Mateus Fernandes (footballer)
Portuguese footballer (born 2004)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Mateus Gonçalo Espanha Fernandes (born 10 July 2004) is a Portuguese professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Premier League club West Ham United and the Portugal national team.
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Fernandes in 2026 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Mateus Gonçalo Espanha Fernandes[1] | ||
| Date of birth | 10 July 2004 | ||
| Place of birth | Olhão, Portugal | ||
| Height | 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in) | ||
| Position | Midfielder | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | West Ham United | ||
| Number | 18 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 2010–2016 | Olhanense | ||
| 2016–2021 | Sporting CP | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2021–2023 | Sporting CP B | 36 | (2) |
| 2022–2024 | Sporting CP | 5 | (0) |
| 2023–2024 | → Estoril (loan) | 28 | (1) |
| 2024–2025 | Southampton | 39 | (2) |
| 2025– | West Ham United | 35 | (3) |
| International career‡ | |||
| 2021–2022 | Portugal U18 | 9 | (1) |
| 2021–2023 | Portugal U19 | 9 | (0) |
| 2022–2023 | Portugal U20 | 2 | (1) |
| 2023– | Portugal U21 | 18 | (3) |
| 2026– | Portugal | 1 | (0) |
|
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 19:32, 17 May 2026 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals as of 14:08, 1 April 2026 (UTC) | |||
Club career
Sporting CP
Fernandes is a youth product of his local club Olhanense, and moved to Sporting CP's youth academy in 2016.[2] He was promoted to their B-team for the 2021–22 season. On 14 October 2022, Fernandes signed a professional contract with the club tying him until 2027 with a release clause of €60 million.[3] He made his professional and senior debut with Sporting as a late substitute in a 3–1 Primeira Liga win over Casa Pia on 22 October 2022.[4]
On 29 August 2023, Primeira Liga club Estoril announced the signing of Fernandes on a season-long loan from Sporting.[5]
Southampton
On 20 August 2024, Fernandes joined Southampton on a five-year contract.[6] He made his debut for the club on 24 August 2024 in a 1–0 home defeat against Nottingham Forest after he replaced Taylor Harwood-Bellis in the 76th minute.[7] On 28 August 2024, Fernandes scored his first goal for the club in a 5–3 away victory against Cardiff City in the EFL Cup.[8]
West Ham United
On 29 August 2025, Fernandes joined West Ham United on a five-year contract,[9][10] for a fee reported to be “more than £40m”.[11] He became the club's third-biggest signing, behind the £45m paid for Sebastien Haller and the £51m paid for Lucas Paquetá.[12]
On 14 December, he scored against Aston Villa after 29 seconds, making it the fastest Premier League goal of the season. The game ended 3–2 to Villa.[13]
International career
Fernandes is a youth international for Portugal, having played up to the Portugal U21s. [14]
On 1 April 2026, he made his debut for the Portugal senior team, coming on as a late substitute for Bruno Fernandes in a friendly match in Atlanta against the USA, which ended 2–0 to Portugal.[15]
Career statistics
Club
- As of match played 2 May 2026[16]
| Club | Season | League | National cup[a] | League cup[b] | Europe | Other | Total | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Sporting CP B | 2021–22 | Liga 3 | 18 | 1 | — | — | — | — | 18 | 1 | ||||
| 2022–23 | Liga 3 | 18 | 1 | — | — | — | — | 18 | 1 | |||||
| Total | 36 | 2 | — | — | — | — | 36 | 2 | ||||||
| Sporting CP | 2022–23 | Primeira Liga | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 2[c] | 0 | — | 7 | 1 | |
| 2023–24 | Primeira Liga | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 1 | 0 | |||||
| 2024–25 | Primeira Liga | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 1[d] | 0 | 2 | 0 | ||||
| Total | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 10 | 1 | ||
| Estoril (loan) | 2023–24 | Primeira Liga | 28 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 0 | — | — | 35 | 1 | ||
| Southampton | 2024–25[17] | Premier League | 36 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 1 | — | — | 42 | 3 | ||
| 2025–26[18] | Championship | 3 | 0 | — | 1 | 1 | — | — | 4 | 1 | ||||
| Total | 39 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 2 | — | — | 46 | 4 | ||||
| West Ham United | 2025–26[18] | Premier League | 33 | 3 | 2 | 1 | — | — | — | 35 | 4 | |||
| Career total | 141 | 8 | 7 | 1 | 11 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 162 | 12 | ||
- Includes Taça de Portugal, FA Cup
- Includes Taça da Liga, EFL Cup
- One appearance in UEFA Champions League, one appearance in UEFA Europa League
- Appearance in Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira