Mateo Retegui’s history unfolds the tale of a boy born into an Olympic family renowned for their achievements in Argentine field hockey. It’s also the story of a boy faced with a challenging decision that divided his heart into two halves: whether to pursue football or carry on his father’s legacy in field hockey.
Mateo Retegui’s Olympic Roots and Sporting Crossroads: Full Story
Truth be told, Mateo Retegui moved back and forth in his choice. One day he was playing hockey, and the other day he moved to soccer.
After so much mental fighting, he became bold enough to abandon the sport (field hockey) that his lovely father had taught him.
Today, Mateo’s football decision (which the family accepted) is helping the Italian national football team rebuild their lost reputation.
Indeed, we’ll give you the complete story Carlos “El Chapa”, a man who raised the boy that bewitched Roberto Mancini and the Italian national team.
A Tale of Father-Son Legacy: A touching glimpse into the deep connection and shared journey of Carlos Retegui and his cherished son, Mateo.
Preamble:
Our Mateo Retegui Biography tells you Facts about his Childhood Story, Early Life, Parents – Carlos Retegui (Father), María de la Paz Grandoli (Mother), Family Background, Sister (Micaela Retegui), Grandparents – Angelo Dimarco (maternal grandfather), etc.
This article on Retegui also breaks down details of his Italian Family Origins, Family migration to Argentina during World War II, hometown, Education, ethnicity, etc. More so, the lifestyle, personal life, Net worth and salary breakdown of the fast-rising Italian Forward.
This version of Mateo Retegui’s Biography begins by telling you notable events of his boyhood years.
Then, we explain his early sporting life, where he juggled between field hockey and football. Finally, we’ll explains how he (who began playing football late) grew to become a hero in the beautiful game.
We hope to whet your autobiography appetite as we engage you with reading Mateo Retegui’s Biography.
To get started, let’s present you with a photo gallery that tells his story – from childhood to moments of fame. Without a doubt, Mateo has been through an incredible journey.
Embracing the Journey: We’ll delves into the captivating story of Mateo Retegui’s childhood, his struggle between two sports, and his ultimate rise to stardom in football.
Yes, the Forward surprised fans when he instantly began shining just after being called to the Italian national team for the 2024 Euro qualifying.
Mateo Retegui is a replica of Viktor Gyokeres, and he plays like Benjamin Sesko. He is an intense attacker who constantly puts pressure on defenders and has a great eye for scoring goals.
In our history of telling you the stories of Argentine Forwards, we found a knowledge deficit.
The truth is, not many soccer fans have read an in-depth version of Mateo Retegui’s Biography, which is super exciting. Now, without further ado, let’s get started.
Mateo Retegui Childhood Story:
For Biography starters, he bears the nickname ‘El Tabano’. Mateo Retegui was born on the 29th day of April 1999 to his Mother, Maria Grandoli and Father, Carlos Retegui, in San Fernando. His birthplace is a town situated in the Greater Buenos Aires region of Argentina.
The professional footballer, who is also nicknamed ‘the next Gabriel Batistuta,’ arrived on planet Earth as one among two children born to the union between his Mum and Dad.
He is the last born of his family and has a sister named Micaela. Now, let’s introduce you to Mateo Retegui’s Parents.
Nurtured in a family with a rich sporting background, Maria Grandoli and her husband, Carlos, played an instrumental role in shaping the future of their son.
Guided by their love and support since childhood, Mateo Retegui has successfully carried his parents’ legacy to greater heights.
Maria Grandoli and Carlos Retegui provided unwavering love and support to their son Mateo from a young age.
Growing-Up Years:
Mateo’s childhood was exciting and enjoyable, as he shared countless memorable moments with his beloved older sister, Micaela Retegui.
Born on April 23, 1996, Micaela is three years older than her brother, who arrived in the world on April 29, 1999.
Since childhood, these two have formed an unbreakable bond, supporting and learning from each other as they navigate the adventures of their early years.
Meet Mateo Retegui and Micaela, siblings with an unbreakable bond who have shared countless memorable moments throughout their exciting childhood.
Micaela and Mateo grew up in the La Damasia neighbourhood of San Fernando, Buenos Aires, Argentina. To this day, they have continued to form a strong bond, which has grown stronger as they got older.
