Mathew Leckie

Mathew Leckie

Leckie with Adelaide United in 2010
Personal information
Full name Mathew Allan Leckie[1]
Date of birth (1991-02-04) 4 February 1991
Place of birth Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Height 1.81 m (5 ft 11 1⁄2 in)[2]
Playing position Forward
Club information
Current team
 FC Ingolstadt 04
Number 7
Youth career
2007 Bulleen Lions
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2008–2009 Bulleen Lions 37 (15)
2009–2011 Adelaide United 35 (8)
2011–2013 Borussia Mönchengladbach 9 (0)
2011–2012 Borussia Mönchengladbach II 10 (3)
2012–2013 → FSV Frankfurt (loan) 28 (4)
2012–2013 → FSV Frankfurt II (loan) 5 (5)
2013–2014 FSV Frankfurt 31 (10)
2014– FC Ingolstadt 04 73 (10)
National team‡
2009–2011 Australia U-20 13 (3)
2012– Australia 37 (3)

* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 3 November 2016.

‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 15 November 2016

Mathew Allan Leckie (born 4 February 1991) is an Australian footballer who plays for FC Ingolstadt 04.

Club career

As a child growing up in Melbourne's Western suburbs, Leckie actually aspired to play Australian rules football, his family supporting Essendon, however at 11 years old a change to a school in Sunshine with a more multicultural student body inspired him to take up football and he "never looked back".[3]

Leckie was a member of Victorian State League Division 1 outfit, Bulleen Lions until 2 September 2009, where Leckie was signed to Adelaide United for a two-year professional contract.[4] He made his A-League debut on 18 September for Adelaide United coming on as a substitute in the 75th minute against Melbourne Victory.[5]

Leckie in 2011

Leckie scored the winning goal in his first AFC Champions League match on 24 February 2010, against the reigning champions Pohang Steelers at Hindmarsh Stadium.[6] He followed this up by scoring his second goal in as many games against Shandong Luneng in Adelaide's 2–0 win on Match Day 2 of the Champions League.[7] Leckie is considered to be one of Australia's best young players.[8]

Leckie started the 2010–11 season with a bang, scoring twice in Adelaide's first five games, earning wide praise for his entertaining and robust style of play and winning the favour of the Australian U19 side for their competing in the 2010 AFC Under-19 championships. At the end of the A-League season he signed for German side Borussia Mönchengladbach. He scored his first goals for his new club with a double in a 5–2 friendly win against Aberdeen FC On 9 July 2011. In early 2013, he was loaned out to Frankfurt and has since scored 3 goals in only 2 appearances for the reserve team.

On the 3 June 2013, Mathew made his loan move to FSV Frankfurt permanent, signing a three-year contract that runs till 2016. Mathew stated the move was made to maximise his personal development and to build on the successes of his first season spent at FSV on loan where he made 28 appearances and scored 4 goals.[9]

On 7 May 2014, he signed a three-year contract with FC Ingolstadt 04.[10] While playing for Ingolstadt, the club was promoted to the Bundesliga at the end of the 2014–15 season.[11]

International career

In August 2009, Leckie was selected to represent Australia in the AFF U19 Youth Championship 2009, where he opened up the score-sheet in the 4–1 win over hosts, Vietnam, in the semi-finals.[12] Mathew was called up to the Australian Under-19s for the 2010 AFC U-19 Championship.

Ex-Australian National Coach, Pim Verbeek, named Leckie in the 25 man Socceroos squad for the AFC Asian Cup 2011 Qualifier against Indonesia.[13] Leckie didn't make an appearance in the game which Australia won 1–0 to book their place in the Asian Cup.[14]

Ex-Australian National Coach, Holger Osieck, included Leckie in the squad for the International Friendly against the Republic of Korea on 14 November 2012. Leckie came on as a late substitution with only limited time on the ball.

Australian National Coach, Ange Postecoglou, included Leckie in the squad for the International Friendly against Costa Rica on 19 November 2013.

