Joel Matip Retires: The Silent Architect of the Klopp Era
“In a world of big transfer fees, to sign a player like Joel Matip on a free transfer is incredible,” said Jurgen Klopp in 2019. “It was maybe one of the best pieces of business we did in the last few years.” As it turned out, just like he was with a lot of things in his time in England, Klopp was correct.
Out of the 39 signings that Liverpool made under Klopp between 2015 and 2024, most players improved their resumes by joining Liverpool during their golden period. At the bottom of the list, you may find names such as Alex Manninger, Steven Caulker, and Marko Grujic – all of whom were brought to Anfield in the early days of Klopp’s reign for relatively low fees. As the years went by, the chances were much higher of being a success than a failure (with the exceptions of Arthur Melo and Naby Keita).
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One outstanding piece of free business in 2016 remained until the end of Klopp’s time, as both Matip and Klopp departed Liverpool Football Club in the same summer.
Schalke Days: A Foundation for Success
The centre-back was Klopp’s sixth signing at the club. He arrived in England following the expiry of his contract at Schalke 04, where he had spent his youth career since the age of eight.
At the time of his breakthrough in Gelsenkirchen, Matip was a defensive midfielder coming through in a star-studded team in hindsight. Manuel Neuer, Benedikt Höwedes, and Heiko Westermann formed the basis of a solid foundation for Schalke, so coming through as a holding midfielder at the time was a blessing in disguise for Matip. His debut came against Louis van Gaal’s Bayern Munich, where he scored a header from a Lukas Schmitz set piece, giving Schalke an equaliser.
His versatility showed during his second season, as manager Ralf Rangnick deployed him in defensive midfield, centre-back and right-back over the course of the campaign. During Schalke’s famous run to the UEFA Champions League semi-final in 2011, Matip started the first leg against Manchester United at centre-back. Under subsequent manager Huub Stevens, Matip would solidify a place at centre-back, where he would remain for the rest of his career.
A Pillar of Consistency in Klopp’s Dynasty
Matip arrived at Liverpool in the summer of 2016 with relatively little fanfare. His arrival set the tone for the Anfield club in years to come under sporting director Michael Edwards, who also arrived in 2016. Joining a Liverpool defence that was still recovering from years of shame, Matip quickly established himself as a reliable presence at the back.
In his first year, Matip helped Liverpool secure their return to the UEFA Champions League for the first time since 2014/15 with a 4th placed finish in the Premier League. His calmness on the ball, reliability, intelligence of the game and aerial dominance made him a perfect fit for Klopp’s high-pressing system.
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In 2018, soon-to-be long-time defensive partner Virgil Van Dijk joined the ranks from Celtic. Matip’s ability to sweep up behind van Dijk, coupled with his own strength in one-on-one situations, made Liverpool’s defence one of Europe’s best and most reliable defensive partnership.
The heartbreak of losing (and in Matip’s case, missing out on the Champions League final loss against Real Madrid) provided incentive to return to the scene of the crime in the following year. In the final against Pochettino’s Tottenham Hotspur, Matip helped Liverpool secure a clean sheet in the 2-0 victory. His assist for Divock Origi’s late goal certified Matip’s status in the game and history books as they secured their first and only Champions League trophy under Klopp.
This Liverpool side were living in their prime. In the following 2019/20 season, Matip’s presence was more sporadic due to a knee and ankle injury as Liverpool went on to lift their first Premier League title in 30 years. The injury curse fell on Liverpool in 2020/21, which limited Matip to just 9 Premier League starts all season. Joe Gomez and Virgil van Dijk also suffered lengthy injuries in that same season.
The next two seasons were a slight return to old ways, as his influence on the team grew back. However, the arrival of Ibrahima Konaté in 2022 provided some healthy competition as Liverpool won the FA Cup and League Cup. In his final season, Konaté and Van Dijk were established as the starting duo, yet Matip provided invaluable experience as Liverpool bounced back. It was time to call it a day in Merseyside as Matip left Liverpool having won the Premier League, Champions League, FA Cup, League Cup and UEFA Super Cup.
Over the years, his career at Liverpool was defined by moments of brilliance, often in the biggest of games. The Cameroonian became an unlikely cult figure among Liverpool supporters. His unassuming and uncontroversial personality off the pitch made him easy to overlook, but on the pitch, he was hard to ignore.
Perhaps not the best, but the free transfer from Schalke had, in the end, become one of the savviest pieces of business in the Klopp era. A player who, despite being injury-prone at times, always delivered when it mattered most. His departure, alongside Klopp’s, marked the end of an era that will be remembered as one of Liverpool’s greatest in the modern game.
Joel Matip leaves football much like he arrived at Liverpool – ever so quietly yet gracefully.
By Abdullah Mamaniyat / @mxmnyt
Featured Image: @GabFoligno / Sebastian Frej / MB Media / Getty Images