The siblings born to Maria and Carlos never let each other wander in the dark alone and are always there to support and uplift one another.
The inseparable Retegu siblings are always there to support and uplift each other, with their bond growing stronger through the years.
Mateo Retegui Early Years:
The son of Chapa, as a little boy, inherited his passion for sports from both his father and mother. Mateo Retegui grew up to be an adventurous kid who was intelligent enough to multitask in three different sports.
If it wasn’t field hockey, then it was tennis (like Charles de Ketelaere) or playing football, especially at his family home.
A young Mateo Retegui, with his innate passion for sports, looking so adorable, as he skillfully handles a soccer ball in the comfort of his family’s living room.
Mateo Retegui’s Parents were the type who always allowed their son to choose his own adventure rather than imposing a sport on him.
For a larger part of his childhood, the youngster found joy in accompanying his father to the field hockey pitch.
Soon, little Mateo Retegui knew what it meant to live for and play field hockey sport when he was a child.
As a young boy, Mateo often joined his father on the field hockey pitch, leading him to discover a deeper passion for the game. But how did he, having grown to this age, suddenly switch to football and become successful in it?
Mixing Field Hockey and Soccer:
In La Damasia neighbourhood, where Mateo Retegui’s parents raised him, playing field hockey was the order of the day.
The influence of the environment (through family and friends) was always linked to the sport.
So as the act of playing field hockey grew in the neighbourhood, Matteo found himself getting disassociated from the other sports – tennis and soccer.
Speaking with TyCSports, Mateo Retegui once said;
“As a boy, I played both sports simultaneously until, at one point, I didn’t want to play soccer anymore. I didn’t play ball for two years”
Those who saw Mateo Retegui play field hockey in his childhood years have said that he was quite good.
Do you know?… Mateo’s talent in hockey saw him being called by the youth teams of the Argentine Hockey Confederation. People who knew him back then have questioned…
‘why did he switch to football considering how good he was in field hockey?’
Mateo continued to follow in his father’s footsteps until a few years ago when he had to make a tough decision.
The decision of choosing either the hockey stick or football. In this Bio, we’ll explain further on how the son of Carlos “El Chapa” chose his own adventure (soccer).
Mateo Retegui Family Background:
The first thing to know about the Italian Argentine is the fact that both of his parents were once active in field hockey.
So, we understand that it was almost impossible for Mateo Retegui and his sister, Micaela, to stay away from playing field hockey as children.
Now, let’s go deeper into the education of Mateo Retegui’s parents. His mother, María de la Paz Grandoli, was once a field hockey junior world champion with Argentina in 1993.
On the other hand, Mateo Retegui’s Father, Carlos, gracefully wore the Argentine field hockey jersey in three Olympic games.
Before retiring from field hockey in 2005, El Chapa was part of the Atlanta 1996, Sydney 2000 and Athens 2004 Argentine field hockey Olympic teams. Having their parents as Legends of field hockey sports, Mateo and his sister, Micaela, followed in their footsteps.
Carlos Retegui, Matteo’s Dad, passed on the hockey stick to his first child, Micaela Retegui, on the day she was born.
And Micaela herself embraced and began playing the sport that made her parents famous as soon as she could walk.
Interestingly, Mateo Retegui’s sister grew into a great Olympian. Do you know?… Micaela won the silver medal at the 2020 Summer Olympics while playing for the Argentine national field hockey team.
From day one with the hockey stick in her hand: Embracing the sport from an early age, Micaela Retegui went on to become a decorated Olympian, winning a silver medal at the 2020 Summer Olympics.
Now, let’s tell you why Mateo Retegui’s Father is very famous in Argentina sports. It is simply because he won multiple honours in field hockey as both a player and a coach.
As a coach, Carlos ‘Chapa’ Retegui won the gold medal in Rio 2016 with the Argentine men’s field hockey team.
More on the Athlete’s Household:
The success of Mateo Retegui’s father as a coach didn’t end there. He was also the coach of the hockey women’s team that won two silver medals in the two other Olympics – London 2012 and Toyko 2020.
Mateo Retegui was right there, following, watching, and learning from his Dad while he achieved his early victories as a coach. No wonder it was hard for him to leave the field hockey sport for football.
