Robson Matheus
{{short description|Bolivian association football player (born 2002)}}
{{family name hatnote|Tomé de Araújo|Benegas|lang=Spanish}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2024}}
{{Infobox football biography
|name = Robson Matheus
|image =
|fullname = Robson Matheus Tomé de Araújo Benegas
|birth_place = Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia
|height = 1.74 m
|birth_date = {{birth date and age|2002|05|18|df=y}}
|position = Midfielder
|currentclub = Always Ready
|clubnumber = 21
|youthyears1 = 2013–2016
|youthclubs1 = Corinthians
|youthyears2 = 2016–2017
|youthclubs2 = Portuguesa
|youthyears3 = 2017–2021
|youthclubs3 = Palmeiras
|youthyears4 = 2021–2022
|youthclubs4 = Cruzeiro
|youthyears5 = 2022
|youthclubs5 = {{ill|Ibrachina Futebol Clube|lt=Ibrachina|pt}}
|years1 = 2023–
|clubs1 = Always Ready
|caps1 = 42
|goals1 = 11
|nationalyears1 = 2019
|nationalteam1 = Bolivia U17
|nationalcaps1 = 4
|nationalgoals1 = 1
|nationalyears2 = 2024–
|nationalteam2 = Bolivia
|nationalcaps2 = 9
|nationalgoals2 = 0
|club-update = 23:15, 15 June 2025 (UTC)
|ntupdate = 23:06, 10 June 2025 (UTC)
}}
Robson Matheus Tomé de Araújo Benegas (born 18 May 2002), known as Robson Matheus, is a Bolivian footballer who plays as a midfielder for Always Ready and the Bolivia national football team.{{cite web|title=Robson Tome|website=Soccerway|accessdate=1 May 2024|url= https://uk.soccerway.com/players/robson-mateo-tome-de-araujo/600749/}}
Early and personal life
Born in Santa Cruz de la Sierra to a Bolivian mother and Brazilian father, Robson moved to Brazil at the age of ten, and started playing for Corinthians.{{cite web|url=https://www.vision360.bo/noticias/2024/09/27/12579-robson-trabajo-duro-por-seguir-en-la-seleccion-y-volver-a-un-mundial|title=Robson: “Trabajo duro por seguir en la selección y volver a un Mundial”|trans-title=Robson: "I work hard to remain in the national team and to return to a World Cup"|publisher=Visión 360|language=es|date=27 September 2024|accessdate=1 January 2025}} In 2018, after a short period at Portuguesa, he moved to Palmeiras.
In June 2021, Robson Matheus (also nicknamed Bolívia at the time) signed for Cruzeiro and was assigned to the under-20 team. {{cite web |accessdate=1 May 2024 |date=17 June 2021 |title=Cruzeiro contrata meia boliviano de 19 anos para o time sub-20 |url=https://www.terra.com.br/esportes/cruzeiro/cruzeiro-contrata-meia-boliviano-de-19-anos-para-o-time-sub-20,27145a3a675b7c8c6b401989b8dc5d36h96r2x6y.html|trans-title=Cruzeiro sign 19-year-old Bolivian midfielder for the under-20 team|website=Terra|language=pt-BR}} In August 2022, after being released by the latter side,{{cite web|url=https://www.diarioceleste.com.br/noticias-do-cruzeiro/rescisoes-de-bolivia-miticov-e-vitinho-com-o-cruzeiro-sao-publicadas-no-bid/|title=Rescisões de Bolívia, Miticov e Vitinho com o Cruzeiro são publicadas no BID|trans-title=Rescisions of Bolívia, Miticov and Vitinho with Cruzeiro are published in the BID|publisher=Diário Celeste|language=pt-BR|date=15 August 2022|accessdate=1 January 2025}} he agreed to a deal with {{ill|Ibrachina Futebol Clube|lt=Ibrachina|pt}}.
Club career
In December 2022, Robson Matheus signed for Club Always Ready.{{cite web |accessdate=1 May 2024 |date=21 December 2022 |title=Possível rival do Atlético contratou ex-Cruzeiro para jogar a Libertadores|trans-title=Possible opponent of Atlético signed former Cruzeiro man to play in the Libertadores |url=https://www.mg.superesportes.com.br/app/noticias/futebol/atletico-mg/2022/12/21/noticia_atletico_mg,3984409/possivel-rival-do-atletico-contratou-ex-cruzeiro-para-jogar-a-libertadores.shtml |website=Super Esportes|language=pt-BR}} He spent the entire 2023 season without featuring for the main squad, before making the pre-season with the club for the 2024 season.
