In 1957, at the age of 42, Matthews travelled to Ghana to play a number of exhibition games for Ghanaian club Hearts of Oak. On 26 May 1957, Matthews made his 'debut' for Hearts of Oak at Accra Sports Stadium against Asante Kotoko in front of 20,000 spectators. Similar attendances were recorded for Matthews' next two games against Sekondi Hasaacas and Kumasi Cornerstone. As a result of Matthews' visit to the country, he was installed as a "soccerhene" (soccer chief). Matthews' visit to Ghana also convinced Ghana's first prime minister Kwame Nkrumah that sport could help the development of Ghanaian football, as well as push the ideals of Pan-Africanism. Ghana won their first Africa Cup of Nations six years later in 1963 under the management of Charles Gyamfi.