I’ve known Mataar for several years. I first met him and his brother Hadar through my friend and his Uncle, Itzik. Like me, they both love soccer, the martial-arts, but most importantly they are very thoughtful boys with an ability self-reflect beyond their years.
When I was coaching a 2005 team I desperately tried to get Mataar to sign with us but he was already on a great team. He came to play a few friendlies and I can’t imagine a coach who would not admire his mental focus and physical commitment to the game. As you will likely discover, Mataar has uncommon self-belief and the mental fortitude to deal with adversity.
Mataar on the left and his brother Hadar on the right
1. Why is soccer your sport of choice and what are your ultimate goals?
Soccer is my sport of choice for a few reasons. I've always loved everything about the game since being a young boy. As a child, my sports were MMA and soccer. I trained both equally they contributed well to each other in many ways. In both sports, I was always tough, aggressive, and very physical. I am ultra-competitive so in both, I would always feel the need to win and be better than last time.
Both sports have taught me so many things - I learned how to overcome challenges. I learned about love, fake love, and what it means to be part of a team that fights for the three points. While physicality and intensity are vital in both sports, I had to learn how to stay calm in high-stress situations. For example in MMA, when I had my older brother on my back choking me out, I need to not panic and find an efficient solution to the problem. Similar to the field, as a holding mid or center back, I may be out numbered when in a 6v4 defensive situation. Being calm is a must in allowing me to move and defend efficiently while getting my closer defenders in position so we can delay until our teammates drop back and get in shape.
Soccer gives me a high and releases tension like nothing else in life. My problems and worries from my outside life seem to vanish when I'm on the pitch. I can be my true self and also test myself to see if I really have what it takes. In life, I often feel like the underdog and it's no different on the pitch. I enjoy this aspect though because I can come into the game with something to prove. How I train, eat, sleep, go out with friends - everything in my life is centered around performing my best on the field.
My ultimate goal is to win a World Cup and Champions League as either a coach or a player. And also to play for my childhood team Manchester United FC. I can proudly say that when I achieve all these things as either player or coach because I know I will, I will be able to die a happy man.
2. What is the hardest thing you've had to overcome as a player?
When I was 13 years old and cut from the team that I was on for 8 years it was a very emotional and difficult time in my life. It was almost as if a family member rejects or disowns one of their own. This is how I felt at the time. The decision whether I should have been cut or not is up to whoever wants to think about it, but that's not the point. I had a big-time reality check stuck right in my face. I had two choices at this time, I could either accept that I wasn't good enough and go and play at a lower level, or I could prove everybody wrong and go and make the team that finished third in our division that year while the team that cut me only finished seventh. Of course, I had to work my ass off and improve technically, tactically, and physically. Exactly 24 hours after getting the phone call about being cut, I made a decision I was going to do everything in my power to make the higher level team and prove everybody who told me I wasn't good enough, wrong.
I wrote down on a piece of paper “Kill RSC”. That stood for “Kill Real So Cal”(the team that cut me). Now, this may seem a bit extreme but that was just my way of doing things. I stuck this on a board that I've had in my room since I was 4 years old that says believe in yourself and shows a little kid staring way up at a 10-foot basketball hoop. This represented what I was going to do. I knew there were many players better than me that we're going to try out for the team that year, and I knew that I would be the only white person in the whole program, so I was at a disadvantage. However, nothing was going to stop me and I was going to do everything that was possible for me to get on that team.
I trained super hard for three months and went through two different head coaches of the team. I changed playing positions several times, but eventually, beat out 60 players to make the final roster of 18 players. Not only did we have some spectacular wins that season, but I also started 14 out of the 16 games that we played. We didn't end up playing Real So Cal due to covid-19, but my team had a better record and I was offered a spot back on Real So Cal halfway through the season.
Mataar aka “The Savage Gringo”
More than anything, this was a mental and emotional battle that I overcame by making a plan and executing it to my fullest ability. I transformed myself into who I believe was the strongest mental person on the pitch at all times. I’d like to add, I don't think I could have done it without my Dad by my side. Most times, I felt as if he was the only person who genuinely believed in me that I could make it. Although other people such as family members, uncles, cousins, coaches told me that they believe in me, my dad was the only person who truly made me feel as if I was good enough to go and do it.
3. That is a very inspiring story, thank you for sharing. It sounds like your hard work paid off. Have you ever experienced any injury setbacks and if so, what was that like?
Yes, I have. Once covid-19 hit, I started to train the hardest I've ever had. My entire life revolved around soccer. I trained it three times a day for a total of six and a half hours. I was doing rehab for an hour and a half each day and watching soccer film every single day for a minimum of 45 minutes to study tactics. In hindsight, this was too much and taxing my body. But nonetheless, I was developing at an exponential rate. People were telling me that I was a completely different, upgraded player. Everything was looking amazing for me, teams were coming in with offers, a college coach was impressed by me and most importantly I felt proud about my development and was at the best point of my life.
Unfortunately, I picked up a minor psoas/groin injury around June. I took a week off and went back to playing again. Although I felt a little bit of pain I didn't want to slow my progress and just kept on pushing through it. Fast forward 3 weeks and I'm in even more pain. I take 3 weeks off this time and start playing again. Two weeks later and the pain is even worse. So bad I'm at the point that I cannot even kick around with my little brother. Although I tried to summon the mental toughness to convince myself that I wasn't injured, I was lying in my bed crying because I knew I had to stop playing.
As a result, I started looking for doctors and rehab centers that could help me out. Two months later and I had made zero progress. I was at a very highly rated rehab place that takes care of NFL athletes, but they only made me things worse and couldn’t figure out that my injury was iliopsoas and adductor. I was totally depressed and lost at this point. I was envious of my friends and brother who were able to play and I felt as if there was no answer for my injury.
My sleep was even disrupted and I had pain shooting down my leg. Eventually I found a sports doctor from UCLA. After consultation, we decided that a PRP shot was necessary. I had to rest for two weeks and then got the shot. I rested for another two weeks without any exercise and then found a local physical therapy place in North Hollywood. They ended up being amazing and helped me out tremendously. I am now a month into rehab with them, and can finally shoot a ball full power for the first time in months. Although there is a long way to go in this horrendous injury I feel as if I'm in the right track and I will be back on the pitch doing what I love soon.
4. What is the best moment you've had so far as a player?
My best moment so far could be being part of the first team to beat LAFC. LAFC was unbeaten across the country and internationally against the world's best Academies for 70 games. We were the first team to beat them and it was a tremendous feeling.
I would say that making it on TFA would be my best individual moment. I persevered through difficulty and proved everyone wrong, but more importantly, I proved myself right. I worked so hard and dedicated so much time into that it felt amazing when things finally went my way.
Signed