-long loan.[12]

Strasbourg

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On 27 July 2018, Sels moved toLigue 1sideRC Strasbourg Alsacefor £3.5 million.[13]In his first season at the club, he was awarded RC Strasbourg Alsace's player of the Season.[14]

Nottingham Forest

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On 1 February 2024, Sels moved toNottingham Forest.[15]He made his Premier League debut for Forest 3 days later, in a 1–1 draw away toBournemouth.[16]On 2 March, Sels made a point-blank save in a match againstLiverpoolthat earned him thePremier League Save of the Monthaward. By achieving that honour, he became the first ever Nottingham Forest player to win a Premier League monthly award.[17]

International career

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Sels with Belgium in 2017

Sels was called up to theBelgiumsquad in October 2015 forEuro 2016qualifiers againstAndorraandIsrael.[18]He was named in theRoberto MartinezBelgian squad for the friendly againstSaudi Arabiain Brussels on 27 March.[19]

In May 2018 he was named in Belgium's preliminarysquadfor the2018 World Cupin Russia.[20]However, he did not make the final 23.[21]

In May 2021, Sels was named in Belgium's provisional squad for the rescheduledUEFA Euro 2020.[22]

He made his debut on 3 June 2021 in a friendly againstGreece,coming on as a substitute forSimon Mignoletin the 90th minute.[23]

Career statistics

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Club

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As of match played 23 November 2024[24][25]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National cup[a] League cup[b] Europe Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Lierse 2010–11 Belgian Pro League 0 0 0 0 — — — 0 0
2011–12 Belgian Pro League 0 0 0 0 — — — 0 0
2012–13 Belgian Pro League 30 0 1 0 — — — 31 0
Total 30 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 31 0
Gent 2013–14 Belgian Pro League 9 0 3 0 — — 6[c] 0 18 0
2014–15 Belgian Pro League 30 0 6 0 — — 9[c] 0 45 0
2015–16 Belgian Pro League 30 0 4 0 — 8[d] 0 11[e] 0 53 0
Total 69 0 13 0 0 0 8 0 26 0 116 0
Newcastle United 2016–17 Championship 9 0 3 0 2 0 — — 14 0
Anderlecht(loan) 2017–18 Belgian Pro League 22 0 1 0 — 3[d] 0 11[e] 0 37 0
Strasbourg 2018–19 Ligue 1 37 0 1 0 0 0 – – 38 0
2019–20 Ligue 1 27 0 2 0 0 0 6[f] 0 – 35 0
2020–21 Ligue 1 6 0 0 0 – – – 6 0
2021–22 Ligue 1 37 0 1 0 – – – 38 0
2022–23 Ligue 1 38 0 1 0 – – – 39 0
2023–24 Ligue 1 20 0 0 0 – – – 20 0
Total 165 0 5 0 0 0 6 0 0 0 176 0
Nottingham Forest 2023–24 Premier League 16 0 0 0 – – – 16 0
2024–25 Premier League 12 0 0 0 0 0 – – 12 0
Total 28 0 0 0 0 0 – – 28 0
Career total 323 0 23 0 2 0 17 0 37 0 402 0
  1. ^IncludesBelgian Cup,FA Cup,Coupe de France
  2. ^IncludesEFL Cup
  3. ^abAppearances in Belgian Pro League play-offs
  4. ^abAppearances inUEFA Champions League
  5. ^abTen appearances in Belgian Pro League play-offs, one appearance inBelgian Super Cup
  6. ^Appearances inUEFA Europa League

International

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As of match played 26 March 2024[26]
Appearances and goals by national team and year
National team Year Apps Goals
Belgium 2021 1 0
2022 1 0
2023 4 0
2024 2 0
Total 8 0

