# Matthew Slattery (footballer)

Matthew Luke Slattery (Chinese: 馬斐; pinyin: Mǎ Fěi; born 5 April 2005) is a Hong Kong professional footballer of partial English descent who plays as a striker for Hong Kong Premier League club Kitchee.

## Club career

Slattery was promoted to the senior squad of Kitchee ahead of the 2023–24 season following good performances in the Under-18's Youth Premier League. He was also rewarded with his first professional contract with the club and would don the number 96 on his debut season. He made his first unofficial senior appearance as a substitute during the pre-season friendly against Chainat Hornbill with him expressing his will to continue to go on the grind and continue to improve following his lacklustre performance.
Slattery would also be included in the travelling squad for the 2023–24 AFC Champions League campaign, marking his first professional away outing. Slattery would then make his senior debut in the 6–2 thrashing of RCFC in the Sapling Cup as a substitute. Slattery was selected for the 2024 Guangdong–Hong Kong Cup final squad following a good showing in the preliminary training.

## International career

Slattery made his Hong Kong U-20 debut against Thailand in a friendly where he impressed for a good 90 minutes playing as a striker. He was then called up for the Hong Kong U-23 where he scored a goal against Tajikistan U-23 and stole a draw from the opponents late in the game.
Slattery participated in the 2023 East Asian Youth Games in Ulaanbaatar where he managed to fend off Mongolia as he scored another late goal to secure the win for Hong Kong. However the team fell to a 8–0 thrashing from Chinese Taipei and returned home with a silver medal.
Slattery earned his first senior team call up for the November 2024 international friendlies against the Philippines and Mauritius.

## Personal life

Matthew is an alumnus of La Salle College and was part of the school's athletics and football team. Matthew's girlfriend is current Kitchee player Letti Tsang.

## Career statistics
### Club

    As of 4 October 2023
| Club | Season | League | League | League | FA Cup | FA Cup | League Cup | League Cup | Others | Others | Total | Total |
| Club | Season | Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| Kitchee | 2023–24 | Hong Kong Premier League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Kitchee | Total | Total | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Career total | Career total | Career total | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |

#### Notes

* ↑ Appearances in the Hong Kong FA Cup
* ↑ Appearances in the Sapling Cup
* ↑ Appearances in the Senior Shield

### International
#### Hong Kong U-20

    As of 4 October 2023
| No | Date | Venue | Opponent | Result | Goals | Competition |
| 1 | 9 September 2022 | Chonburi UTA Stadium, Chonburi, Thailand | Thailand | 0–1 (lost) | - | Friendly |
| 2 | 16 September 2022 | Gelora Bung Tomo Stadium, Surabaya, Indonesia | Indonesia | 1–5 (lost) | - | 2023 AFC U20 Asian Cup Qualifiers |
| 3 | 18 September 2022 | Gelora Bung Tomo Stadium, Surabaya, Indonesia | Timor-Leste | 1–2 (lost) | - | 2023 AFC U20 Asian Cup Qualifiers |

#### Hong Kong U-23

    As of 4 October 2023
| No | Date | Venue | Opponent | Result | Goals | Competition |
| 1 | 9 September 2022 | TALCO Arena, Tursunzoda, Tajikistan | Tajikistan | 1–1 (draw) | 1 | Friendly |
| 2 | 16 September 2022 | TALCO Arena, Tursunzoda, Tajikistan | Tajikistan | 1–2 (lost) | - | Friendly |

## Honour
### Kitchee

* Hong Kong Senior Challenge Shield: 2023–24
* HKPLC Cup: 2023–24