Tim Matavž (born 13 January 1989) is a Slovenian professional footballer who plays as a striker for Izola.
Club career Matavž began his football career at the age of 6 playing for Bilje. In 2004, he moved to the 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.
On 30 August 2007, at the age of 18, he signed a five-year contract for Groningen. On 26 September 2007 he scored four goals in KNVB Cup in a match against IJsselmeervogels, but he 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 a regular basis in all competitions. On 24 February 2010 Matavž extended his contract with the club until 2013. On 6 February 2011, in a match against Willem II, Matavž scored his first hat-trick in the Eredivisie.
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., Tim Matavz agrees move to Napoli, 2 February 2011 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.
On 29 June 2017, Matavž returned to the Netherlands, to join Vitesse on a three-year deal.
On 19 July 2020, Matavž joined Al Wahda on a two-year deal.
International career On 9 October 2010, Matavž scored a hat-trick for Slovenia in the UEFA Euro 2012 qualifying match against Faroe Islands. At the age of 21, he became the youngest player ever to score three goals for Slovenia. Overall, Matavž earned a total of 39 caps for the national team, scoring 11 goals.
Personal life Matavž was born in Šempeter pri Gorici, Slovenia (then part of Yugoslavia). He is the cousin of fellow footballer Etien Velikonja. In June 2014, Matavž married his long-term partner Polona Faganelj. He has two daughters, Tia (born 2012) and Ela (born 2015), and one son, Val (born 2017). Beside Slovene, Matavž is also fluent in Dutch.
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.
Career statistics Club
ClubSeasonLeagueNational cupContinentalOtherTotalDivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsND Gorica2006–07Slovenian PrvaLiga2711321Appearance in UEFA Champions League0—31132007–08Slovenian PrvaLiga30002Appearances in UEFA Cup1—51Total30113231003614Groningen2007–08Eredivisie1502400—1742008–09Eredivisie4200—4Appearances in Eredivisie European play-offs1832009–10Eredivisie321332—2137162010–11Eredivisie291642—2235202011–12Eredivisie4300—43Total843498008410146FC Emmen (loan)2008–09Eerste Divisie15510—165PSV2011–12Eredivisie2811549Appearances in UEFA Europa League5—42202012–13Eredivisie271142770038202013–14Eredivisie152106Four appearances and two goals in UEFA Champions League and two appearances in UEFA Europa League2—224Total702410622140010244FC Augsburg2014–15Bundesliga16310—1732015–16Bundesliga1102040—170Total273304000343Genoa (loan)2015–16Serie A7000—701. FC Nürnberg (loan)2016–172. Bundesliga20510—215Vitesse2017–18Eredivisie301410515One appearance in Johan Cruyff Shield and four appearances and two goals in Eredivisie European play-offs241172018–19Eredivisie14600424322112019–20Eredivisie251221—2713Total69323193959041Al Wahda2020–21UAE Pro League19120071102713Bursaspor2021–22TFF First League16210——172Omonia2021–22Cypriot First Division6250——1122022–23Cypriot First Division4100101061Total103501010173HNK Gorica2022–23Croatian Football League15000——1502023–24Croatian Football League24520——265Total395200000415Career total40613638174619199509181
International Scores and results list Slovenia's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Matavž goal.
+ List of international goals scored by Tim MatavžNo.DateVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetition1 8 October 2010 Stožice Stadium, Ljubljana, Slovenia 1–0 5–1 UEFA Euro 2012 qualification2 2–03 3–04 3 June 2011 Svangaskarð, Tórshavn, Faroe Islands 1–0 2–0 UEFA Euro 2012 qualification5 2 September 2011 Stožice Stadium, Ljubljana, Slovenia 1–1 1–2 UEFA Euro 2012 qualification6 15 November 2011 Stožice Stadium, Ljubljana, Slovenia 1–1 2–3 Friendly7 2–38 12 October 2012 Ljudski vrt, Maribor, Slovenia 1–0 2–1 2014 FIFA World Cup qualification9 2–010 31 May 2013 Schüco Arena, Bielefeld, Germany 2–0 2–0 Friendly11 19 November 2019 Stadion Narodowy, Warsaw, Poland 1–1 2–3 UEFA Euro 2020 qualification
Honours PSV KNVB Cup: 2011–12 Johan Cruijff Shield: 2012
Omonia Cypriot Cup: 2021–22
References
External links
Tim Matavž at NZS