Mathys Tel is a professional football player who plays as a striker for Tottenham Hotspur. Tel joined Tottenham on a permanent transfer from Bayern Munich in June 2025, following an initial loan deal.
Despite his young age, he proved himself at Bayern Munich to be one of the brightest attacking talents in Europe and having got a first taste of Premier League action on loan at Tottenham, will now be keen to make his mark in the 2025/26 season.
Here’s a look into the life of Tottenham Hotspur striker striker – Mathys Tel.
Who is Mathys Tel
Mathys Tel is a record-breaking French prodigy, and his journey to prominence has been nothing short of spectacular.
Born in the northern suburbs of Paris in Sarcelles in April 27, 2005, Tel’s footballing career began in the local circuits, playing for Villiers Le Bel, Paris FC, ASJ Aubervilliers, and Montrouge FC before earning a place at the prestigious Clairefontaine academy.
His early days as a centre-back were short-lived, as his coaches quickly realised that his pace, dribbling ability, and clinical finishing made him a natural forward.
Tel’s rise to prominence accelerated when he joined Rennes as a 15-year-old, and it was not long before he was rewriting history books. In August 2021, he became the youngest player to feature for Rennes, making his debut in a Ligue 1 fixture against Brest at just 16 years, three months, and 19 days old.
How tall is Mathys Tel in feet?
Standing at 6ft tall, the teenager is already physically imposing, and his performances did not go unnoticed as he played a pivotal role in leading France’s U17 team to European Championship glory in 2022.
As the captain of the team, his contributions were vital. He scored three goals and got an assist in the group stage, followed by crucial performances in the knockout rounds, including a goal in the final against the Netherlands. This saw him lift the trophy as captain after the final on June 1.
Mathys Tel shirt number
The French striker wears the number 11 shirt for the Lilywhites, following in the footsteps of Tottenham Hotspur legends such as Gareth Bale and Rafael van der Vaart.
What position does Mathys Tel play?
Mathys Tel is a highly versatile forward capable of playing across the front line within the Tottenham Hotspur first-team squad. He has featured as a left winger, centre-forward, and right winger, with his ability to adapt making him an attractive prospect for Thomas Frank to play in a variety of positions across the front three.
Mathys Tel’s role models
Tel has often spoken about the players he looks up to, drawing inspiration from some of the best forwards in the game. In an interview with Bundesliga in 2023, he revealed his admiration for Spurs legend Harry Kane, who he described as a role model:
“He is a great striker. He has shown that across his career. I am a striker too, so he is a role model for me. It is important to have people to learn from technically and in terms of finishing. Often I do not even have to ask him. He just comes over to me and tells me: ‘Mathys, you can do that, or that.’ He is a role model to me, and he is helping me a lot.”
Tel also explained why he wears the number 39 shirt: “Because I already had it at Rennes and also because Nicolas Anelka wore it. I like Anelka, he was a really good player.”
Mathys Tel first joined Tottenham on deadline day
Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy flew to Munich on January 31st 2025 in an attempt to try to persuade Tel to make the move to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
Despite his efforts, Levy was unable to use his powers of persuasion with Tel rejecting a move to Tottenham despite the club having agreed a deal with Bayern Munich.
In a remarkable turn of events on February 3rd, it was revealed that former Spurs boss Ange Postecoglou played a key role in persuading the striker to change his mind and a matter of hours later Mathys Tel joined Tottenham on loan with the option to buy in the summer of 2025 to finish the transfer window with some added firepower to their attack.
Tel completed a permanent move to Tottenham Hotspur on June 15th 2025 from Bayern Munich for a £30million fee.