Matheus França

Matheus França
	Matheus França (left) playing for Flamengo in 2018
Personal information
Full name	Matheus França de Oliveira
Date of birth	1 April 2004 (age 20)
Place of birth	Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Height	1.82 m (6 ft 0 in)
Position(s)	Attacking midfielder, forward
Team information
Current team	Crystal Palace
Number	11
Youth career
	Olaria
2017–2022	Flamengo
Senior career*
Years	Team
2021–2023	Flamengo
2023–	Crystal Palace
International career‡
2019	Brazil U16
2022–	Brazil U20
	*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 2 March 2024; ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 18 January 2023

Matheus França de Oliveira (born 1 April 2004) is a Brazilian professional footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder or forward for Premier League club Crystal Palace.

Club career

Early career

França was born in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and joined local club at Flamengo at the age of 12, after being one of the stand-out performers playing for Olaria. He became part of the Flamengo youth team and was considered, alongside Lázaro, one of the club's greatest young players after Vinícius Júnior.^[2]

Flamengo

França debuted in the Flamengo's professional team on 6 December 2021 in a Campeonato Brasileiro Série A match against Santos at Maracanã Stadium, he replaced Éverton Ribeiro on the 78th minute.^[3] He had a €200 million release clause in his Flamengo contract. ^[4]

On 25 January 2022, Flamengo extended França's contract until 30 April 2027.^[5] On 23 February 2023, França extended his contract with Flamengo until 31 December 2028.^[6]

Crystal Palace

On 1 August 2023, it was reported that Flamengo negotiated França's potential transfer to Premier League club Crystal Palace, for a reported fee around €20 million (about R$104 million), plus €5m in bonuses.^[7] On 5 August, França officially joined Crystal Palace on a five-year contract.^[8] On 21 October, he made his debut for the club in a 4–0 loss against Newcastle United.^[9]

França made his first start for the club on 4 January 2024 in a 0–0 draw with Everton in the third round of the FA Cup and was voted man of the match by Palace supporters following his performance.^[10]^[11] On 24 February, he registered his first assist for the club in a 3–0 win against Burnley, setting up a goal for Jordan Ayew. He also won a penalty in the same match which was subsequently scored by Jean-Philippe Mateta.^[12]

International career

França has played internationally for Brazil at under-16 level with six appearances.

França has made three appearances for the Brazil U20 team. He was called-up to represent Brazil at the 2023 South American U-20 Championship, but Flamengo asked for his release to play in the FIFA Club World Cup.^[13]

Career statistics

As of match played 2 March 2024^[14]

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club	Season	League			State league^[a]		National cup^[b]		Continental		Other^[c]		Total
Club	Season	Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Flamengo	2021	Série A	1	0	—		—		—		—		1	0
	2022		17	4	3	1	1	0	2^[d]	1	—		23	6
	2023		9	1	12	1	2	0	3^[d]	1	2^[e]	0	28	3
	Total		27	5	15	2	3	0	5	2	2	0	52	9
Crystal Palace	2023–24	Premier League	10	0	—		2	0	—		—		12	0
Crystal Palace	2024–25	Premier League	0	0	—		0	0	—		—		0	0
Career total			37	5	15	2	5	0	5	2	2	0	64	9

^ Includes Campeonato Carioca
^ Includes Copa do Brasil, FA Cup
^ Includes EFL Cup
^ ^a ^b Appearances in Copa Libertadores
^ One appearance in Supercopa do Brasil, one appearance in FIFA Club World Cup

