13 fun facts about Matthijs de Ligt

Everything you need to know about the scintillating center-back

It isn't often that a youngster shows maturity at such a high level that it seems the player has been around for years. Matthijs de Ligt was one such youngster, showing immaculate leadership qualities and defensive acumen even before he had legally turned an adult. De Ligt having a bright future was written in the stars.

Born on August 12, 1999, in Leiderdorp, Netherlands, De Ligt began his youth career at the renowned Ajax academy, where he quickly rose through the ranks and made his first-team debut at the age of 17.

De Ligt's playing style is characterized by his exceptional defensive abilities and composure on the ball. Standing at 6 feet 2 inches tall (1.89 meters), he possesses great physical strength and aerial prowess, making him a formidable presence in both penalty areas. His positioning and reading of the game are remarkable for a player of his age.

Not only is De Ligt solid defensively, but he is also comfortable with the ball at his feet. He displays excellent passing range and distribution, often initiating attacks from the back with precise long balls or carrying the ball forward himself. This ability to contribute to the buildup play has earned him comparisons to some of the great ball-playing center-backs of the past.

De Ligt's leadership qualities are evident both on and off the pitch. Despite his young age, he captained Ajax during their impressive run to the UEFA Champions League semi-finals in the 2018-2019 season. His maturity, confidence, and ability to organize the defense have earned him respect from teammates and opponents alike.

In July 2019, De Ligt made a high-profile transfer to Italian giants Juventus, where he continued to showcase his defensive skills in Serie A.

His performances have cemented his reputation as one of the most promising young center-backs in the world, attracting interest from top clubs across Europe, which earned him a move to Bundesliga giants Bayern Munich in 2022.

GOAL takes a look at some of the most interesting facts about the Dutch defender.

Started playing tennis before football
Even though it's not surprising to see how well De Ligt plays, the fact that the Dutchman played tennis before he started playing football just goes to show how good an athlete he is.
De Ligt started playing tennis at the tender age of five and had never touched a football till he was six. However, when he turned eight years old when his local club in Abcoude, a town outside of Amsterdam, informed Ajax about him.
According to Dutch soccer writer Henk Spaan, Ajax first viewed De Ligt as too slow and out of shape, but a scout was reassured about his future body type when he saw De Ligt's slim father watching from the touchline.

Stood up for bullied children at school
In an interview with AjaxShowTime, Frank de Ligt, Matthijs' father, recalled how Matthijs would stand up for children who would get bullied.
"If someone was being bullied in class, he didn't go with the crowd, but he stood up for the bullied boy. According to the high school teachers, he grew up quickly compared to other boys of fourteen or fifteen years old," Frank revealed.
Could have been a midfielder
De Ligt, who is currently regarded as one of the best center-backs in the game, might have easily been playing higher up the pitch, possibly as a midfielder.
"Until I was 15, I was an attacking midfielder," he explained to UEFA.com.
"I played a lot in midfield, I scored some goals, gave some assists, and then suddenly they said to me it would be better for my career to go one position back, to center-back.
"At the beginning, I was thinking: 'I don’t like being a defender,' but now I’m starting to realise that the way I was brought up like a midfielder is helping me. So I’m really happy that this was the development I had to go through."

Didn't want to get a driver's license
In the same interview with AjaxShowTime, Matthijs' father Frank recalled the time when the defender refused to get a driver's license.
"He is also not busy with getting his driver's license. He doesn't want a car; 'focus first, it doesn't fit into my schedule,' [Matthijs] says. I then have to push him to go to a driving school. He lets it all come to him."
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First defender to win the Golden Boy award
De Ligt won the Golden Boy award in 2018, beating Trent Alexander-Arnold and Justin Kluivert. In the process, he became the first defender ever to win the prize.
A group of sports writers from across Europe gave him 224 votes; Alexander-Arnold received 149 votes, and Kluivert, who was playing for Roma at the time, received 101 votes, placing him in third place.
"I'm really happy and also very proud to have won this trophy, particularly when I look at who has won it before me," De Ligt told Tuttosport. "It's almost incredible to see my name added to a list that includes [Paul] Pogba, Mbappe, [Lionel] Messi and [Rafael] van der Vaart. Amazing."
In the same interview, he expressed his joy in becoming the first defender to win the Golden Boy award.
"I'm delighted to become the first defender to win this prize, and knowing that only forwards or midfielders have won it so far makes it all the more special. Usually, you see forwards or midfielders in the photos so this means a lot for me since I play a different role."
Second-youngest goalscorer for Ajax at the time
In a cup match against Willem II in September 2016, De Ligt made his senior debut for Ajax. After 25 minutes, he converted a corner to score, becoming the second-youngest goal scorer in club history behind Clarence Seedorf at the time (17 years and 40 days).
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Youngest captain in a UEFA Champions League knockout game
In February 2019, at the age of 19 years and 186 days, De Ligt took the captain's armband against none other than record European champions Real Madrid, becoming the youngest player to captain Ajax and to lead any side in a UEFA Champions League knockout match.
Youngest Ajax player to play 100th game for the club
De Ligt became the youngest player in Ajax history to play in his 100th official game on February 27, 2019, a 3-0 Klassieker victory over Feyenoord in the Dutch Cup.
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Youngest player to feature in a European final
De Ligt started the 2017 UEFA Europa League Final against Manchester United on May 24, making history as the youngest player (17 years, 285 days) to ever play in a major European final.
Second youngest-ever defender to score in Champions League knockouts
De Ligt became the first Dutch player to score in the knockout stages since Nordin Wooter in 1996 and the second-youngest defender to ever score (behind Joel Matip) on April 16, 2019, when he scored the game-winning goal against Juventus in the Champions League quarterfinal that sent Ajax to the semifinals for the first time since the 1996–97 season.
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Youngest debutant for Netherlands since 1931
De Ligt made his senior debut for the Netherlands against Bulgaria in a 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifying fixture at the age of 17, becoming Oranje's youngest full debutant and the youngest player to represent the country since 1931.
A huge Cristiano Ronaldo fan
De Ligt, while growing up, idolised Cristiano Ronaldo, with whom he would go on to share the dressing room for two seasons at Juventus.
In an interview with Dutch outlet VI, the 23-year-old shared an anecdote from his childhood: "I always wanted to be Cristiano Ronaldo when we were playing football in the garden. That was especially in his time when he played at Manchester United. My first football shirt also belonged to him from that time."
Nicknamed 'Fatty' at Ajax
De Ligt was given the nickname 'Fatty' due to his height (6ft 2in) and his bulky physique.
Moreover, when he was at Ajax, he had been linked to Manchester United until a Daily Mirror report said a scout had advised the Red Devils against making a transfer because De Ligt would be prone to gaining weight as he aged, much like his father.
De Ligt revealed in an interview that such assertions left him really perplexed.
"Every day, there was something new," he told Voetbal International.
"Suddenly, even my father was too fat and that's why one of the clubs wouldn't want me. That makes you go, 'Come on, man...'"