Matteo Ruggeri
Italian footballer (born 2002)
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Matteo Ruggeri (Italian pronunciation: [matˈtɛ.o rudˈd͡ʒɛ.ri]; born 11 July 2002) is an Italian professional footballer who plays as a left-back for Premier League club Aston Villa.
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Ruggeri playing for Atalanta in 2017 | |||||||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||
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| Full name | Matteo Ruggeri[1] | ||||||||||||||||
| Date of birth | 11 July 2002 | ||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | San Giovanni Bianco, Italy | ||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.87 m (6 ft 2 in) | ||||||||||||||||
| Position | Left-back | ||||||||||||||||
| Team information | |||||||||||||||||
Current team | Aston Villa | ||||||||||||||||
| Number | 13 | ||||||||||||||||
| Youth career | |||||||||||||||||
| 2011–2020 | Atalanta | ||||||||||||||||
| Senior career* | |||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | ||||||||||||||
| 2020–2025 | Atalanta | 85 | (0) | ||||||||||||||
| 2021–2022 | → Salernitana (loan) | 14 | (0) | ||||||||||||||
| 2025–2026 | Atlético Madrid | 26 | (0) | ||||||||||||||
| 2026– | Aston Villa | 0 | (0) | ||||||||||||||
| International career‡ | |||||||||||||||||
| 2018–2019 | Italy U17 | 16 | (0) | ||||||||||||||
| 2019–2020 | Italy U18 | 9 | (0) | ||||||||||||||
| 2020 | Italy U19 | 1 | (0) | ||||||||||||||
| 2021–2022 | Italy U20 | 3 | (0) | ||||||||||||||
| 2022–2025 | Italy U21 | 16 | (0) | ||||||||||||||
Medal record
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* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 23:36, 24 May 2026 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals as of 22 June 2025 | |||||||||||||||||
Ruggeri is a product of the Atalanta academy and went on to make over 100 appearances for the side, including winning the 2023–24 UEFA Europa League where he was named in the 2023–24 Europa League Team of the Season. He transferred to Atlético Madrid in July 2025.
He has played for Italy at multiple youth team levels, most recently for Italy U21s. Ruggeri was called into the senior Italy squad for the first time in March 2025 but is yet to make his debut.
Club career
Atalanta
Matteo Ruggeri grew up in Zogno, Lombardy, Italy, where he started playing football, before joining Atalanta's youth sector in 2011.[2] He made his professional debut for Atalanta on 3 November 2020, coming on as a substitute in the 81st minute in a UEFA Champions League group stage match against Liverpool, which Atalanta lost 5–0 at home.[3] Five days later, he made his Serie A debut in a 1–1 home draw against Inter.[4]
Loan to Salernitana
On 27 July 2021, Ruggeri joined newly-promoted Serie A club Salernitana on a season-long loan.[5]
Return to Atalanta
On 22 May 2024, Ruggeri started in Atalanta's 3–0 victory over German champions Bayer Leverkusen in the 2024 UEFA Europa League final.[6]
Atlético Madrid
On 1 July 2025, Ruggeri joined La Liga side Atlético Madrid, signing a five-year contract.[7]
Aston Villa
On 19 August 2026, Ruggeri signed for Premier League club Aston Villa for an undisclosed transfer fee,[8] reported to be around £17 million.[9]
International career
In March 2025, following regular appearances at multiple youth team levels, he was called up to the senior Italy squad for the 2024–25 UEFA Nations League quarter-final matches against Germany on 20 and 23 March 2025.[10]
Career statistics
Club
- As of match played 24 May 2026[11]
| Club | Season | League | National cup[a] | League cup | Europe | Other | Total | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Atalanta | 2020–21 | Serie A | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 2[b] | 0 | — | 8 | 0 | ||
| 2022–23 | Serie A | 15 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | 15 | 0 | ||||
| 2023–24 | Serie A | 34 | 0 | 4 | 0 | — | 10[c] | 2 | — | 48 | 2 | |||
| 2024–25 | Serie A | 30 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 6[b] | 0 | 2[d] | 0 | 38 | 0 | ||
| Total | 85 | 0 | 4 | 0 | — | 18 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 109 | 2 | |||
| Salernitana (loan) | 2021–22 | Serie A | 14 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 15 | 0 | |||
| Atlético Madrid | 2025–26 | La Liga | 26 | 0 | 5 | 0 | — | 15[b] | 0 | 1[e] | 0 | 47 | 0 | |
| Aston Villa | 2026–27 | Premier League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | |
| Career total | 125 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 33 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 171 | 2 | ||
- Includes Coppa Italia, Copa del Rey
- Appearances in UEFA Champions League
- Appearances in UEFA Europa League
- One appearance in UEFA Super Cup, one appearance in Supercoppa Italiana
- Appearance in Supercopa de España
Honours
Atalanta
- UEFA Europa League: 2023–24[12]
- Coppa Italia runner-up: 2020–21,[13] 2023–24[14]
Atlético Madrid
- Copa del Rey runner-up: 2025–26[15]
Individual
- UEFA Europa League Team of the Season: 2023–24[16]
