Mathys Tel: Tottenham’s French Forward

From Hugo Lloris to Moussa Sissoko, from Younes Kaboul to David Ginola, Tottenham Hotspur have had their fair share of impressive Frenchmen in recent years. The latest Frenchman to start his journey at Tottenham is none other than Mathys Henri Tel.

Born on April 27, 2005 to Guadeloupean parents, Tel was raised in Sarcelles, a northern suburb of Paris. However, it was only after joining Rennes’ world-renowned academy in 2020 that he was able to make the step up to professional football and emerge as one of the top talents in French football.

Standing at 1.83 meters (6 feet) tall and weighing approximately 74 kg (165 lbs), he primarily operates as a forward or winger, favoring his right foot. Tel’s journey in football began unconventionally; he started as a centre-back in his early youth days before transitioning through midfield roles into a prolific attacker, showcasing his innate versatility from a young age.

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Tel’s early life was rooted in the competitive Paris suburbs, where he honed his skills amid a vibrant local football scene. He joined Nike’s sponsorship program at age 14, a deal that extended through mid-2024 and required him to wear their apparel. Off the pitch, Tel has maintained a relatively private personal life, though he began a relationship with Indira Ampiot, Miss France 2023, in 2024.

His rapid rise has been marked by record-breaking achievements, including becoming the youngest player to debut for Rennes in Ligue 1 at 16 years and 110 days, and the youngest scorer in Bundesliga history for Bayern Munich. Today, Tel is establishing himself in the Premier League with Tottenham Hotspur, where his explosive style has drawn comparisons to Anthony Martial for its blend of technical flair and intensity.

Team History

Tel’s youth career prior to Rennes included stints at JS Villiers-le-Bel (2012–2016), Paris FC (2016–2017), AS Jeunesse Aubervilliers (2017–2019), and Montrouge FC 92 (2019–2020), where he was initially trialed as a defender but quickly shifted forward due to his scoring instinct.

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His professional career has spanned three major clubs, with a youth pathway emphasizing development in France before a high-profile move to Germany and then England. He progressed through several Parisian youth academies before breaking into senior football. Below is a summary of his club career:

Tel has established himself as a clinical finisher despite limited senior minutes early in his career, amassing 26 goals across 126 total senior appearances as of October 4, 2025. His conversion rate stands at approximately 0.21 goals per game, with a notable uptick in higher-stakes competitions. He has scored 21 goals in 91 league appearances across Ligue 1, Bundesliga, and Premier League. Here’s a breakdown by club and competition (senior level only; excludes youth/reserves):

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Tel has established himself as a clinical finisher despite limited senior minutes early in his career, amassing 26 goals across 126 total senior appearances as of October 4, 2025. His conversion rate stands at approximately 0.21 goals per game, with a notable uptick in higher-stakes competitions. He has scored 21 goals in 91 league appearances across Ligue 1, Bundesliga, and Premier League. Here’s a breakdown by club and competition (senior level only; excludes youth/reserves):

Rennes

Season: 2021–22

Competition: Ligue 1

Appearances: 7

Goals: 0

Notable Achievements: N/A

Bayern Munich

Season: 2022–23

Competition: Bundesliga

Appearances: 22

Goals: 5

Notable Achievements: Scored first Bundesliga goal vs. Stuttgart (youngest ever, aged 17 years, 195 days)

Competition: DFB-Pokal / Champions League

Appearances: 10

Goals: 3

Notable Achievements: First Bayern goal in DFB-Pokal vs. Viktoria Köln (youngest competitive scorer)

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Bayern Munich

Season: 2023–24

Competition: All Competitions

Appearances: 25

Goals: 5

Notable Achievements: N/A

Season: 2024–25 (partial)

Competition: All Competitions

Appearances: 26

Goals: 3

Notable Achievements: Limited starts; 2 goals in Bundesliga

Tottenham Hotspur (Loan)

