‘Being here is impressive’

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Mateu Morey signs for Borussia Dortmund after winning the U-17 Eurocup and the UEFA Youth League.

In 2017, he won the U-17 Eurocup with Spain, and was one of the protagonists of ‘la Roja’. A year later, he won the UEFA Youth League with Barça. The international press then began to compare him to Philipp Lahm, and not only due to his small stature, but above all because of his footballing intelligence, his positioning on the pitch and his attacking attitude. Major European clubs such as Bayern, Juventus and Manchester United began to follow him closely, but in the end it was Borussia Dortmund who took the cat out of the bag and managed to sign one of the world’s most promising players.

Mateu Morey joined the German club in the summer of 2019. A few months earlier, the Mallorca full-back had already announced his intention not to renew with Barcelona. After three years with the blue and red’s U-18 A team, Mateu made the jump to Barça B in the 2018-19 season, but a serious meniscus injury prevented him from competing. Once he recovered, he decided to try his luck at Dortmund, where he was able to reunite once again with two former ‘culés’, Sergio Gómez and Paco Alcácer.

Mateu Morey señala el escudo del Borussia Dortund.
Mateu Morey points to Borussia Dortmund’s crest.

The German club’s website defines its recent signing as “a right-back who interprets football in a very offensive way”, with “short passes, reduced contact and always looking for the beauty of the game”. These are some of the characteristics that Mateu already showed in Marcet when he was six years old, the age at which he first signed up for the academy’s intensive courses. “My cousin and a friend already attended Sunday training sessions as they were signed up to the Annual Course”, explains the right back. “My Dad is the real reason behind my love for football. I could barely walk but didn’t want to miss a single of his weekend matches. Without him none of this would be possible”.

“The teachers at Marcet were very approachable and really wanted us to learn”, remembers the Mallorcan. “We worked a lot on our technique during the courses, especially dribbling the ball, controlling, passing, playing with the other foot… And so of course I improved. When your surrounded by good trainers learning is easy”.

Mateu Morey durante un entrenamiento en Marcet.
Mateu Morey training at Marcet High Performance Academy.

Unfortunately, Dortmund were not able to see everything Mateu had to offer at the beginning of the 2019-20 season, as he dislocated his shoulder during a friendly match in August. Until then, the Mallorcan had been the surprise of the summer and everything indicated that coach Lucien Favre intended to give him a starting place in the Super Cup against Bayern.

Those plans were disrupted by a minor injury that kept the defender away from the field for a couple of months. On his return to the competition, Mateu was called up several times to the first team, but it was with the reserves that he played the most important role. The club’s management is committed to him “in the long term”, following its policy of signing up promising youngsters with a lot of talent. With Achraf Hakimi likely to return to Real Madrid in the next few years, his chances of claiming ownership over Dortmund’s right-back position could increase considerably.

Mateu Morey en un partido con la Selección española.
Mateu Morey plays during a match of the Spanish National Team.

“Borussia is a fantastic club and supports the youth a lot. That’s precisely why I chose them, and I think I can do my bit for the team,” explained Mateu after his move. “I’d seen the stadium on TV, but being here is really different, it’s very impressive. The best thing here in Dortmund is that we always want to have the ball. I want to integrate quickly, support the team and above all learn the language, which will make everything much easier!”

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