Matt Dibley-Dias has enjoyed a positive first season for Steve Wigley’s Under-18s since signing his scholarship deal.
It appears footballing talent runs through the Dibley-Dias family, with Matt’s grandfather Manoel José Dias playing for Flamengo, then for Corinthians for over four years, the two clubs with the biggest fanbase in Brazil. With 111 games and 57 goals under his belt, the midfielder became a key cog for the Brazilian side in the 1960s.
“I know how noisy the crowd were, it was one of the biggest clubs in Brazil,” Matt told UOL.
The 17-year-old was born in New Zealand, but as his family have Portuguese and English links and have lived in England for years, he is eligible to play for Brazil, New Zealand, Portugal and England.
“I certainly wouldn’t close the door to any possibility, but the dream is to play for the Brazilian National Team,” Matt admitted.
His grandfather, also often referred to as ‘Manoelzinho’, joined Corinthians in 1961 and played with the number eight on his back, just like our Under-18s playmaker. That wasn’t the only similarity either, with the side playing in a white and black strip.
"He reached an average of a goal every other game, which is very good considering the fact he was playing in midfield. In those days, the two wingers and a centre-forward were the only ones who played ahead of the others,” says journalist Celso Unzelte.
Matt, who is commonly named ‘Dibs’ by his teammates and staff, is hoping to follow in the footsteps of his grandfather. He’s scored three goals for our 18s this season while gaining a reputation for his wonderful free-kicks.
“When I was younger, I got fouled around the edge of the box quite a lot, so I was always the one who ended up taking free-kicks. I used to get upset when I didn’t score them, so I practiced and practiced.
“I feel like if you can really master them, you can threaten every time which is extremely dangerous and can help the team out a lot. I’ve always really enjoyed taking them as well.”
The youngster is reaping the rewards after having to battle through a serious injury, which saw him sidelined for a significant period of time.
“He looks like Kaká, but he’s unique because he’s Matt,” Huw Jennings told UOL.
“Matt plays as a midfielder, but he knows how to play in all positions along that line. He’s very good at recovering the ball and distributing it in order to start attacks.
“He has the skill of a Brazilian and the strength of a New Zealand rugby player,” added Huw. "He has become mentally resilient after being out with injury and knows he needs to dedicate himself to the sport. We believe he has the potential to have a future in the Premier League.”
Interviews conducted by Thiago Braga of Brazilian media company, UOL.