Honours

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Gent

Newcastle United

Anderlecht

Strasbourg

Individual

References

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  1. ^"Latest updated Premier League squad lists for 2023/24".Premier League. 8 February 2024.Retrieved9 February2024.
  2. ^ab"Matz Sels: Overview".Premier League.Retrieved31 August2024.
  3. ^"Nine-man Gent claim heroic 1–1 draw with Lyon in Group H".The Guardian.16 September 2015.Retrieved28 September2015.
  4. ^"Matz Sels weer trapje hoger: Beste doelman van 2015".HLN. 13 January 2016.Retrieved14 January2016.
  5. ^Starforth, Miles (5 August 2016)."Matz Sels starts in goal for Newcastle at Fulham".The Shields Gazette.Archived fromthe originalon 11 December 2018.Retrieved28 September2016.
  6. ^Robertson, Jim (24 September 2016)."The case of Matz Sels is a strange one".The Mag.
  7. ^Banerjee, Rohan (25 September 2016)."Newcastle United goalkeeper Matz Sels deletes Twitter account after abuse from angry supporters".Daily Mirror.
  8. ^"Rafa Benitez backs goalkeeper Matz Sels after error".Sky Sports. 27 September 2016.
  9. ^Wilson, Scott (28 September 2016)."Newcastle boss drops Matz Sels for Norwich game".The Northern Echo.
  10. ^Douglas, Mark (4 October 2016)."Matz Sels is down, but not out – how Newcastle goalkeeper plans to revive his United career".Evening Chronicle.
  11. ^"Coach én fans lovend voor herboren Matz Sels:" Alles positief aan zijn match ""[Coach and fans laud reborn Matz Sels: "Everything positive in his match" ].Het Nieuwsblad(in Dutch). 26 October 2016.
  12. ^Easterby, Tom (22 June 2017)."Sels makes Anderlecht loan move".Newcastle United F.C.
  13. ^"Newcastle confirm departure of Matz Sels to Strasbourg".Sky Sports.26 July 2018.
  14. ^"MATZ SELS ÉLU MEILLEUR JOUEUR DE LA SAISON 18/19".RC Strasbourg Alsace(in French). 16 June 2019.Archivedfrom the original on 1 October 2020.Retrieved27 May2024.
  15. ^"FOREST COMPLETE MATZ SELS SIGNING".Nottingham Forest F.C. 1 February 2024.Retrieved2 February2024.
  16. ^"Bournemouth 1-1 Nottingham Forest: Justin Kluivert and Callum Hudson-Odoi score in draw".BBC Sport.4 February 2024.Retrieved5 February2024.
  17. ^"Sels makes history with Castrol Save of the Month award".Premier League. 12 April 2024.Retrieved15 April2024.
  18. ^"Belgium make sweeping changes for Euro 2016 double-header".Sky Sports. 2 October 2015.Retrieved11 October2015.
  19. ^"Limbombe gets first Belgium call, Nainggolan back in the squad".Yahoo.16 March 2018. Archived fromthe originalon 29 July 2019.Retrieved29 July2019.
  20. ^"Belgium World Cup squad: Radja Nainggolan left out of initial 28-man squad for Russia 2018".The Independent.21 May 2018.Archivedfrom the original on 12 May 2022.Retrieved29 July2019.
  21. ^"World Cup 2018: Belgium include Vincent Kompany but Christian Benteke misses out".BBC Sport.4 June 2018.Retrieved29 July2019.
  22. ^Das, Andrew (18 May 2021)."Euro 2020 Rosters: France Recalls Karim Benzema".The New York Times.Retrieved19 May2021.
  23. ^"Belgium v Greece game report".ESPN.3 June 2021.
  24. ^"Matz Sels » Club matches".WorldFootball.net.Retrieved29 July2019.
  25. ^Matz Selsat Soccerway. Retrieved 9 October 2017.
  26. ^"Matz Sels".EU-Football.info.Retrieved3 June2021.
  27. ^"Gent v Club Brugge Starting XIs, Jul 16, 2015".goal.com.Retrieved23 March2022.
  28. ^"Le Strasbourg de Matz Sels remporte la Coupe de la Ligue pour la 3e fois de son histoire"(in French). RTL Sport. 31 March 2019.Retrieved3 May2019.
  29. ^"Matz Sels (Strasbourg) meilleur gardien de la saison en L1 pour les entraîneurs des gardiens"(in French).
  30. ^"Sels makes history with Castrol Save of the Month award".Premier League. 12 April 2024.Retrieved12 April2024.
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