Article · Wikipedia archive · Last revised Jul 15, 2026

Tim Matavž

Tim Matavž is a Slovenian professional footballer who plays as a striker for ND Gorica.

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Tim Matavž
Matavž with PSV in 2011
Personal information
Full name Tim Matavž1
Date of birth (1989-01-13) 13 January 1989
Place of birth Šempeter pri Gorici, SFR Yugoslavia2
Height 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in)2
Position Striker
Team information
Current team
 ND Gorica
Number 9
Youth career
1995–2004 Bilje
2004–2006 ND Gorica
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2006–2007 ND Gorica 30 (11)
2007–2011 Groningen 84 (34)
2008–2009 → FC Emmen (loan) 15 (5)
2011–2014 PSV 70 (24)
2014 Jong PSV 2 (0)
2014–2017 FC Augsburg 27 (3)
2016 → Genoa (loan) 7 (0)
2016–2017 → 1. FC Nürnberg (loan) 20 (5)
2017–2020 Vitesse 69 (32)
2020–2021 Al Wahda 19 (12)
2021–2022 Bursaspor 16 (2)
2022–2023 Omonia 10 (3)
2023–2024 HNK Gorica 39 (5)
2024– ND Gorica 13 (2)
International career
2006 Slovenia U18 3 (1)
2006 Slovenia U19 4 (0)
2007 Slovenia U20 1 (0)
2006–2010 Slovenia U21 20 (6)
2010–2020 Slovenia 39 (11)
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 18 February 2025

Tim Matavž (born 13 January 1989) is a Slovenian professional footballer who plays as a striker for ND Gorica.3

Club career

Matavž began his football career at the age of 6 playing for Bilje. In 2004, he moved to Gorica youth squads. He was promoted to their senior squad in the 2006–07 season and played a total of 30 matches in the Slovenian first division, scoring 11 goals in the process.4

On 30 August 2007, at the age of 18, he signed a five-year contract for Groningen.5 On 26 September 2007 he scored four goals in KNVB Cup in a match against IJsselmeervogels,6 but later moved to Emmen on loan and remained there until January 2009.

On 13 March 2009, Matavž scored his first goal in the Eredivisie in a 2–0 victory over Roda. Soon he began scoring for Groningen on regular basis in all competitions. On 24 February 2010 Matavž extended his contract with club until 2013.7 On 6 February 2011, in a match against Willem II, Matavž scored his first hat-trick in the Eredivisie.8

On 2 February 2011, Groningen sporting director Hans Nijland said that Matavž had already agreed terms with Napoli and that he was looking forward to joining them.9 However, Eredivisie side PSV Eindhoven were also in talks with Groningen to buy him before the transfer window closed. On 31 August 2011, Matavž eventually signed a five-year contract with PSV.10

On 29 June 2017, Matavž returned to the Netherlands, to join Vitesse on a three-year deal.1112

On 19 July 2020, Matavž joined Al Wahda on a two-year deal.13

International career

On 9 October 2010, Matavž scored a hat-trick for Slovenia in the UEFA Euro 2012 qualifying match against Faroe Islands.14 At the age of 21, he became the youngest player ever to score three goals for Slovenia.15 Overall, Matavž earned a total of 39 caps for the national team, scoring 11 goals.16

Personal life

Matavž was born in Šempeter pri Gorici, Slovenia (then part of Yugoslavia).17 He is the cousin of fellow footballer Etien Velikonja.18 In June 2014, Matavž married his long-term partner Polona Faganelj.19 He has two daughters, Tia (born 2012) and Ela (born 2015), and one son, Val (born 2017).20 Beside Slovene, Matavž is also fluent in Dutch.21

In April 2024, several Slovenian media outlets reported that Matavž had been charged with domestic violence, and that the court allegedly imposed a restraining order, preventing him from contacting his wife and children.222324