Season: 2024–25

Competition: Premier League / Europa League / FA Cup

Appearances: 15

Goals: 3

Notable Achievements: Premier League debut goal (penalty vs. Southampton); FA Cup goal vs. Aston Villa; Europa League contribution

Season: 2025–26 (partial)

Competition: Premier League

Appearances: 5

Goals: 1

Notable Achievements: 1 goal in early season

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Career Totals

Competitions: All Senior Competitions

Appearances: 126

Goals: 26

Additional Stats: 21 league goals, 6 game-winners, 10 assists overall

Youth International Record

Team: Various youth national teams

Caps: 49

Goals: 30

Notable Achievements: Scored 3 goals at U17 European Championship, demonstrating early scoring prowess

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Performance Analysis

Expected Goals (xG): Consistently achieves 0.18–0.23 xG per 90 minutes in recent seasons

Key Strength: Frequently overperforms xG due to clinical and instinctive finishing

Strengths

Mathys Tel is a multifaceted talent whose profile screams “complete forward,” blending physicality with technical finesse.  His key strengths include Explosive Pace and Acceleration: His burst speed allows him to exploit spaces behind defenses, making him lethal in transitions and as an outlet on the counter. This aligns with modern high-pressing systems and it’s crucial in an defense to attack transition.

Technical Proficiency and Finishing: Tel has an excellent ball-striking technique and an instinct for positioning, and composure in the box; he’s a “natural goalscorer” who gets shots off from anywhere. Two-footed capability (stronger right) enhances his threat. He displayed this skills with his goal against Leeds United striking the ball with his left foot after receiving a pass from Mohammed Kudus. 

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Versatility and Agility: He is fluid in 1v1 duels, he can make quick changes of direction; excels in crossing and aerial challenges despite his frame.

Game Intensity and Pressing: Mathys Tel has a  high work rate off the ball, he contributes to build-up pressure; progressive carries and reliable first touch suit fluid attacks.

Mental Maturity: Record of clutch performances (e.g., U17 Euros heroics) shows composure beyond his years. These traits have earned praise from coaches, with one former mentor noting his “uncanny ability to excel no matter where you play him.”

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Weaknesses

At 20, Tel is still raw, with areas for refinement that have occasionally limited his impact at elite levels which includes:

Ball Retention and Dribbling Consistency: His dribble success rate hovers at 41.5%, lower than top wingers (e.g., below Sané’s 67%); he can be dispossessed in tight spaces due to over-ambition.

Decision-Making in Crowded Areas: He struggles with final passes or choices under pressure, leading to turnovers; creative vision lags behind his finishing.

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Aerial Duels and Physicality: Wins only 38% of headers, This is an area of his game that is still developing” for his height as he can be bullied off the ball by robust defenders.

Left-Foot Technique: Awkward mechanics on his weaker side, often resulting in hammered (rather than placed) shots which sometimes enable him to off target when his body shift and position is not aligned with the angle he is shooting from.

Overall Consistency: Performance dips across matches, partly due to irregular starts at Bayern, affecting rhythm. These issues are coachable, with analysts suggesting structured roles could mitigate them and a regular playing time.

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Beyond the core attributes outlined previously, Mathys Tel’s game encompasses additional facets that contribute to his profile as a modern forward. These include his playmaking ability, defensive contributions, positional flexibility, mentality, and areas of technical refinement, all of which enhance or occasionally limit his impact on the pitch. Below is a detailed analysis of these other aspects of his game, grounded in his performances up to October 2025.

Playmaking and Creativity

While primarily a goalscorer, Tel has shown flashes of creative play, particularly in progressive passing and link-up play:

Assists and Key Passes: Tel has recorded 10 assists across his senior career (126 appearances), with a key pass rate of  1.2 per 90 minutes. His assists often come from quick interplay in the final third, such as cutbacks or through balls after exploiting space on the wing. For example, at Tottenham in the 2024–25 Europa League, he set up a goal with a precise low cross during a counterattack.

