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“I Believe In Mathys, Maybe More Than He Believes In Himself" - Roberto De Zerbi
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- “I Believe In Mathys, Maybe More Than He Believes In Himself" - Roberto De Zerbi
(IMAGO / Action Plus)
Stamford Bridge gave Mathys Tel a stage to change public and fan perceptions. In a fixture that has often exposed Tottenham's shortcomings, the young Frenchman offered a glimpse of what he can deliver after a rocky start at Tottenham.
His performance against Chelsea, capped by a memorable individual goal, has brought fresh attention to a player whose potential has often been easier to recognise than his place in the team.
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Since arriving from Bayern Munich, Tel has struggled to turn promise into sustained influence in north London. At 21, he still has considerable room to grow, while his achievements with France's youth sides underline the expectations surrounding him.
Speaking after Tottenham victory over Chelsea on Saturday night, head coach, Roberto De Zerbi said, "I believe in Mathys, maybe more than he believes in himself. I think it's a journey of this club. I think Tottenham is lucky, and me as a coach, I'm lucky, because we have a great group of players, as a quality, but also as a people. I think the future of this club can be important if we keep this mentality, these behaviours."
Now, the conversation moves beyond one impressive evening. As praise follows Tottenham's victory, the bigger question is whether this can become a defining moment in Tel's development.
Born in Sarcelles, Mathys Tel developed at several French youth clubs before joining Rennes' academy in 2020. He became their youngest senior player in August 2021, making his debut aged 16, and attracted Bayern Munich's attention after helping France win the 2022 European Under-17 Championship.
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Bayern signed him that July, and he quickly became their youngest goalscorer. Tel scored 16 goals in 83 appearances for the German giants and won the Bundesliga in his first season. However, opportunities remained limited, prompting a loan move to Tottenham in February 2025 as he sought regular football and the chance to establish himself elsewhere.
Mathys Tel joined Tottenham on loan from Bayern Munich in February 2025, making his debut against Liverpool before scoring on his first start against Aston Villa in the FA Cup. He finished that campaign with three goals in 20 appearances and helped Spurs win the Europa League, featuring five times in their successful European run.
Tottenham made the move permanent that June, handing the Frenchman a contract until 2031. In his first full season, he scored four goals in 38 appearances across all competitions, with opportunities coming both centrally and out wide. However, those numbers reflected a player still working towards consistent attacking output.
His performance at Stamford Bridge, capped with a superb solo goal in Saturday's 2-0 win over Chelsea, offered an encouraging sign of his potential following an impressive extended international window with France Under-21s, where he became joint all-time top goalscorer.
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Roberto De Zerbi's comments highlight the journey that the Frenchman is on; for someone so young, there has been a lot of changes at club level. The hope now is that De Zerbi is at Spurs for the long haul and that stability will not only help Tel but the club to grow further.