Our research into Mateo Retegui’s family history further reveals that his paternal grandfather excelled in sports. Many years ago, rowing, rather than field hockey, was the order of the day.
Rowing, which was the family’s sports tradition, was later replaced by field hockey by Carlos Retegui, Mateo’s Dad. The new sport became stronger when Carlos got married to María de la Paz Grandoli, a former field hockey player.
Aside from the realm of field hockey sport, the Reteguis are a loving family from a wealthy background.
Navigating the challenges of childhood was easy for Mateo simply because he had a very caring mum who looked over his shoulders while his Dad was away with his field hockey duties.
Mateo’s childhood was made easier by his loving mother, who cared for him while his father was busy with field hockey responsibilities.
Despite being a busy household name in Argentina field hockey sports, Carlos El Chapa Retegui always found time to bond with his family.
People credit the hardworking coach for helping lots of field hockey athletes, including his daughter, become successful in the sport. We’ll tell you how he became the guiding light for Matteo even when he switched from hockey to football.
Amidst a bustling career in Argentine field hockey, Carlos “El Chapa” Retegui never compromised on precious family moments.
Mateo Retegui Family Origin:
This section explains the ancestral roots of the Argentine-born Italian footballer. First, let’s talk about Mateo Retegui’s Nationality.
The Centre-Forward has both Italian and Argentine citizenship. Mateo Retegui has Italian citizenship by descent. He holds Argentine citizenship because his birthplace (San Fernando) is situated in South America (Argentina).
Even though he was born and raised exclusively in Argentina, he sees himself as a bona fide Italian Citizen. Now, let’s tell you the origin of Mateo Retegui’s Italian ancestry.
His maternal grandparents have family origins in Canicattì, a town in Sicily, Italy. In other words, Mateo Retegui’s family origin (from Italy) is Sicily, Canicattì, situated in the Italian province of Agrigento.
Mateo Retegui’s ancestry traces back to his maternal grandparents from Canicattì, a town in Sicily, Italy – a heritage he proudly identifies with.
During World War II, Mateo Retegui’s maternal grandpa, Angelo Dimarco, left the Italian town of Canicatt for Argentina.
On that day, he made the trip to escape the war in Europe; little did he know that his grandson would, 80 years later, make a reverse trip to Italy.
A reverse trip with the ball at his feet and wearing the great ‘Azzurri’ shirt. Let’s not forget there was a renewed desire for the footballer to learn the Italian language.
Ethnicity:
Similar to Matias Soule, Mateo Retegui identifies with the ethnic group known as Italian Argentines. This ethnicity type, known as italo-argentina (in Italian) or Italo-Argentinos (in Spanish), is used to identify Italian people born in Argentina or Italy.
According to WorldAtlas, Argentina began experiencing huge immigration of Italians at the start of the 19th century. And during WWII, which is the case of Angelo Dimarco – Mateo Retegui’s maternal grandpa.
At the start of the 19th century, Argentina achieved its independence from Spain – which led to the beginning of massive migration.
Mateo Retegui Education:
Like many other kids in Argentina, Carlos and María ensured Mateo and his sister (Micaela) adhered to their country’s compulsory early schooling.
Although the exact school Mateo Retegui attended is unknown, it is believed that he completed his education – up to secondary school.
Career Buildup:
The truth is, it wasn’t like Mateo Retegui’s family didn’t like football. Members of the Athlete’s household were River Plate football fans, especially his Dad, Carlos.
Interestingly, Mateo dreamt of being a professional soccer player, just like Chapa, his Dad had in his childhood.
That fight between choosing the dream of either becoming a footballer or hockey player began in La Damasia neighbourhood. It was in this environment that Mateo and his sister honed their field hockey skills.
Because it was more of a hockey neighbourhood, we could understand why it was difficult for him to leave his father’s sport.
Football Story:
Indeed, it only takes a person who is so blessed with the talent to begin playing full-time soccer at the age of 16 and become successful within a short time.
This is the case of Mateo Retegui. At the age of 16, the big dilemma between field hockey and soccer was over.
Mateo Retegui, at the age of 16, made the decision that changed his life forever. He boldly followed the opposite path to his father’s sport by giving up the idea of playing field hockey at the professional level.
