Dominic Matteo Illness, What Illness Does Dominic Matteo Have? Does Dominic Matteo Have Brain Tumour?
by Mathelene | Updated Nov 03, 2023
Dominic Matteo Illness
Former footballer Dominic Matteo faced a life-threatening ordeal when he was diagnosed with a rare brain tumor in 2019. The ex-Leeds United and Liverpool player started having persistent headaches, which led to doctors discovering the tumor. He had to undergo emergency surgery because the tumor caused a seizure and put immense pressure on his brain.
What's even more surprising is that doctors believe the tumor might have been growing while he was still playing football. Matteo's wife, Jessica, played a crucial role in supporting him during this tough time. The surgery to remove the tumor was successful but resulted in some vision loss in his right eye.
Matteo has had to relearn how to read and write as part of his recovery. Despite the challenging journey, he now makes light-hearted jokes about the situation, suggesting he might have been an even better player if he had known about the tumor earlier.
Who is Dominic Matteo?
Dominic Matteo is a Scottish former professional footballer who had a career spanning 17 years, from 1992 to 2009. He played as a defender and midfielder and made a total of 366 appearances in league and cup competitions, with 276 of those in the Premier League. During his career, Matteo played for clubs like Liverpool, Sunderland, Leeds United, Blackburn Rovers, and Stoke City.
He is best known for scoring a memorable goal in the Champions League against A.C. Milan. However, in the later part of his career, injuries began to impact his performance, ultimately leading to his retirement at the age of 35 in 2009. Matteo faced challenges off the field as well, struggling with gambling addictions and declaring bankruptcy in 2015. He represented both England at under-21 and 'B' team levels before earning six caps for the Scotland national team.
Full Name
Dominic Matteo
Date of Birth
April 28, 1974
Position
Defender and Midfielder
Clubs Played for
Liverpool, Sunderland, Leeds United, Blackburn Rovers, Stoke City
Career Duration
1992 - 2009
Dominic Matteo Age
As of 2023, Dominic Matteo is 49 years old. Dominic Matteo was born in Dumfries on April 28, 1974. His birth mother, Margaret, was a 17-year-old student when she became pregnant and named him Stephen. Because she was very young and didn't have a source of income, she decided to put him up for adoption.
The adoption agency recommended this decision, and he was adopted by parents who ran a cafe and were big fans of European football. Dominic's adoptive father had Italian roots and wished that his son would play football like Cesare Maldini. When Dominic was seven years old, his adoptive parents, Albert and Marie, told him about his adoption, along with his older brother.
Dominic Matteo Career
Dominic Matteo began his football career as a versatile player for Liverpool. He caught the eye of Kenny Dalglish, who was initially there to watch his son play. Matteo struggled to secure a fixed position in the team due to his versatility but eventually earned a professional contract at 18.
He made his Premier League debut in 1993 for Liverpool, making 13 appearances that season. In 1995, he briefly joined Sunderland on loan but encountered registration issues. Matteo scored two goals for Liverpool, one in the Premier League against Southampton and another in the FA Cup against Huddersfield Town.
Despite a promising season in 1999-2000, he was sold to Leeds United in 2000. At Leeds, he became captain and played a key role in their 2000-01 Champions League campaign, notably scoring against A.C. Milan. He also played for Blackburn Rovers and later moved to Stoke City before retiring due to injury. Matteo had a dual international career, earning caps for both England's Under-21 and 'B' teams, as well as six caps for Scotland.
What Illness Does Dominic Matteo Have?
Dominic Matteo had a rare cancerous brain tumor. He was diagnosed in 2019 after experiencing persistent headaches. This illness led to a seizure and emergency surgery to remove the tumor, which put immense pressure on his brain. Doctors believe the tumor might have been developing during his football career. His recovery involved relearning how to read and write.
Does Dominic Matteo Have Brain Tumour?
Yes, Dominic Matteo had a brain tumor. He was diagnosed with this rare cancerous tumor in 2019 due to persistent headaches. The tumor required emergency surgery to remove it, as it caused a seizure and put significant pressure on his brain. Doctors believe the tumor may have been growing while he was still playing football. Matteo's recovery involved relearning how to read and write.
Dominic Matteo Illness - FAQs
Dominic Matteo was diagnosed with a rare brain tumor in 2019, which led to emergency surgery.
Dominic Matteo had to undergo emergency surgery to remove the brain tumor that was causing pressure on his brain. The surgery was successful but resulted in vision loss in one eye.
Dominic Matteo is a former professional footballer who played as a defender and midfielder in the English Premier League.
Dominic Matteo is known for his career in clubs like Liverpool, Leeds United, Blackburn Rovers, and Stoke City. He notably scored a goal in the Champions League against A.C. Milan.
Dominic Matteo was born on April 28, 1974.