Career statistics

Club

As of 16 June 20242
Club Season League National cup Continental Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
ND Gorica 2006–07 Slovenian PrvaLiga 27 11 3 2 1a 0 — 31 13
2007–08 Slovenian PrvaLiga 3 0 0 0 2b 1 — 5 1
Total 30 11 3 2 3 1 0 0 36 14
Groningen 2007–08 Eredivisie 15 0 2 4 0 0 — 17 4
2008–09 Eredivisie 4 2 0 0 — 4c 1 8 3
2009–10 Eredivisie 32 13 3 2 — 2c 1 37 16
2010–11 Eredivisie 29 16 4 2 — 2c 2 35 20
2011–12 Eredivisie 4 3 0 0 — 4 3
Total 84 34 9 8 0 0 8 4 101 46
FC Emmen (loan) 2008–09 Eerste Divisie 15 5 1 0 — 16 5
PSV 2011–12 Eredivisie 28 11 5 4 9d 5 — 42 20
2012–13 Eredivisie 27 11 4 2 7d 7 0 0 38 20
2013–14 Eredivisie 15 2 1 0 6e 2 — 22 4
Total 70 24 10 6 22 14 0 0 102 44
FC Augsburg 2014–15 Bundesliga 16 3 1 0 — 17 3
2015–16 Bundesliga 11 0 2 0 4d 0 — 17 0
Total 27 3 3 0 4 0 0 0 34 3
Genoa (loan) 2015–16 Serie A 7 0 0 0 — 7 0
1. FC Nürnberg (loan) 2016–17 2. Bundesliga 20 5 1 0 — 21 5
Vitesse 2017–18 Eredivisie 30 14 1 0 5d 1 5f 2 41 17
2018–19 Eredivisie 14 6 0 0 4d 2 4c 3 22 11
2019–20 Eredivisie 25 12 2 1 — 27 13
Total 69 32 3 1 9 3 9 5 90 41
Al Wahda 2020–21 UAE Pro League 19 12 0 0 7g 1 1h 0 27 13
Bursaspor 2021–22 TFF First League 16 2 1 0 — — 17 2
Omonia 2021–22 Cypriot First Division 6 2 5 0 — — 11 2
2022–23 Cypriot First Division 4 1 0 0 1d 0 1i 0 6 1
Total 10 3 5 0 1 0 1 0 17 3
HNK Gorica 2022–23 Croatian Football League 15 0 0 0 — — 15 0
2023–24 Croatian Football League 24 5 2 0 — — 26 5
Total 39 5 2 0 0 0 0 0 41 5
Career total 406 136 38 17 46 19 19 9 509 181
  1. Appearance in UEFA Champions League
  2. Appearances in UEFA Cup
  3. Appearances in Eredivisie European play-offs
  4. Appearances in UEFA Europa League
  5. Four appearances and two goals in UEFA Champions League and two appearances in UEFA Europa League
  6. One appearance in Johan Cruyff Shield and four appearances and two goals in Eredivisie European play-offs
  7. Appearances in AFC Champions League
  8. Appearance in UAE League Cup
  9. Appearance in Cypriot Super Cup

International

Scores and results list Slovenia's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Matavž goal.25
List of international goals scored by Tim Matavž
No. Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
1 8 October 2010 Stožice Stadium, Ljubljana, Slovenia  Faroe Islands 1–0 5–1 UEFA Euro 2012 qualification
2 2–0
3 3–0
4 3 June 2011 Svangaskarð, Tórshavn, Faroe Islands  Faroe Islands 1–0 2–0 UEFA Euro 2012 qualification
5 2 September 2011 Stožice Stadium, Ljubljana, Slovenia  Estonia 1–1 1–2 UEFA Euro 2012 qualification
6 15 November 2011 Stožice Stadium, Ljubljana, Slovenia  United States 1–1 2–3 Friendly
7 2–3
8 12 October 2012 Ljudski vrt, Maribor, Slovenia  Cyprus 1–0 2–1 2014 FIFA World Cup qualification
9 2–0
10 31 May 2013 Schüco Arena, Bielefeld, Germany  Turkey 2–0 2–0 Friendly
11 19 November 2019 Stadion Narodowy, Warsaw, Poland  Poland 1–1 2–3 UEFA Euro 2020 qualification

