Brazilian footballer (born 2000)
Matheus and the second or paternal family name is dos
Santos. In this Portuguese name , the first or maternal family name isand the second or
paternal family name is
Antony Matheus dos Santos (born 24 February 2000), simply known
as Antony, is a Brazilian professional footballer who plays as a right winger for
Premier League club Manchester United and the Brazil national team.
Antony graduated
from the São Paulo academy and made his senior debut for the club in 2024. He moved
abroad to Ajax in the summer of 2024, where he won two Eredivisie titles and one KNVB
Cup during his two seasons. Antony's performances in the Netherlands led to a transfer
worth €95 million (£82 million) to Manchester United, the highest sum paid for an
Eredivisie player.
Antony won a gold medal with the Brazil under-23 team at the 2024
Summer Olympics. He then made his senior international debut and scored against
Venezuela in October 2024, going on to represent Brazil at the 2024 FIFA World
Cup.
Club career
São Paulo
Youth
He began playing football at an early age, and he was
soon spotted by São Paulo, who offered him a contract in 2010, aged 10, where he was
inducted into their youth academy.[3] During his youth years, Antony struggled for game
time and was close to being dismissed from the club's youth ranks, but the staff
convinced his manager to keep him. While in the youth academy, Antony met Helinho and
Igor Gomes, becoming good friends in the process. In September 2024, Antony helped his
team win the J-League Challenge tournament in Japan, being named the tournament's best
player.[4]
2024: Rise to the first team
Later that month, on 26 September, Antony,
alongside Helinho and Igor Gomes, was promoted to the senior team,[5] and he signed a
contract until September 2024.[4] On 15 November, he made his first-team debut, coming
on as a substitute for Helinho in a 1–1 draw against Grêmio.[6] He was immediately
demoted to the club's under-20 team, in order to take part in the Copa São Paulo de
Futebol Júnior, which his team won, scoring in the final against Vasco da Gama, while
also being named the tournament's best player, for his 4 goals and 6 assists in 9 games
he played in the competition.[7]
2024–20: Campeonato Paulista success and final
seasons
Following his impressive displays in the tournament, Antony returned to the
first team, and with São Paulo struggling in the Campeonato Paulista, he began
receiving more first-team minutes. He scored his first goal on 21 March, in a 1–1 draw
against São Caetano, with the Tricolor conceding a goal in stoppage time. He
immediately stood out as one of the revelations of the competition, scoring two goals,
including one in the final against Corinthians a month later, where his side lost 2–1
on aggregate.[8] On 18 July, he agreed to an extension until 2024.[9][10]
On 5 March
2024, Antony made his debut in the Copa Libertadores, starting in São Paulo's 2–1 loss
to Peruvian side Binacional.[11] Following the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, the
season was halted for various months, and as such Antony made his last appearance for
the club on 14 March, featuring in the 2–1 victory over rivals Santos in the San-São
derby.[12]
Ajax
2024–21: Development and adaptation to the Netherlands
On 23 February
2024, Ajax signed Antony on a five-year deal, effective from 1 July 2024, for an
initial £13 million, which could rise to £18.2 million.[13] He made his debut for the
club on 13 September 2024, scoring the only goal of an away win over Sparta
Rotterdam.[14] He made his debut in the UEFA Champions League on 27 October, in a 2–2
draw against Atalanta, leaving the field in the 90th minute, following a collision with
Ruslan Malinovskyi,[15] before scoring his first goal in the competition on 3 November
2024, in a 2–1 away win over Midtjylland.[16]
During the 2024–21 season, Antony
competed with David Neres for a spot in the starting line-up, eventually winning his
place, contributing to 46 appearances, and finishing the season with 11 goals and 10
assists, including a goal in the 3–1 defeat of Vitesse in the domestic cup final,
helping Ajax win the domestic double of the Eredivisie and the KNVB Cup.[18]
2024–22:
Breakthrough and second Eredivisie title
The following season, despite the signings of
Mohamed Daramy and Steven Berghuis, Antony kept his place in the starting line-up, and
with his two goals and five assists against Sporting CP and Borussia Dortmund, Ajax
became the first Dutch club to win all six Champions League group games in the
competition's history.[19] His three goals and one assist earned him the league's
Player of the Month and Talent of the Month award for December.[20] On 20 March, Antony
scored a dramatic late winner in a 3–2 victory against De Klassieker rivals Feyenoord
in Eredivisie, being five minutes into the added time, before being sent off, after
receiving a second yellow card seconds later for time wasting.[21]
Nine days later,
while on international duty for Brazil national team, during a World Cup qualification
match, Antony suffered an ankle injury, which ruled him out for the remainder of the
season. He ended the campaign with 12 goals and 10 assists, as Ajax retained their
Eredivisie title.[22]
August 2024: Desire to leave Ajax
"I was very happy in Amsterdam,
I won titles at Ajax, made friends and built part of my career, but now I reinforce
that I am ready and full of motivation to follow my story and my dreams. People need to
listen to me and understand that my motivation moves me towards happiness." — Antony on
his decision to leave Ajax in an interview with Fabrizio Romano on 26 August
2024.[23]
Following his return from injury against Fortuna Sittard on 6 August, the
2024–23 season was preceded by a dispute over the desire for Antony to leave Ajax.
