Joel Matip Height, Weight, Body Measurements, Other Facts

Quick Facts

Joel Matip is a Cameroonian professional footballer that plays for the English Premier League (EPL) side, Liverpool FC. Matip comes from a home with some bit of footballing pedigree as other members of his family have been involved with the sport in the past. We will discuss his body stats, as well as other facts that you may not have known about one of Anfield’s towering center backs.

Joel was born on 8 August 1991 in Bochum, Germany, he is the son of Eva-Maria and Jean Matip. His father Jean is Cameroonian and played for the national side. His mother is German. Joel has a brother named Marvin.

Being born in Germany, Matip began his youth career by joining SC Weitmar 45. He later moved to join VfL Bochum in 1997. After spending three years at VfL Bochum where he honed his defensive skills, he was soon scouted by the biggest team in Gelsenkirchen, Schalke 04.

Matip soon left Bochum, making the switch to Schalke and from there, his career began to blossom. Matip made his professional debut for Schalke in a matchup against  FC Saarbrucken. His debut in the German top flight saw him deliver a Man of the Match performance against Bayern Munich on November 7, 2009. He topped off that impressive performance with a goal. Matip was a constant feature of Schalke sides from the 2009-10 season to the 2015-16 season. He spent seven seasons at the Veltins Arena making 194 appearances in the league and scoring 17 goals. His total number of appearances for Schalke 04 stands at 258 amassing a total of 23 goals.

When his contract with Schalke expired in the summer of 2016, he made a move to the red side of Merseyside to join Liverpool having signed a pre-contract agreement earlier in the year. He made his debut for Liverpool in a 5-0 thrashing of Burton Albion in a League Cup fixture in August 2016. His first Liverpool goal came when he scored against Crystal Palace in a league game on 29 October.

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He ended his first season making 32 appearances and scoring a single goal. In his next season, he scored his only legitimate goal of the campaign in a 4-1 win over West Ham United. Matip later succumbed to a thigh injury that required surgery to correct, it would rule him out for the rest of the season including Liverpool’s run to the Champions League final. He finished the season with 35 appearances and a goal.

Joel Matip made his national team debut as an 18-year-old. He opted to play for his father’s birth nation of Cameroon and not Germany. His debut came in the game against Italy during the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa. He took part in the 2014 World Cup but when he was called up for international duty for the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations, Matip opted not to go. In early 2017, Matip was engaged in a row with his National Federation which led to certain disciplinary measures being taken against him.

Height, Weight, Body Measurements

For a modern center back, height is a big factor and plays a crucial role in aerial duels. For a defender his size, Joel Matip is very accomplished with the ball at his feet and is elegant in possession. Matip stands at an impressive height of 6 feet 5 inches and weighs in at 89 kg.

Other Facts About Joel Matip

• Matip stands as one of the tallest players at his club, measuring well over 6 feet, precisely – 6 feet 5 inches
• Joel has an older brother who name is Marvin Matip. Marvin plays for the German side, Ingolstadt and also plays as a center back.
• Just like Joel, his older brother also represented the Indomitable Lions of Cameroon.
• Marvin and Joel are not the only members of their family to pull on the national colors, their cousin Joseph-Desire Job won over 50 caps in an international career that spanned well over a decade.
• He averaged a goal every 10 games while at Schalke 04 which is a decent return for a center half.
• At the time of his signing to Liverpool, he was the second Cameroonian to play for the Reds after national icon, Rigobert Song.
• He kick-started his professional at the age of 18 with a goal on his debut.
• Matip beat his current manager, Jurgen Klopp in a cup final when Schalke defeated Borussia Dortmund on penalties to win the 2011/12 DFL Supercup.

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