Robson Matheus made his senior league debut for Always Ready on 17 February 2024, against Universitario de Vinto.{{cite web|url= https://uk.soccerway.com/matches/2024/02/17/bolivia/lfpb/always-ready/universitario-de-vinto/4299768/|website=Soccerway|accessdate=1 May 2024|title= ALWAYS READY VS. UNIVERSITARIO DE VINTO 1 - 1|date=17 February 2024}} In April 2024, he reported a rejected spot-fixing offer he refused to deliberately earn a booking during a Copa Sudamericana tie against Defensa y Justicia. He said that an initial offer of US$ 5,000 was doubled to US$ 10,000 after he initially refused; the call came from a Paraguayan number.{{cite web|url=https://azscore.com/news/football/621784-midfielder-of-always-ready-denounces-offer-to-intentionally-receive-yellow-card-in-the-south-american-cup|title=Midfielder of Always Ready denounces offer to intentionally receive yellow card in the South American Cup|accessdate=1 May 2024|date=9 April 2024 |website=azscore}}{{cite web|url= https://istoe.com.br/jogador-de-time-boliviano-diz-ter-recebido-oferta-para-manipular-jogo-da-copa-sul-americana/|website=istoe.com.br|accessdate=1 May 2024|title=Jogador de time boliviano diz ter recebido oferta para manipular jogo da Copa Sul-Americana|trans-title=Player from a Bolivian team says he received an offer to manipulate Copa Sudamericana match|publisher=Istoé|language=pt-BR|date=9 April 2024}}
Robson Matheus scored his first senior goal on 18 September 2024, netting his team's second in a 3–3 away draw against San Antonio Bulo Bulo. In the following three months, he would score a further ten goals, finishing the year as the club's top scorer.
International career
In 2019, Robson Matheus was called up to the Bolivia national under-17 team whilst he was in the youth academy at Palmeiras.{{cite web|url=https://www.late.com.bo/una-semana-inolvidable-para-robson-matheus/|website=Late!|language=es|accessdate=1 May 2024|title= Una semana inolvidable para Robson Matheus|trans-title=An unforgettable week to Robson Matheus|date=16 September 2019}} He received his first call-up to the full side in March 2024, for two friendlies against Algeria and Andorra.{{cite web|url=https://eldeber.com.bo/futbol/robson-matheus-jugador-de-la-verde-agradezco-la-confianza-de-zago_360386/|title=Robson Matheus, jugador de la Verde: “Agradezco la confianza de Zago”|trans-title=Robson Matheus, la Verde player: "I thank Zago's trust"|publisher=El Deber|language=es|date=20 March 2024|accessdate=1 January 2025}}
Robson Matheus made his full international debut on 25 March 2024, starting in a 1–0 win over Andorra.{{cite web|url=https://eldeber.com.bo/futbol/robson-debuto-en-la-seleccion-boliviana-akologo-y-rafinha-tendran-que-esperar_361024/|title=Robson debutó en la selección boliviana; Akologo y Rafinha tendrán que esperar|trans-title=Robson debuted in the Bolivia national team; Akologo and Rafinha will have to wait|publisher=El Deber|language=es|date=25 March 2024|accessdate=1 January 2025}}{{cite web|url= https://onefootball.com/en/news/yomar-rocha-y-robson-matheus-los-estrenos-de-bolivia-en-argelia-39261045|accessdate=1 May 2024|date= 26 March 2024|title=Yomar Rocha y Robson Matheus, los estrenos de Bolivia en Argelia|trans-title=Yomar Rocha and Robson Matheus, Bolivia's debuts in Algeria|publisher=OneFootball|language=es}} In June, he was included in Antônio Carlos Zago's preliminary 29-man squad for the 2024 Copa América,{{cite web|url=https://www.lostiempos.com/deportes/futbol/20240602/conoce-29-convocados-bolivia-copa-america|title=Conoce a los 29 convocados de Bolivia para la Copa América|trans-title=Meet the 29 called-up players of Bolivia for the Copa América|publisher=Los Tiempos|date=2 June 2024|access-date=3 June 2024|language=es}} being also included in the final list.{{cite web |title=Copa América 2024: Las listas de jugadores las 16 selecciones |trans-title=2024 Copa América: The squad lists of the 16 national teams |url=https://copaamerica.com/es/novedades/todas-listas-copa-america-estados-unidos-2024 |website=copaamerica.com |publisher=CONMEBOL |access-date=17 June 2024 |language=es |date=14 June 2024}} However, he failed to make a single appearance in the competition.
Career statistics
=Club=
{{updated|15 June 2025.}}{{Soccerway|robson-mateo-tome-de-araujo/600749|accessdate=1 January 2025}}
| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center" | ||||||||
| rowspan="2"|Club
!rowspan="2"|Season !colspan="3"|League !colspan="2"|Cup !colspan="2"|Continental !colspan="2"|Total | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| rowspan="3"|Always Ready
|2023 |rowspan="3"|Primera División |0 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 2024
|36 | 11 | colspan="2"|— | 12{{efn|Four appearances and one goal in Copa Libertadores, eight appearances in Copa Sudamericana}} | 1 | 48 | 12 | ||
| 2025
|6 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 5{{efn|Appearances in Copa Libertadores}} | 0 | 12 | 0 | |
| colspan="3"|Career total
!42 | 11 | 1 | 0 | 17 | 1 | 60 | 12 |
{{Notelist}}
=International=
{{updated|10 June 2025}}
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" | |||
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| rowspan="2"|Bolivia
|2024 | 5 | 0 | |
| 2025 | 4 | 0 | |
| colspan="2"|Total | 9 | 0 |
References
{{reflist}}
{{Bolivia squad 2024 Copa América}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Matheus, Robson}}
Category:Footballers from Santa Cruz de la Sierra
Category:Bolivian men's footballers
Category:21st-century Bolivian sportsmen
Category:Bolivia men's youth international footballers
Category:Bolivia men's international footballers
Category:Bolivian people of Brazilian descent
Category:Club Always Ready players
Category:Bolivian Primera División players