Matz Sels

Written by Koen Van Uytvange, Pieter-Jan Calcoen and Yanko Beeckman for Nieuwsblad:

After five-and-a-half excellent years at Strasbourg – where he was voted the best goalkeeper in Ligue 1 in 2022 – Sels returned to the Premier League in February. His previous spell at Newcastle, in 2016-17, was short-lived. “I came from a team of friends but in Newcastle, I struggled with the mentality: ‘each man for himself’,” he said and shut down his Twitter account because of the abuse he received. An excellent shot-stopper, Matz Sels is underrated with his feet. At Lierse, where he started his career, he earned the nickname “Zidane” in training because of his signature dribbling. Once took a real estate agent course and is no stranger to superstition: after winning the title with Gent in 2015, he wore pink underwear for months, until it tore. Although spelt with a Z, he is named after the tennis player Mats Wilander.