Mateo Bajamich (Croatian: Bajamić, pronounced [matěo bǎjamitɕ];[2][3] born 3 August 1999) is an Argentine professional footballer who plays as a winger for Primera División side Atlético Tucumán, on loan from Houston Dynamo. He can also play as a striker.[4]
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 3 August 1999 | ||
| Place of birth | Morrison, Argentina | ||
| Height | 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)[1] | ||
| Position(s) | Winger[1] | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Atlético Tucumán (on loan from Houston Dynamo) | ||
| Number | 9 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Unión de Morrison | |||
| 2016–2018 | Instituto | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2018–2020 | Instituto | 28 | (10) |
| 2020– | Houston Dynamo | 9 | (0) |
| 2020–2021 | → Instituto (loan) | 8 | (2) |
| 2022 | → Huracán (loan) | 0 | (0) |
| 2023 | → Estudiantes de Río Cuarto (loan) | 38 | (8) |
| 2024– | → Atlético Tucumán (loan) | 13 | (3) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 18:02, 16 April 2024 (UTC) | |||
Career
editInstituto
editBajamich's career started with Instituto Atlético Central Córdoba, joining in 2016 from his local club Unión de Morrison.[5] Ahead of the 2018–19 Primera B Nacional season, Bajamich was promoted to the Instituto first team.[6][7] He made his Instituto debut on 23 February 2019, coming on as a substitute in a 3–2 defeat to Nueva Chicago.[8] Bajamich was a late addition to the match day squad after Facundo Affranchino was injured in the pre-match warm up.[9] He had previously been an unused substitute in 2018 for matches with Villa Dálmine and Arsenal de Sarandí.[10][11] Bajamich made his first start in senior football in a 1–0 loss against Guillermo Brown on 3 March 2019.[12] On 21 April, he scored his first professional goal in the final match of the season in a 1–1 draw against Gimnasia y Esgrima (M).[13] Bajamich and Instituto finished the 2018–19 season 22nd in the league table.[14] After the season, he signed a contract with Instituto lasting until 2022.[15]
Bajamich netted four goals in his first five games to start the 2019–20 season, including a brace in a 3–0 win at Brown de Adrogué on 14 September 2019.[12][16] He scored twice again on 9 November in a 2–0 win against Santamarina.[17] On 15 March Bajamich scored once to help La Gloria defeat Tigre 3–0.[12][18] That would end up being the final game of the season for Instituto as the season was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[19] Bajamich ended the season with 9 goals and 3 assists from 21 games, helping Instituto finish 9th in group B.[20][21][22]
Houston Dynamo
editOn 5 October 2020, Bajamich joined the Houston Dynamo of Major League Soccer.[21] The transfer fee is reportedly $1,200,000, with Instituto receiving 20% of his next sale.[23][24] The contract with Houston lasts until 2022, with the Dynamo having team options until 2025.[21]
Instituto loan
editOn 9 November 2020, Bajamich was loaned back to Instituto until 21 January 2021, prior to the start of Houston's pre-season.[25] He scored on his first appearance back, netting the opener in a 2–1 victory over Chacarita Juniors on 28 November.[20] He scored again on 27 December in a 1–1 draw against Gimnasia y Esgrima (J).[20] Bajamich made a total of eight appearances on loan, scoring twice, as Instituto lost in the first round of the promotion play-offs to Defensores de Belgrano.[20]
Return to Houston
editBajamich made his Dynamo debut on 15 May 2021, coming off the bench in a 3–1 loss to the Colorado Rapids.[26] He recorded his first assist for the Dynamo on 29 May in a 3–2 loss to Sporting Kansas City.[26] Bajamich ended the season with 1 assist in 9 appearances, as Houston finished last in the Western Conference, missing out on the playoffs.[26][27]