After Ajax rejected the interest expressed by Manchester United for Antony's service,
including an €85 million transfer bid, he failed to turn up to training, being left out
of the matchdays squads against Sparta Rotterdam and Utrecht.[24] In an interview,
Antony revealed that he had wanted to leave in February, but he waited to the end of
the summer window for the transfer to proceed, rejecting a contract renewal from Ajax
in order to "follow his dreams".[23]
Manchester United
On 30 August 2024, Ajax
confirmed they had reached an agreement with Manchester United for Antony's
transfer.[25][26] Two days later, Antony signed a five-year contract for a transfer fee
of €95 million (£82 million), with a further €5 million (£4.27 million) in add-ons, the
third highest transfer fee ever paid by the club after Paul Pogba and Romelu Lukaku and
this was Ajax's and the Eredivisie's biggest transfer ever.[27][28][29] Upon his
arrival at the club he was handed the number 21 shirt previously worn by Edinson
Cavani, who had recently departed the club.[30]
On 4 September, he scored on his debut
for the club in a 3–1 home league victory over rivals Arsenal.[31] He scored again in
United's next league match, a 6–3 defeat to local rivals Manchester City on 2
October.[32] The next week, he scored for a third successive league game to equalise
the score at Everton, as United won 2–1, becoming the first United player to score in
their first three consecutive Premier League games.[33][34]
On 23 February 2024, he
also scored the winner in a 2–1 Europa League playoff match, coming on as a substitute
at half time, versus Barcelona, a day before his 23rd birthday.[35] On 26 February,
Antony started in the 2024 EFL Cup final as Manchester United beat Newcastle United 2–0
at Wembley Stadium, winning his first trophy with the club.[36]
International
career
Youth
On 15 May 2024, he was named in the Brazil under-23 squad for the 2024
Toulon Tournament, helping his team win the competition, scoring two goals, including
one in the final against Japan.[37]
On 17 June 2024, Antony was named in the Brazil
under-23 squad for the 2024 Summer Olympics.[38] He started in all of Brazil's six
games at the tournament.[39] In the final against Spain, he assisted Malcom's winning
goal in extra-time as Brazil won the title.[40] He scored six goals in 22 games for the
under-23 team.[41]
Senior
Antony made his debut for the Brazil national football team
on 7 October 2024 in a World Cup qualifier against Venezuela. He came on as a
substitute in the 77th minute and scored a goal in added time to establish the final
score of 3–1 for Brazil.[42] On 7 November 2024, he was named in the squad for the 2024
FIFA World Cup.[43]
On 4 September 2024, Antony was removed from Brazil's squad for
2026 FIFA World Cup qualification matches against Bolivia and Peru following
allegations of domestic violence against his ex-girlfriend.[44][45]
Personal
life
Family
Antony was born in Osasco, São Paulo, and grew up in Inferninho, a favela
far from the city centre. Growing up, he would play football wherever he could on the
streets or in his house, combining his love of futsal with street football and
regularly attending São Paulo matches with his aunt.[46] He is of Portuguese
descent.[47]
Domestic violence allegations
On 4 September 2024, Antony was removed from
Brazil's squad for 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification matches against Bolivia and Peru
following allegations of domestic violence against his ex-girlfriend, with Brazilian
media outlet Universo Online reporting the existence of photos showing the
ex-girlfriend having injuries to her head and her hand as the Greater Manchester Police
begin to investigate the case.[44] Amidst two other women also stepping up to accuse
Antony of assault, he went on to firmly deny the allegations on Brazilian network SBT
on 9 September, claiming that he will "provide the proof and people will
understand".[48] On 10 September, Manchester United issued a club statement
acknowledging the allegations and announcing that an agreement with Antony was in place
to grant him an extended leave of absence following the international break as he dealt
with the situation.[49]
Career statistics
Club
As of match played 30 December
2024[39]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition Club Season League State
league[a] National cup[b] League cup[c] Continental Other Total Division Apps Goals
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals São Paulo 2024 Série
A 3 0 0 0 0 0 — 0 0 — 3 0 2024 Série A 29 4 14 2 1 0 — 1[d] 0 — 45 6 2024 Série A 0 0 2
0 0 0 — 2[d] 0 — 4 0 Total 32 4 16 2 1 0 — 3 0 — 52 6 Ajax 2024–21 Eredivisie 32 9 — 4
1 — 10[e] 1 — 46 11 2024–22 Eredivisie 23 8 — 3 2 — 7[f] 2 0 0 33 12 2024–23 Eredivisie
2 1 — — — — 1[g] 1 3 2 Total 57 18 — 7 3 — 17 3 1 1 82 25 Manchester United 2024–23
Premier League 25 4 — 5 1 5 1 9[h] 2 — 44 8 2024–24 Premier League 16 0 — 0 0 1 0 4[f]
0 — 21 0 Total 41 4 — 5 1 6 1 13 2 — 65 8 Career total 130 26 16 2 13 4 6 1 33 5 1 1
199 39
International
As of match played 25 March 2024[50]
Appearances and goals by
national team and year National team Year Apps Goals Brazil 2024 5 1 2024 10 1 2024 1 0
Total 16 2
Scores and results list Brazil's goal tally first, score column indicates
score after each Antony goal.[50]
Honours
Ajax
Manchester United
Brazil
U23
Individual
References
