Jurgen Mattheij

Jurgen Mattheij (born 1 April 1993) is a Dutch professional footballer who plays as a centre-back for club IJsselmeervogels.

Club career

Born in Rotterdam, Mattheij began his professional career at Excelsior in 2011. In his eight seasons with the club, he played in 188 games and scored 9 goals. In June 2019, he joined Sparta Rotterdam before moving to CSKA Sofia a year later. Mattheij soon established himself as a key player for "the reds", becoming the team's captain.

He also developed a knack for scoring decisive goals, including a last-minute one in extra time in the second leg against Viktoria Plzeň, held on 26 August 2021, to secure the team's entry into the UEFA Europa Conference League group stage, and the winning goal against Bulgarian champions Ludogorets Razgrad in a First League match that took place on 20 December 2021.

During 2021, he managed a career-high 7 goals in all tournaments. In June 2024, following a period during which he was sidelined due to injury issues, he left the team upon the expiration of his contract.

On 30 December 2024, Mattheij returned to Excelsior, on a contract until the end of the 2024–25 season. He made a single appearance following his return, coming on as a late substitute in a 3–1 away victory against SC Telstar on 21 February 2025. In March 2025, he sustained a season-ending injury, ruling him out for the remainder of the campaign.

After spending six months as a free agent, Mattheij signed with IJsselmeervogels on 29 January 2026, joining the Tweede Divisie side until the end of the season.

Career statistics

Honours Team CSKA Sofia Bulgarian Cup: 2020–21

Individual Best goal in Bulgarian football for 2021 Best foreign player in Bulgarian football for 2021 (shared with Jordy Caicedo)