Height: 6’0″
Weight: 161
Hometown: Drexel Hills, PA
Nationality: USA
Birthdate: 07/10/99
Last Club: Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC
LAST SEASON
Matt Real joins Hartford Athletic after a successful 2025 campaign with the Colorado Springs Switchbacks, during which he made 22 appearances with 14 starts and logged 1,406 minutes. He added one goal and one assist, to help power his team to the Western Conference playoffs. Additionally, Real provided 11 key passes, 46 crosses (enough for second on the team), 31 clearances, and 10 interceptions. He also won 27 of 41 tackles (also enough for second on the team), 76 of 138 duels and 19 of 36 aerial duels.
USL EXPERIENCE
After starting off his career in the USL before moving to the MLS, Real returned to the league halfway through the 2024 season. The 6’0” leftback joined the Colorado Springs Switchbacks on loan from Philadelphia Union, impressing the coaches enough to earn a permanent transfer at the beginning of the 2025 season. The Switchbacks went on to win the USL Championship in 2024.
OUTSIDE THE USL
The Drexel Hills, PA native began his professional career in 2017 when he signed with Bethlehem Steel (now Philadelphia Union II). A year later he signed a homegrown contract with Bethlehem’s parent company Philadelphia Union. Real spent the next five and a half years playing with both Philly Union and Steel/Union II (in the USL, MLS and MLS NEXT Pro leagues) making over 130 appearances and providing eight goals and six assists. Real brings substantial MLS experience to the Hartford Athletic roster, as he has made 49 appearances in the top-tier of American soccer. Real was a part of the 2022 Philadelphia Union squad that made it to the final of the MLS Cup. He has also made appearances in several high-level tournaments, such as the Concacaf Champions Cup, the US Open Cup and the Leagues Cup.
On the international level, the 26-year-old has 22 total caps with the US Youth National Teams. Most notably, he captained the USA to its second-straight Concacaf U-20 Championship Title in 2018. During the tournament, he played the full 90 minutes in five matches, including the World Cup-clinching game against Costa Rica and the final against Mexico.
HONORS & AWARDS
- USL Championship Winner (2024)
- MLS Supporters’ Shield (2020)
- U-20 Concacaf Champion, captain (2018)
