Matthew Sheldon

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Matthew Sheldon

| image =

| caption =

| fullname =

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1992|8|23}}

| birth_place = Bellevue, Washington, U.S.

| height = {{height|ft=6|in=0}}{{cite web |title=Matt Sheldon |url=https://www.uslchampionship.com/matt-sheldon |website=USL Championship |accessdate=29 June 2020}}

| position = {{flatlist|

}}

| currentclub = Detroit City

| clubnumber = 13

| youthyears1 =

| youthclubs1 =

| collegeyears1 = 2011–2014

| college1 = UC Davis Aggies

| collegecaps1 = 61

| collegegoals1 = 17

| years1 = 2014

| clubs1 = San Jose Earthquakes U23

| caps1 = 14

| goals1 = 6

| years2 = 2015

| clubs2 = Ventura County Fusion

| caps2 = 11

| goals2 = 0

| years3 = 2016

| clubs3 = Orange County Blues U23

| caps3 = 1

| goals3 = 0

| years4 = 2016

| clubs4 = SG Kinzenbach

| caps4 = 13

| goals4 = 1

| years5 = 2016

| clubs5 = Orange County Blues

| caps5 = 16

| goals5 = 0

| years6 = 2017

| clubs6 = Saint Louis FC

| caps6 = 12

| goals6 = 0

| years7 = 2018

| clubs7 = Waterside Karori

| caps7 = 7

| goals7 = 0

| years8 = 2019–2021

| clubs8 = FC Tulsa

| caps8 = 64

| goals8 = 2

| years9 = 2022

| clubs9 = Charleston Battery

| caps9 = 29

| goals9 = 0

| years10 = 2023

| clubs10 = Hartford Athletic

| caps10 = 29

| goals10 = 1

| years11 = 2024–

| clubs11 = Detroit City

| caps11 = 29

| goals11 = 1

| club-update = October 27, 2024

}}

Matthew Sheldon (born August 23, 1992) is an American professional soccer player and Youtuber who plays for USL Championship side Detroit City FC.{{Cite web |title=Become Elite |url=https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFfFE-6nfCHz4uDZ-08o6ng |access-date=2024-08-12 |website=YouTube |language=en}}

Early life

Sheldon was born on 23 August 1992 in Bellevue, Washington, United States. He grew up in Portland, Oregon with his brother, sister and parents. He played recreational soccer until 5th grade, when he joined his first club team. At the time, soccer was just one of many sports that Sheldon played - he played basketball, baseball and American football as well{{citation needed|date= November 2021}}

Sheldon attended Lincoln High School in Portland, Oregon. Alongside high school soccer, he played for Westside Metros Remix FC.

College career

During his senior year, Sheldon received athletic scholarships from both UC Davis and Oregon State, as well as a roster spot from Gonzaga. He committed to play for UC Davis.{{citation needed|date= November 2021}}

Club career

Sheldon played college soccer at UC Davis between 2011 and 2014.{{cite web|url=http://www.ucdavisaggies.com/sports/m-soccer/mtt/matt_sheldon_758813.html|title=UCDAVISAGGIES.com Matt Sheldon Bio :: UC Davis Official Athletic Site :: Men's Soccer|publisher=|access-date=July 13, 2016|archive-date=August 28, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160828225557/http://www.ucdavisaggies.com/sports/m-soccer/mtt/matt_sheldon_758813.html|url-status=dead}} He spent time in the Premier Development League with San Jose Earthquakes U23 in 2014, Ventura County Fusion in 2015, and briefly with Orange County Blues U-23 in 2016, before moving to Germany with sixth-tier side SG Kinzenbach.{{cite web|url=http://goalnation.com/former-uc-davis-player-signs-german-club/|title=FORMER UC DAVIS' MATT SHELDON SIGNS WITH GERMAN SOCCER CLUB – GoalNation|date=February 12, 2016|publisher=|access-date=July 13, 2016|archive-date=May 2, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160502110224/http://goalnation.com/former-uc-davis-player-signs-german-club/|url-status=dead}}

Sheldon signed with United Soccer League club Orange County Blues in July 2016, making his professional debut on July 10, 2016, in a 3–3 draw with Sacramento Republic.{{cite web|url=https://int.soccerway.com/matches/2016/07/11/united-states/mls-reserve-league/los-angeles-blues-sc/sacramento-republic/2197062/|title=Orange County Blues vs. Sacramento Republic – 11 July 2016 – Soccerway|publisher=}}

In November 2016, Sheldon announced that he would play for Saint Louis FC for the 2017 USL season.{{cite web|url=http://www.uslsoccer.com/news_article/show/722592?referrer_id=2356907|title=Dalgaard Latest New Face to Join Saint Louis FC, Former Blues Defender Sheldon Also Added to STLFC For 2017 Season – USLSoccer.com Staff|date=November 15, 2016|publisher=}}f

In March 2018, it was announced Sheldon would play for amateur club side Waterside Karori in Wellington, New Zealand.{{cite web|title=Waterside Karori announce new signings|url=https://www.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=1684898214897105&id=117110705009205|website=Waterside Karori Facebook page|accessdate=March 31, 2018}}{{cite web|title=Ultra Football Central League gets underway with Easter Monday action|url=http://www.capitalfootball.org.nz/newsarticle/60728|website=Capital Football|accessdate=April 1, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180401212757/http://www.capitalfootball.org.nz/newsarticle/60728|archive-date=April 1, 2018|url-status=dead}}