Honours

PSV

Omonia

References

References

  1. "FIFA World Cup South Africa 2010: List of Players" (PDF). FIFA. 4 June 2010. p. 27. Archived from the original (PDF) on 16 June 2010. Retrieved 16 April 2014.
  2. "T. Matavž". Soccerway. Retrieved 28 February 2018.
  3. Tim Matavž at WorldFootball.net
  4. "Tim Matavž – Nogometna zveza Slovenije" (in Slovenian). Football Association of Slovenia. Retrieved 20 June 2020.
  5. "Sloveens talent Matavz naar FC Groningen" (in Dutch). De Pers. Archived from the original on 15 February 2012. Retrieved 10 April 2008.
  6. Bohorič, Jure (26 September 2007). "Štirje goli Tima Matavža" (in Slovenian). Nogomania. Retrieved 20 June 2020.
  7. "Matavz langer bij FC Groningen" (in Dutch). FC Groningen. Archived from the original on 29 September 2011. Retrieved 2 June 2011.
  8. "Neverjetni Matavž tokrat trikrat" [Incredible Matavz scored three times] (in Slovenian). Nogomania. Retrieved 6 February 2011.
  9. [1], Tim Matavz agrees move to Napoli, 2 February 2011
  10. Š. Ro. (31 August 2011). "Uradno: Tim Matavž se seli v PSV". Delo (in Slovenian). Retrieved 20 June 2020.
  11. "Matavz wechselt zu Vitesse Arnhem". kicker Online (in German). 29 June 2017. Retrieved 29 June 2017.
  12. "Tim Matavž signs a three-year contract". SBV Vitesse. 29 June 2017. Retrieved 29 June 2017.
  13. To. G. (20 July 2020). "Tim Matavž z Nizozemske v Dubaj" (in Slovenian). RTV Slovenija. Retrieved 20 July 2020.
  14. Plestenjak, Rok (9 October 2010). "Tim Matavž: To je bil super večer (video)" [Tim Matavz: It was a great evening] (in Slovenian). Siol. Retrieved 20 June 2020.
  15. Viškovič, Rok (10 October 2010). "Matavž v elitni družbi najmlajši" [Matavz is the youngest in elite company] (in Slovenian). Siol. Retrieved 20 June 2020.
  16. "Appearances for Slovenia National Team". RSSSF. Retrieved 17 December 2023.
  17. "Tim Matavž je več kot izkoristil ponujeno priložnost na tekmi proti Ferskim otokom". Dnevnik (in Slovenian). 9 October 2010. Retrieved 20 July 2020.
  18. Rožman, Andraž (16 June 2009). "Bratranca z golgeterskimi geni". Dnevnik (in Slovenian). Retrieved 20 June 2020.
  19. T. H. (15 June 2014). "Foto: Nogometaš Tim Matavž se je poročil s svojo Polono" (in Slovenian). RTV Slovenija. Retrieved 20 July 2020.
  20. M. T. (29 October 2017). "Kakšno veselje! Očka, slovenski nogometaš, bo zdaj imel moško družbo". slovenskenovice.si (in Slovenian). Retrieved 20 July 2020.
  21. Okorn, Jože (9 February 2011). "Tim Matavž: Goli me niso spremenili". Dnevnik (in Slovenian). Retrieved 20 July 2020.
  22. "Bivši reprezentant v postopku zaradi družinskega nasilja". Sportklub (in Slovenian). 25 April 2024. Retrieved 16 June 2024.
  23. "Nogometaš Tim Matavž nasilen do žene?". Dnevnik (in Slovenian). 25 April 2024. Retrieved 16 June 2024.
  24. "Obtožbe o družinskem nasilju in prepoved približevanja? Tim Matavž je zašel v velike težave" (in Slovenian). Nogomania. 25 April 2024. Retrieved 16 June 2024.
  25. "Tim Matavž, international footballer". eu-football.info. Retrieved 6 December 2021.
External links