Yes, this was the sport that Mateo used to shine at – during the time he was part of the Argentina junior hockey team.
River Plate, the football club Mateo Retegui’s family supported, was his first-ever club. For failure to meet the huge demand of the competitive academy, the youngster got released.
Mateo moved on, and he (in 2016) was accepted by Boca Juniors – under the leadership of Coqui Raffo.
Falling into temptation:
“I had a discussion with my old man. He advised me after i got a test with boca juniors.
I stayed with the club, and felt loved there.
got a test in Boca and I stayed. I felt loved there and had a good time and I said ‘Football is my thing.'”
Those were the words of an overly excited Mateo Retegui, who was very optimistic about his new career life.
However, this joy experienced with football didn’t last long. Within the first year of playing with Boca Juniors, Mateo Retegui was tempted not just to leave the club but to abandon football.
The hunger to go back to playing his old sport, field hockey, was the main reason for the temptation. At that time, the Argentine Field Hockey Federation wanted their player back.
In fact, they tempted Mateo Retegui to give him an automatic ticket to play in the Pan American Championship.
It didn’t just end there. They assured him of the huge possibility of representing the Argentine national team in the Juniors World Cup.
Resisting temptation:
After so many fights in his mind, Mateo Retegui finally resisted the temptation of reverting back to his old sport. But it was not an easy decision for the Italian Forward.
It is important to let you know that Mateo Retegui was never a striker at this time. He was a midfielder while playing for Boca Juniors Academy.
With an intense focus on his renewed career, Mateo Retegui began to show some great promise as a striker. Soon, the boy who was tempted to return back to field hockey was converted into a striker.
It came at a time when Mateo had just graduated from Boca Juniors Academy and was about to join Rolando Schiavi’s Reserve team.
The Road to Sporting Fame:
In late 2018, the former Field Hockey star successfully graduated from the Boca Juniors reserve team and was ready to make his first team debut.
Guillermo Barros Schelotto was the coach who handed Mateo Retegui his first debut on the 14th of November, 2018.
Not many football fans know this. It is a fact that Mateo Retegui, on the day of his debut, was given the primary duty of providing competition for Carlos Tevez.
It is pertinent to state that Carlos Tevez retired from professional football with Boca Juniors. While there, he showed a great example to players like Mateo Retegui and Alexis Mac Allister (whom he played with).
During his early senior career, Mateo Retegui appeared more as an unused substitute in Boca Juniors’ 2017–18 Argentine Primera División season.
He utilized his limited chances and still helped Boca Junior win his first-ever senior title – the 2017-18 Argentine Super League.
For failure to get a starting position with Boca Juniors, Retegui agreed not to continue with the club.
After consulting with his advisers, including his parents, the former Hockey player accepted an eighteen-month loan move to Estudiantes.
This is an Argentine professional sports club founded in 1905 and based in La Plata (the capital of Argentina’s Buenos Aires province).
After his January 2019 loan love expired, Mateo Retegui accepted another Boca Juniors loan transfer to Talleres de Córdoba. This is an Argentine sports club founded in 1913 in the city of Córdoba.
These periods of loan moves were important for Mateo’s career development. Aside from getting regular playing time, his confidence grew and led to improved performances, which we’ll tell you about in the next chapter.
Success Story:
In order to get better opportunities for his future and expose himself to a bigger level of competition, the Striker accepted one more loan move. Mateo joined Tigre, a professional football club founded in 1902 in Victoria, Buenos Aires.
It was in Club Atlético Tigre that Mateo Retegui’s career took a meteoric rise. He scored lots of goals, including in a match against his old club, River Plate. This match eliminated River (1-2 at the Monumental) for the 2022 Professional League Cup.
Thanks to his 19 goals, Mateo Retegui became the leading goal scorer of La Liga Profesional de Fútbol (LPF) in Argentina in 2022. The fast-growing striker helped Club Atlético Tigre win a trophy.
Mateo Retegui’s stellar performance at Club Atlético Tigre led to him becoming the top scorer in Argentina’s La Liga Profesional de Fútbol in 2022 and guiding his team to a triumphant trophy victory.