Loan to Huracán
editOn 28 January 2022, Bajamich was again loaned out by Houston. He returned to Argentina, joining Huracán on loan for the season with Huracán holding a purchase option.[28] Bajamich made his debut for Huracán on 15 February, coming off the bench in a 3–2 loss to Estudiantes de la Plata in a Copa de la Liga Profesional match.[12][29] Bajamich made 9 appearances while with Huracán, all in the Copa de La Liga Profesional.[12][29]
On 7 November 2022, Houston declined Bajamich's contract option for 2023, making him a free agent.[30]
Estudiantes de Río Cuarto
editOn 16 January 2023, Bajamich signed with Estudiantes de Río Cuarto in Primera Nacional.[31][32][33] He made his debut for Estudiantes (RC) on 11 February, coming off the bench in a 2–0 loss to CA Temperley.[12] On 17 February, Bajamich scored his first goal for el Celeste in a 2–2 draw with San Telmo.[12]
Personal life
editBorn in Argentina, Bajamich is of Croatian descent.[34] In 1921, his great-grandfather Mariano Bajamich (Croatian: Marin Bajamić) left Trnbusi, Croatia (then part of Yugoslavia) and moved to Argentina where he married a Spaniard named Carmen. Bajamich expressed his desire to play for the Croatia national team. In 2020, he received the Croatian citizenship.[35]
Career statistics
edit| Club | Season | League | National cup[a] | League cup[b] | Continental | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Instituto | 2018–19 | Primera B Nacional | 7 | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 7 | 1 | ||
| 2019–20 | 21 | 9 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 22 | 9 | ||||
| Total | 28 | 10 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 29 | 10 | ||||
| Houston Dynamo | 2020 | Major League Soccer | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | 0 | 0 | |||
| 2021 | 9 | 0 | — | — | — | 9 | 0 | |||||
| Total | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 9 | 0 | ||||
| Instituto (loan) | 2020 | Primera Nacional | 8 | 2 | — | — | — | 8 | 2 | |||
| Huracán (loan) | 2022 | Primera División | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 0 | — | 9 | 0 | |
| Estudiantes (RC) (loan) | 2023 | Primera Nacional | 38 | 8 | 3 | 0 | — | — | 41 | 8 | ||
| Atlético Tucumán (loan) | 2024 | Primera División | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 13 | 3 | — | 14 | 4 | |
| Career total | 83 | 20 | 5 | 1 | 22 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 110 | 24 | ||
- ^ Includes Copa Argentina and US Open Cup
- ^ Includes MLS Cup Playoffs and Copa de la Liga Profesional
References
edit- ^ a b "Mateo Bajamich". World Football. Retrieved 22 December 2020.
- ^ "Màtej". Hrvatski jezični portal (in Croatian). Retrieved 15 June 2020.
Matèo
- ^ "bàjam". Hrvatski jezični portal (in Croatian). Retrieved 15 June 2020.
- ^ "Dynamo see new signing Mateo Bajamich as "a contributor for down the road"". SBI Soccer. 6 October 2020. Retrieved 30 October 2020.
- ^ "Bajamich, el único "pibe" que subió Franco en Instituto". Mundo D - La Voz. 27 June 2018. Retrieved 4 March 2019.
- ^ "Cómo le fue a Bajamich, el "9" que debutó en Instituto". Mundo D (in Spanish). Retrieved 30 October 2020.
- ^ Luna, Juan Pablo. "La ficha técnica del plantel temporada 2018 / 2019". Instituto Atlético Central Córdoba. Retrieved 30 October 2020.
- ^ "Instituto vs. Nueva Chicago - 23 February 2019 - Soccerway". int.soccerway.com. Retrieved 30 October 2020.
- ^ Luna, Juan Pablo. "Mateo Bajamich: "Estoy muy feliz"". Instituto Atlético Central Córdoba. Retrieved 30 October 2020.
- ^ Luna, Juan Pablo. "Caída en Campana". Instituto Atlético Central Córdoba. Retrieved 30 October 2020.
- ^ Luna, Juan Pablo. "Los viajeros a Sarandí". Instituto Atlético Central Córdoba.
- ^ a b c d e f g "Argentina - M. Bajamich - Matches - Soccerway". us.soccerway.com. Retrieved 30 October 2020.