Vision in Transitions: Tel excels in fast-paced scenarios, spotting runners and delivering incisive passes. His background as a midfielder in youth setups aids his ability to read play and connect with teammates, though his pass accuracy in tight spaces (~78%) is lower than elite playmakers like Kevin De Bruyne (85%).

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Limitation: His vision can be inconsistent in static, possession-based systems. At Bayern, where build-up play was slower under Vincent Kompany, Tel’s tendency to prioritize shooting over passing occasionally disrupted team flow, with a pass completion rate of ~75% in such scenarios.

Defensive Contributions

Tel’s high work rate extends to his defensive efforts, aligning with the demands of modern pressing systems:

Pressing Intensity: He averages ~3.5 pressures per 90 minutes in the attacking third, with a 30% success rate in regaining possession. This was evident at Tottenham, where his pressing complemented Ange Postecoglou’s aggressive style, forcing turnovers against teams like Southampton in 2024–25.

Tracking Back: Despite playing as a forward or winger, Tel contributes defensively, averaging 1.0 tackles and 0.8 interceptions per 90. His early experience as a centre-back gives him a decent understanding of defensive positioning, though he’s not tasked with heavy defensive duties.

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Tactical Adaptability

Tel’s adaptability is one of his standout traits, evolving from a defender to a multi-positional attacker who thrives in dynamic systems. He began as a centre-back, providing defensive solidity, before shifting to midfield (where his vision emerged) and then forward roles, demonstrating a “remarkable versatility” across the pitch.   

Tel adapted with fluid, high-intensity setups like Ange Postecoglou’s at Tottenham or even a two striker system. He was explosive on the flanks in transitions, dribbling at speed, carrying the ball forward with a high progressive carries per 90. He was effective centrally as a No. 9, dropping deep to link play or pressing high to regain possession. His first touch shines when receiving in motion, enabling quick counters, while his pressing aligns with gegenpressing philosophies.

However, he struggles in rigid, possession-heavy structures (e.g., Bayern under Kompany), where low dribble success exposed isolation. Experts recommend “clear role definition within flexible structures,” such as Thomas Frank’s Brentford model, to maximize his maturity and constant adaptation. At Tottenham, he’s been deployed as a left winger or second striker, contributing to their 2024–25 Europa triumph through versatile rotations. Overall, Tel’s profile suits adaptable coaches who value chaos in the final third, positioning him as a “divisive gem” with elite potential in evolving tactics.

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He’s been deployed as a centre-forward (No. 9), left winger, right winger, and occasionally as a second striker or No. 10. At Rennes, he played centrally; at Bayern, he was often a wide forward; at Tottenham, he’s toggled between left wing and second striker in a 4-2-3-1 or 4-3-3. In rigid setups, like Bayern’s 4-2-3-1 under Kompany, his lack of a defined role led to fewer starts (only 2 in Bundesliga 2024–25).

He’s less effective as a lone No. 9 in low-block scenarios, where physicality and hold-up play are critical, as his 38% aerial duel success rate limits him against dominant centre-backs. Tel thrives in fluid systems that allow positional rotation, such as Tottenham’s high-pressing 4-3-3, where he can drift inside or exploit flanks. His 2024–25 Europa League performances showed him interchanging with wingers and midfielders, creating overloads.

Mathys Tel’s game is a blend of explosive attacking instincts, positional versatility, and a strong mentality, with defensive contributions and off-ball movement adding depth to his profile. His playmaking is promising but inconsistent, and technical areas like crossing and ball retention need refinement. His adaptability shines in fluid, high-intensity systems, but he struggles in rigid or overly physical setups. As he matures at Tottenham, focusing on physical development and decision-making could elevate him to a world-class level, making him a “dynamic, multi-faceted forward” with immense potential.

By: Ogunniyi Abayomi / @Cerebralcaldo

Featured Image: @GabFoligno / James Williamson – AMA / Getty Images