Retegui’s brilliant season continued in 2023 after the 2022 FIFA World Cup. Analyzing his form with Tigre, which made fans compare him to the legendary Gabriel Batistuta, he found more reason to appreciate his decision to stay with football.
It was these 26 goals Retegui scored for Club Atlético Tigre that bewitched Roberto Mancini’s Italy, thus leading to his Azurri call.
International Career Rise:
Before accepting to serve the country of his paternal grandfather, Retegui represented Argentina at the under-19 and under-20 levels.
Because he is eligible to play for Italy (through his ancestry), Roberto Mancini took that opportunity to summon him in February 2023.
For the Italian coach, the coming of Retegui would provide competition, especially for Gianluca Scamacca (West Ham Forward) and Giacomo Raspadori (Napoli striker).
Retegui had a great first impression of the Italian national team in his very first match. He scored in the first ten minutes against the Three Lions at Napoli‘s Diego Armando Maradona Stadium.
Retegui didn’t stop scoring in his first official call-up. He scored against Malta in the same Euro 2024 qualifier in the Ta’ Qali stadium.
Did you know?… Mateo Retegui broke a European record on his national team debut. He became the first European footballer to score in his first two competitive matches in a national team.
The only person with that record is Pierino Prati, who accomplished the great feat in the UEFA Euro 1968.
As I write Mateo Retegui’s Biography, he is among the EURO 2024 qualifying top scorers. He joins other top scorers like Rasmus Højlund (Denmark) and Scott McTominay (Scotland).
That list also contains top strikers like CR7 (Portugal), Romelu Lukaku (Belgium), and Dušan Vlahović (Serbia), who, as of April 2024, lead the chat with their goals.
Following their disheartening 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification struggles, the Italian national team has discovered a promising striker in Mateo Retegui, who provides a beacon of hope for the future.
Undoubtedly, seasoned players like Ciro Immobile and Andrea Belotti would be thrilled to see someone of his calibre carrying Italy’s torch after their eventual retirement. As the saying goes, the rest, as we often say, is now history.
Personal Life:
Who is Mateo Retegui?
In a world where professional footballers push their physical limits, it is refreshing to discover a unique breed of Athletes like Mateo Retegui, who is different.
He is someone who knows the value of taking a step back from the football hustle and enjoying the simple pleasures of life.
Mateo Retegui is someone who loves to bask in the warmth of the sun, finding the perfect balance between playing the game on the pitch and relaxation.
The Italian Striker epitomises a cool, laid-back lifestyle, which, of course, rejuvenates both body and mind.
Mateo Retegui knows the importance of relaxation, which is essential for maintaining peak performance on the pitch and preventing burnout.
Tattoo:
Retegui chooses to have his body art so he can reflect on his personal beliefs, interests, and experiences.
A notable tattoo on his right arm is the drawing of a rising sun. For Mateo, this tattoo signified a new beginning, hope, and rejuvenation of his football career following a total switch from field hockey.
Mateo Retegui also has a dove tattoo, which could signify love and freedom. His choice of the flying dove tattoo symbolizes their desire for harmony in both his professional and personal life. In addition to having tattoos, Retegui, like Nicolo Barella, is a huge dog lover.
Retegui’s meaningful tattoos, including a rising sun and a dove, symbolize new beginnings, hope, love, and harmony as he pursues his passions on the football field.
Mateo Retegui Lifestyle:
Outside football, the Italian footballer knows the importance of having vacations with family members.
After researching, we found that visiting the Emerald Coast in the US state of Florida is a popular holiday destination. Retegui refers to the beach lifestyle as the ultimate way to recharge his batteries.
Family Fun and Recharging on the Emerald Coast: Italian Footballer Mateo Retegui Enjoys the Ultimate Beach Lifestyle with Loved Ones in Florida.
Mateo Retegui Family Life:
In the course of reading, you would have noticed that members of his household have been instrumental in his journey as an Athlete.
With both his parents and an older sister being accomplished field hockey players, Mateo has never lacked support, even with his switch from field hockey to football. Now, let’s tell you more about the Reteguis.
About Mateo Retegui’s Father:
Nicknamed Chapa, Carlos José Retegui was born on the 19th day of December 1969. As a little boy, Mateo Retegui’s Father loved soccer, and he tried himself with River Plate.
