Mateo Bajamich
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 3 August 1999 | ||
| Place of birth | Morrison, Argentina | ||
| Height | 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)[1] | ||
| Position | Winger[1] | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team |
Estudiantes RC (on loan from Atlético Tucumán) | ||
| Number | 32 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Unión de Morrison | |||
| 2016–2018 | Instituto | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2018–2020 | Instituto | 28 | (10) |
| 2020–2022 | Houston Dynamo | 9 | (0) |
| 2020–2021 | → Instituto (loan) | 8 | (2) |
| 2022 | → Huracán (loan) | 10 | (0) |
| 2023–2024 | Estudiantes RC | 37 | (8) |
| 2024– | Atlético Tucumán | 67 | (8) |
| 2026– | → Estudiantes RC (loan) | 2 | (0) |
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 19:04, 31 January 2026 (UTC) | |||
Mateo Bajamich (Croatian: Bajamić, pronounced [matěo bǎjamitɕ];[2][3] born 3 August 1999) is an Argentine professional footballer who plays as a winger for Primera División side Estudiantes RC, on loan from Atlético Tucumán. He can also play as a striker.[4]
Instituto
Bajamich's career started with Instituto Atlético Central Córdoba, joining in 2016 from his local club Unión de Morrison.[5] Ahead of the 2018–19 Primera B Nacional season, Bajamich was promoted to the Instituto first team.[6][7] He made his Instituto debut on 23 February 2019, coming on as a substitute in a 3–2 defeat to Nueva Chicago.[8] Bajamich was a late addition to the match day squad after Facundo Affranchino was injured in the pre-match warm up.[9] He had previously been an unused substitute in 2018 for matches with Villa Dálmine and Arsenal de Sarandí.[10][11] Bajamich made his first start in senior football in a 1–0 loss against Guillermo Brown on 3 March 2019.[12] On 21 April, he scored his first professional goal in the final match of the season in a 1–1 draw against Gimnasia y Esgrima (M).[13] Bajamich and Instituto finished the 2018–19 season 22nd in the league table.[14] After the season, he signed a contract with Instituto lasting until 2022.[15]
Bajamich netted four goals in his first five games to start the 2019–20 season, including a brace in a 3–0 win at Brown de Adrogué on 14 September 2019.[12][16] He scored twice again on 9 November in a 2–0 win against Santamarina.[17] On 15 March Bajamich scored once to help La Gloria defeat Tigre 3–0.[12][18] That would end up being the final game of the season for Instituto as the season was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[19] Bajamich ended the season with 9 goals and 3 assists from 21 games, helping Instituto finish 9th in group B.[20][21][22]
Houston Dynamo
On 5 October 2020, Bajamich joined the Houston Dynamo of Major League Soccer.[21] The transfer fee is reportedly $1,200,000, with Instituto receiving 20% of his next sale.[23][24] The contract with Houston lasts until 2022, with the Dynamo having team options until 2025.[21]
Instituto loan
On 9 November 2020, Bajamich was loaned back to Instituto until 21 January 2021, prior to the start of Houston's pre-season.[25] He scored on his first appearance back, netting the opener in a 2–1 victory over Chacarita Juniors on 28 November.[20] He scored again on 27 December in a 1–1 draw against Gimnasia y Esgrima (J).[20] Bajamich made a total of eight appearances on loan, scoring twice, as Instituto lost in the first round of the promotion play-offs to Defensores de Belgrano.[20]
Return to Houston
Bajamich made his Dynamo debut on 15 May 2021, coming off the bench in a 3–1 loss to the Colorado Rapids.[26] He recorded his first assist for the Dynamo on 29 May in a 3–2 loss to Sporting Kansas City.[26] Bajamich ended the season with 1 assist in 9 appearances, as Houston finished last in the Western Conference, missing out on the playoffs.[26][27]
Loan to Huracán
On 28 January 2022, Bajamich was again loaned out by Houston. He returned to Argentina, joining Huracán on loan for the season with Huracán holding a purchase option.[28] Bajamich made his debut for Huracán on 15 February, coming off the bench in a 3–2 loss to Estudiantes de la Plata in a Copa de la Liga Profesional match.[12][citation needed] Bajamich made 9 appearances while with Huracán, all in the Copa de La Liga Profesional.[12][citation needed]
On 7 November 2022, Houston declined Bajamich's contract option for 2023, making him a free agent.[29]
Estudiantes de Río Cuarto
On 16 January 2023, Bajamich signed with Estudiantes de Río Cuarto in Primera Nacional.[30][31][32] He made his debut for Estudiantes (RC) on 11 February, coming off the bench in a 2–0 loss to CA Temperley.[12] On 17 February, Bajamich scored his first goal for el Celeste in a 2–2 draw with San Telmo.[12] He ended the season with 8 goals in 38 appearances to help Estudiantes finish 4th in the league, plus 3 more appearances in the Copa Argentina where they reached the round of 16.[20][33]
Atlético Tucumán
On 11 January 2024, Bajamich signed with Atlético Tucumán to return to the Primera División.[34] He made his debut for El Decano on 25 January as a sub during a 1–1 draw with Rosario Central in the Copa de la Liga Profesional.[35] His first goal for the club came on 31 March during a 1–1 draw against Independiente in the Copa de la Liga.[35] He scored his first 2 career Primera División goals on 22 September in a 2–4 loss to Belgrano.[35] Bajamich ended the season with 7 goals in 41 games across all competitions.[35][20]
Personal life
Born in Argentina, Bajamich is of Croatian descent.[36] In 1921, his great-grandfather Mariano Bajamich (Croatian: Marin Bajamić) left Trnbusi, Croatia (then part of Yugoslavia) and moved to Argentina where he married a Spaniard named Carmen. Bajamich expressed his desire to play for the Croatia national team. In 2020, he received the Croatian citizenship.[37]