On January 14, 2019, the Tulsa Roughnecks FC announced that they had signed Sheldon for their 2019 season.{{cite web|url=https://www.roughnecksfc.com/news_article/show/985084|title=Tulsa Roughnecks Sign Matt Sheldon|website=roughnecksfc.com|publisher=Tulsa Roughnecks FC|date=January 14, 2019|accessdate=January 14, 2019|archive-date=January 15, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190115182114/https://www.roughnecksfc.com/news_article/show/985084|url-status=dead}} On December 10, 2019, it was announced that Tulsa, now rebranded as FC Tulsa, had re-signed Sheldon to their roster for the 2020 USL Championship season.{{cite web|url=https://www.fctulsa.com/news_article/show/1070423|title=FC TULSA RE-SIGNS DEFENDER MATT SHELDON TO 2020 ROSTER|website=fctulsa.com|publisher=FC Tulsa|date=December 10, 2019|accessdate=December 10, 2019|archive-date=December 10, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191210155101/https://www.fctulsa.com/news_article/show/1070423|url-status=dead}}{{cite web |title=TRANSACTIONS: Sheldon Re-Ups for Second Season in Tulsa |url=https://www.uslchampionship.com/news_article/show/1070630 |website=USLChampionship.com |accessdate=30 January 2020 |date=10 December 2019}} On December 15, 2020, it was announced that FC Tulsa, had re-signed Sheldon to their roster for the 2021 USL Championship season following a successful campaign with the club in 2020.{{Cite web|url = https://www.fctulsa.com/news_article/show/1137208|title = FC Tulsa re-signs defender Matt Sheldon|date = December 15, 2020}}{{Dead link|date=August 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}

On December 30, 2021, it was announced that Sheldon had signed a contract with the Charleston Battery ahead of the 2022 USL Championship season.{{Cite web|url = https://www.charlestonbattery.com/news_article/show/1200788|title = Battery Sign Veteran Defender Matt Sheldon|date = December 30, 2021|access-date = December 30, 2021|archive-date = December 30, 2021|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20211230182408/https://www.charlestonbattery.com/news_article/show/1200788|url-status = dead}} Following the 2022 season, Sheldon was released by Charleston.{{Cite web|url=https://www.charlestonbattery.com/news/2022/11/22/battery-announce-initial-returning-players-for-2023/|title=Battery announce initial returning players for 2023}}

On January 31, 2023, Sheldon was announced as a new signing for USL Championship side Hartford Athletic on a one-year deal.{{Cite web|url=https://www.uslchampionship.com/news_article/show/1257773-veteran-defender-matt-sheldon-joins-hartford-athletic|title=Veteran defender Matt Sheldon joins Hartford Athletic|author=USLChampionship com Staff|date=January 31, 2023|website=USL Championship}}

Sheldon joined Detroit City on January 24, 2024. A corresponding transaction saw Skage Simonsen join Hartford from Detroit.{{cite web |title=2024 USL CHAMPIONSHIP ROSTER UPDATES |url=https://www.detcityfc.com/news/2024/01/24/dcfcm-uslc-roster-update/ |website=DetCityFC.com |publisher=Detroit City |access-date=24 January 2024}}{{cite web |title=Hartford Athletic Transfer Defender Matt Sheldon to Detroit City FC |url=https://www.hartfordathletic.com/news/2024/01/24/hartford-athletic-transfer-defender-matt-sheldon-to-detroit-city-fc/ |website=Hartford |publisher=Hartford Athletic |access-date=24 January 2024}}

Personal life

Sheldon also operates two notable YouTube channels called Become Elite as well as the Against All Odds Podcast which combined currently have over 678,000 subscribers.{{Cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFfFE-6nfCHz4uDZ-08o6ng|title = Become Elite - YouTube|website = YouTube}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC4SE6c97Qjscv4lfjaCMkMQ|title=Against All Odds Podcast|website=YouTube}} Both channels give a behind the scenes look into the life of a professional soccer player.

He married his partner, Mimi Estelle on December 4, 2021.{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-6JqyygkMNM |title=The Wedding of Mimi and Matthew Sheldon Dec 4, 2021 |date=2022-06-03 |last=Mimi Estelle |access-date=2024-08-12 |via=YouTube}}

When asked who motivated him to become a soccer player, Sheldon cited his parents as a motivation to become a professional athlete, he stated in an interview "My parents were the biggest supporters of my athletic career since the start. My Dad pushed me to go for a D1 scholarship when I was unsure of my capabilities. They supported me every step of the way, and without them I don't know if I would have even made it to Varsity High School soccer. Having the belief of your parents is such a huge motivation as a young athlete".{{Cite web |last=Drotar |first=Bryan |date=2016-11-01 |title=Becoming Elite |url=https://therecruitingcode.com/becoming-elite/ |access-date=2024-08-12 |website=The Recruiting Code |language=en-us}}