After attending three training sessions, his family (for reasons unknown) decided not to take him there anymore.
Mateo grew up accompanying his father on the field hockey pitches. He, who never leaves his father’s sight, would sometimes follow him to the locker room.
Over the years, Matro has witnessed his father laugh, cry, and retire from the sport. After Carlos’ retirement, he reinvented himself as a coach.
Today, Carlos Retegui is described as a coach passionate about all sports, including soccer. Despite being a field hockey coach, Chapa accompanied his son to his soccer training. And as a good Dad, he advises his son always to push himself and never give up.
Between 2008 and 2009, Mateo Retegui’s Father coached the Argentina men’s national field hockey team.
Then in 2009, he replaced Gabriel Minadeo as the coach of the Argentina women’s national field hockey team. Chapa continued this role until 2012, when his contract was not renewed.
In early 2013, the ex-field hockey player went back to the men’s team again after the resignation of coach Emanuel Roggero.
Carlos José Retegui became famous for coaching the women’s team to winning gold medals at the 2010 World Cup. And with the men’s team, he led them to win the gold medal at the memorable 2016 Summer Olympics.
About Mateo Retegui’s Mother:
According to her daughter, María de la Paz Grandoli is described with many adjectives. First, she is a simple and pretty woman.
Then, a fun mom and partner who is introverted, extremely patient, strong, afraid of aeroplanes, etc. More so, someone who likes lemon pies, strawberry ice cream, chocotorta and oranges.
Again, Mateo Retegui’s mum is a huge fan of gardening, hates lying, and is a jeans and sneakers lover. Finally, someone who likes the sun, especially while wearing a hat and protective eyeglasses.
Above all, we describe her as an exceptionally compassionate, nurturing, and devoted mother who always made sure Mateo felt loved, supported, and protected since his childhood.
The many ways to describe María de la Paz Grandoli: Loving Mother, natural beauty, fun spirit, endless patience, devoted gardener, sun-soaked lover, and a sweet-tooth extraordinaire. Above all, the pillar of strength and love in Mateo Retegui’s life.
About Mateo Retegui Sister:
Micaela, born on the 23rd day of April 1996, is an Argentine field hockey player. She is famously known as the daughter of the Legendary Argentine ex-hockey player and now coach, Carlos Retegui. And these days, the football world has gotten to know Micaela as Mateo Retegui’s Sister.
As I write this bio, Micaela Retegui is still playing with the Argentina national field hockey team. Mateo Retegui’s sister gained international fame after winning the silver medal at the Summer Olympics of 2020. Micaela also has the following medals in her collection.
They are; the Pan American Cup Gold medal (2022 Santiago), Pan American Games Gold medal (2019 Lima) and Youth Olympics Bronze medal (2914 Nanjing).
Micaela Retegui: A Shining Star in Field Hockey, Argentina’s national field hockey pride, 2020 Summer Olympics Silver Medalist, and a beacon of triumph with a treasure trove of medals.
Mateo Retegui’s Brother-In-Law:
Ezequiel Huss is his name. Although he is yet to be married to Mateo Retegui’s sister, our odds are in favour of him getting the brother-inlaw name tag. Ezequiel Huss and Micaela Retegui have been in a relationship for quite a while. He seems like an easygoing fellow who has been accepted by the great Retegui family.
Love and Laughter: Ezequiel Huss, the soon-to-be brother-in-law, shares a joyful moment with Micaela Retegui and her Dad.
About Mateo Retegui’s Grandparents:
Earlier in this Bio, we mentioned that the Club Atlético Tigre Striker holds Italian citizenship through Angelo Dimarco. This person, who is Mateo Retegui’s maternal grandfather, emigrated from Argentina from Canicattì (Sicily). Also, El Tabano has a caring grandmother, whom the Retegui family members are very fond of. Pictured below with Micaela, everyone calls her “the modern grandmother.”
A warm moment between Micaela and her modern grandmother, celebrating their Italian heritage passed down from Angelo Dimarco of Canicattì, Sicily.
About Mateo Retegui’s Uncle:
Among his extended family members, the most notable is Enrique Retegui. Research shows he is Mateo Retegui’s uncle. Judging by his surname, it is obvious that Enrique is related to Carlos Retegui. our odds are in favour of them being brothers.