Leckie had an outstanding World Cup campaign resulting in pundits estimating his worth at $10 million. He was quoted saying he does not regret his decision to sign for German second division club FC Ingolstadt, recognising that he may have had offers from larger clubs following his World Cup performances. "So whether I could have maybe had other offers now after this World Cup if I hadn't signed, I never would have known." [15]

Leckie was named as part of Australia's 2015 AFC Asian Cup squad. He started Australia's first game of the tournament against Kuwait, hitting the crossbar in the second half, and then providing the assist for James Troisi to score Australia's fourth goal of the match and helping Australia to a 4–1 win.

On 3 September 2015, Leckie scored his second goal for Australia, and his first since 2013, opening the scoring against Bangladesh in a 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifier.

International goals

As of match played 4 June 2016. Australia score listed first, score column indicates score after each Leckie goal.[16]
International goals by date, venue, cap, opponent, score, result and competition
No. Date Venue Cap Opponent Score Result Competition
1 15 October 2013Craven Cottage, London, England4 Canada3–03–0Friendly
2 3 September 2015Perth Oval, Perth, Australia26 Bangladesh1–05–02018 FIFA World Cup qualification
3 4 June 2016Stadium Australia, Sydney, Australia31 Greece1–01–0Friendly

Career statistics

As of 3 November 2016
Club Season Division League Cup Continental Total
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Adelaide United 2009–10 A-League 203––––203
2010–11 155––62217
Total 358––624110
Borussia Mönchengladbach 2011–12 Bundesliga 902000110
Total 902000110
FSV Frankfurt 2012–13 2. Bundesliga 2842100305
2013–14 311022003312
Total 591443006317
FC Ingolstadt 2014–15 2. Bundesliga 3270000327
2015–16 Bundesliga 3230000323
2016–17 902000110
Total 731020007510
Career total 17632836219037

[17]

Honours

With Australia:

FC Ingolstadt

Personal Honours:

References

  1. ↑ "2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil: List of Players" (PDF). FIFA. 11 June 2014. p. 3. Retrieved 11 June 2014.
  2. ↑ "Mathew Leckie". socceroos.com.au. Football Federation Australia. Retrieved 4 September 2015.
  3. ↑ Leckie proves AFL's loss is the Socceroos' gain Goal.com
  4. ↑ "Reds make final signing". Adelaide United FC. A-League. 2 September 2009. Retrieved 2 September 2009.
  5. ↑ "Reds' horror run against Victory continues". Adelaide United FC. A-League. 18 September 2009. Retrieved 18 September 2009.
  6. ↑ "Reds upset Asian champions in ACL". Adelaide United FC. A-League. 24 February 2010. Retrieved 24 February 2010.
  7. ↑ "Adelaide United dismantle Shandong in China". Adelaide United FC. A-League. 10 March 2010. Retrieved 11 March 2010.
  8. ↑ "Bright Future For Adelaide United Starlet Matthew Leckie – Aurelio Vidmar". goal.com. 30 September 2009. Retrieved 8 October 2011.
  9. ↑ "Leckie makes permanent FSV Frankfurt move". Bundesliga.com. 3 June 2013. Retrieved 13 July 2013.
  10. ↑ "Leckie wechselt zum FCI – Trio verlängert" (in German). kicker.de. Retrieved 9 May 2014.
  11. ↑ http://www.foxsports.com.au/football/socceroos/mathew-leckie-ingolstadt-socceroo-scores-as-club-seals-promotion-to-bundesliga/story-e6frf4l3-1227359812838
  12. ↑ "Thailand-Australia Final in U19 Meet". ASEAN Football Federation. 10 August 2009. Retrieved 18 September 2009.
  13. ↑ "Reds score four in Qantas Socceroos squad". Adelaide United FC. A-League. 17 February 2010. Retrieved 17 February 2010.
  14. ↑ "Australia qualifies". Football Federation Australia. Football Federation Australia. 8 March 2010. Retrieved 8 March 2010.
  15. ↑ http://theworldgame.sbs.com.au/article/2014/06/22/socceroos-10-million-man-leckie-surprises-himself
  16. ↑ Mathew Leckie profile at Soccerway
  17. ↑ http://www.kicker.de/news/fussball/bundesliga/vereine/2014-15/68111/vereinsspieler_leckie-matthew.html
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