Honours

Flamengo

References

^ ^a ^b ^c "FIFA Club World Cup Morocco 2022™: List of Players: CR Flamengo" (PDF). FIFA. 7 February 2023. p. 4. Archived (PDF) from the original on 12 February 2023. Retrieved 18 February 2023.
^ "Quem é Matheus França, joia do Flamengo que marcou seis gols contra o Palmeiras na Copa do Brasil sub-17". Torcedores (in Brazilian Portuguese). 14 October 2021. Retrieved 18 January 2023.
^ "Flamengo vs. Santos". Soccerway. 7 December 2021.
^ "Real Madrid eyeing another Brazilian wonderkid Matheus Franca". FootballExpress.in. 23 April 2023.
^ "Flamengo renova com Matheus França até abril de 2027". ge.globo (in Brazilian Portuguese). 25 January 2022. Retrieved 18 January 2023.
^ "Após recusar propostas, Flamengo acerta renovação com Matheus França" (in Brazilian Portuguese). Marcado do Futebol. 23 February 2023. Retrieved 5 March 2023.
^ "Flamengo ultrapassa R$ 1 bilhão em arrecadação com vendas de atletas da base desde a saída de Vini J" (in Brazilian Portuguese). R7. 1 August 2023.
^ "Crystal Palace sign Matheus França on five-year deal". Crystal Palace F.C. 5 August 2023.
^ "Newcastle United 4–0 Crystal Palace". BBC Sport. 21 October 2023.
^ Woosnam, Matt. "Franca's first Crystal Palace start showed his potential - now he needs more minutes". The Athletic. Retrieved 17 January 2024.
^ "França named your Grilla Man of the Match against Everton". Crystal Palace F.C. 4 January 2024.
^ "Crystal Palace 3-0 Burnley: Eagles defeat Clarets in Oliver Glasner's first game in charge". BBC Sport. 23 February 2024.
^ "Flamengo solicitará à CBF liberação de Victor Hugo e Matheus França". Diário do Fla (in Brazilian Portuguese). 17 December 2022. Retrieved 18 January 2023.
^ Matheus França at Soccerway. Retrieved 20 December 2022.
^ "Gabi Leads Flamengo To Libertadores Title". CONMEBOL Libertadores. 30 October 2022. Retrieved 3 November 2022.

External links

Profile at the Crystal Palace F.C. website

[15] Includes Campeonato Carioca

[16] Includes Copa do Brasil, FA Cup

[17] Includes EFL Cup

[COL-18] Appearances in Copa Libertadores

[19] One appearance in Supercopa do Brasil, one appearance in FIFA Club World Cup

[FCWC_2022-1] "FIFA Club World Cup Morocco 2022™: List of Players: CR Flamengo" (PDF). FIFA. 7 February 2023. p. 4. Archived (PDF) from the original on 12 February 2023. Retrieved 18 February 2023.

[2] "Quem é Matheus França, joia do Flamengo que marcou seis gols contra o Palmeiras na Copa do Brasil sub-17". Torcedores (in Brazilian Portuguese). 14 October 2021. Retrieved 18 January 2023.

[3] "Flamengo vs. Santos". Soccerway. 7 December 2021.

[4] "Real Madrid eyeing another Brazilian wonderkid Matheus Franca". FootballExpress.in. 23 April 2023.

[5] "Flamengo renova com Matheus França até abril de 2027". ge.globo (in Brazilian Portuguese). 25 January 2022. Retrieved 18 January 2023.

[6] "Após recusar propostas, Flamengo acerta renovação com Matheus França" (in Brazilian Portuguese). Marcado do Futebol. 23 February 2023. Retrieved 5 March 2023.

[7] "Flamengo ultrapassa R$ 1 bilhão em arrecadação com vendas de atletas da base desde a saída de Vini J" (in Brazilian Portuguese). R7. 1 August 2023.

[8] "Crystal Palace sign Matheus França on five-year deal". Crystal Palace F.C. 5 August 2023.

[9] "Newcastle United 4–0 Crystal Palace". BBC Sport. 21 October 2023.

[10] Woosnam, Matt. "Franca's first Crystal Palace start showed his potential - now he needs more minutes". The Athletic. Retrieved 17 January 2024.

[11] "França named your Grilla Man of the Match against Everton". Crystal Palace F.C. 4 January 2024.

[12] "Crystal Palace 3-0 Burnley: Eagles defeat Clarets in Oliver Glasner's first game in charge". BBC Sport. 23 February 2024.

[13] "Flamengo solicitará à CBF liberação de Victor Hugo e Matheus França". Diário do Fla (in Brazilian Portuguese). 17 December 2022. Retrieved 18 January 2023.

[14] Matheus França at Soccerway. Retrieved 20 December 2022.

[20] "Gabi Leads Flamengo To Libertadores Title". CONMEBOL Libertadores. 30 October 2022. Retrieved 3 November 2022.

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