Untold Facts:
In the concluding phase of Mateo Retegui’s Biography, we’ll unveil truths you might not know about her. Without further ado, let’s begin.
Mateo Retegui’s FIFA:
Although he might not be ranked among the list of World Class forwards – the likes of Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland, he still gots massive potential to his name. At 23, Retegui has an 84% FIFA potential, and similar to Alexandar Mitrovic, the greatest assets he brings to the game are his Finishing, Jumping and Strength.
Rising Star Retegui: An Underrated Forward with Unmatched Potential, Showcasing Stellar Finishing, Impressive Jumping, and Remarkable Strength at Just 23 Years Old.
Mateo Retegui’s Religion:
The home of Chapa and María is made up of members who practice Christianity. Our odds are in favour of Mateo Retegui and his family being Roman Catholics. This is the major branch of Christianity religion practised in Argentine and Itality – the country of Mateo Retegui origins.
EndNote:
Mateo, nicknamed ‘El Tabano’, was born to his parents – Carlos Retegui (Dad) and María Grandoli (Mum). He had a splendid childhood growing up alongside his sister, Micaela Retegui. Mateo’s uncle is Enrique Retegui, and his maternal grandparent is Angelo Dimarco (not related to Federico Dimarco).
The professional footballer who strikes as a forward hails from a famous sporting family. Both of Mateo Retegui’s Parents are retired field hockey players for Argentine. While his Mum retired fully from the sport, Carlos, his Dad, continued as a field hockey coach after retirement.
As a field hockey coach, Carlos, Mateo’s father, is credited for guiding the Argentine men’s field hockey team to win the Olympic gold in Rio 2016. Again, the women’s team to gold medals at the 2010 World Cup. Not forgetting, Carlos coached the women’s team when they won silver medals at the London 2012 Olympics, etc.
Mateo Retegui’s mother, María de la Paz Grandoli, was a former hockey player of Club Pucará. This club is a women’s field hockey team that broke the record of becoming winners of the first junior world championship in Tarrasa, Catalonia, Spain (the year 1993).
From the onset, Mateo Retegui’s Parents moulded their children (Micaela and Mateo) to follow in their footsteps. So, both siblings began to appreciate the field hockey sports and began their careers in it. Before venturing into football, Mateo did well in field hockey, to the extent of playing for the Argentina Junior field hockey Team.
Career overview:
At the age of 16, Mateo Retegui’s family supported his decision to switch from field hockey to football. The youngster followed the opposite path to his father and gave up his favourite childhood sport, field hockey. To this day, Mateo does not regret leaving field hockey.
Retegui began his youth football career with River Plate, a club his family supports. After being released, he made his way to Boca Juniors. Moving through the youth ranks, he made the Rolando Schiavi’s Reserve and soon after made his senior debut under Guillermo Barros Schelotto.
In order to get better game time, Mateo, in January 2019, left on loan to Estudiantes. He further moved on loan to Talleres and finally settled down with Club Atlético Tigre. While on loan with Tigre, Mateo achieved a meteoric rise in soccer, a feat that landed him in the books of the Gli Azzurri.
Because Matro Retegui’s ancestry is tied to Italy through his maternal grandmother (Angelo Dimarco), he got the opportunity to play for Roberto Mancini’s Italian team. Thankfully, the Forward, whose Italian origin is from Canicattì, a town in Sicily, achieved a bright start to life in his new country.
Aside from Mateo Retegui’s Biography, we’ve got other great Italian and Argentine football stories that’ll excite you. From an Italian point of view, the Life History of Federico Dimarco and Wilfried Gnonto will interest you. And have you read the Life History of Argentine footballer Thiago Almada?
Appreciation Note:
Thank you for taking the time to read our version of Mateo Retegui’s Biography. We strive for accuracy and fairness in our quest to deliver the stories of Italian football Forwards. Retegui’s Bio is part of our wider collection of European and South American Football stories.
Please reach us (via comment) if you find anything that doesn’t look right in this memoir about the 6-foot-1 Italian forward. Also, tell us what you think about the San Fernando Athlete who Italy captured through the ‘Irish granny’ rule.