- ^ Luna, Juan Pablo. "Empate en Alta Córdoba". Instituto Atlético Central Córdoba. Retrieved 30 October 2020.
- ^ "Summary - Primera Nacional - Argentina - Results, fixtures, tables and news - Soccerway". int.soccerway.com. Retrieved 30 October 2020.
- ^ "Instituto se aseguró a Mateo Bajamich hasta 2022". Mundo D (in Spanish). Retrieved 30 October 2020.
- ^ "Triunfazo de La Gloria". Instituto Atlético Central Córdoba. Retrieved 30 October 2020.
- ^ "¡Victoria! Instituto le ganó a Santamarina". Instituto Atlético Central Córdoba. Retrieved 30 October 2020.
- ^ "Goleada ante Tigre". Instituto Atlético Central Córdoba. Retrieved 30 October 2020.
- ^ "El comunicado completo de la AFA con las decisiones por el coronavirus - TyC Sports". www.tycsports.com (in Spanish). Retrieved 30 October 2020.
- ^ a b c d e "Mateo Bajamich". Soccerway.
- ^ a b c "Dynamo sign winger Mateo Bajamich on full transfer from Instituto AC". Houston Dynamo. 5 October 2020. Retrieved 30 October 2020.
- ^ "Summary - Primera Nacional - Argentina - Results, fixtures, tables and news - Soccerway". int.soccerway.com. Retrieved 30 October 2020.
- ^ "Ya es oficial: Mateo Bajamich jugará en la MLS". Mundo D (in Spanish). Retrieved 30 October 2020.
- ^ "Gracias Mateo Bajamich". Instituto Atlético Central Córdoba. Retrieved 30 October 2020.
- ^ Bogert, Tom (9 November 2020). "Houston Dynamo loan forward Mateo Bajamich back to Argentina until preseason". Major League Soccer. Retrieved 6 December 2021.
- ^ a b c "Mateo Bajamich 2021 Match Logs". FBref.com. Retrieved 6 December 2021.
- ^ "Major League Soccer Stats". FBref.com. Retrieved 6 December 2021.
- ^ "Houston Dynamo FC loan Mateo Bajamich to Club Atlético Huracán". Houston Dynamo FC. 28 January 2022. Retrieved 24 February 2023.
- ^ a b "Mateo Bajamich-Jogos Realizados-Resumo da Temporada-2022". oGol (in Portuguese). Retrieved 24 February 2023.
- ^ "Dynamo roster decisions open as many as 10 roster spots for the 2023 season". Houston Dynamo FC. 7 November 2022. Retrieved 24 February 2023.
- ^ @EstudiantesRio4 (17 January 2023). "⚽Plantel Profesional MATEO BAJAMICH es nuevo refuerzo de #AAE! El jugador se sumará a la pretemporada 2023 junto al resto del equipo. Lo que viene será increíble, y nos preparamos para dar pelea #Juntos" (Tweet) (in Spanish) – via Twitter.
- ^ "Así juega Mateo Bajamich, el nuevo refuerzo de Estudiantes". Fútbol CBA (in Spanish). Retrieved 24 February 2023.
- ^ Spontón, Juan Manuel (16 January 2023). "Bajamich es un León mas". Mundo Ascenso (in Spanish). Retrieved 24 February 2023.
- ^ "Croatia hone in on[sic] talented 20-year-old Argentine-Croat". Croatia Week. 27 February 2020. Retrieved 15 June 2020.
- ^ "Sportske novosti - DOMOVNICA JE TU! VELIKI ARGENTINSKI TALENT DOBIO HRVATSKO DRŽAVLJANSTVO, A ZA SN PRVI PUT OTKRIVA NAJLJEPŠU PRIČU 'Od srca želim igrati za Hrvatsku!'". sportske.jutarnji.hr (in Croatian). 1 March 2020. Retrieved 15 June 2020.
- ^ "Mateo Bajamich". Major League Soccer. Retrieved 6 December 2021.
- ^ "Mateo Bajamich Stats". FBref.com. Retrieved 6 December 2021.
External links
edit- Mateo Bajamich at Soccerway