This article needs additional citations for verification. (July 2022) |
Matts Kunding was an association footballer who played in Italy in the early part of the 20th century. A midfielder, Kunding was reputedly one of the first Irish professional footballers to play outside of the UK or Ireland.[1] In some records, he is documented as having played with Torino and Juventus.[2]
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Matthew Kunding | ||
| Position(s) | Midfielder | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1909–1910 | Torino | 13 | (0) |
| 1910–1911 | Juventus | 6 | (0) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Writing in the sports news website The42 in 2023, sports journalist Gavin Cooney queried whether the lack of documentation or records relating to Kunding suggests that "he was simply invented".[1]
Club career
editRecords indicate that Kunding played his entire brief career in Turin in Italy.[1] He signed for Torino in 1909, making his debut in the Turin Derby against Juventus, winning the game 3-1 at the Velodrome Humbert I. He played in Torino's midfield alongside Englishman Arthur Rodgers.[citation needed] That season, Torino finished fourth in the Serie A.[3]
The next season, he moved to Torino's rivals Juventus and played with the club for the 1910-1911 season. He made his debut in a 1-1 draw against Piedmont Football Club on 27 November 1910.[4] After playing in a 2-0 win over Andrea Doria, Kunding was later dropped after a poor showing in a 0-2 home defeat to AC Milan.[citation needed] His last game for Juventus came in a 3-0 defeat to Genoa on 19 March 1911, with the team finishing in last place in the Serie A.[citation needed] In all, Kunding reputedly had 6 appearances (and no goals) with Juventus.[5]
References
edit- ^ a b c Cooney, Gavin (15 November 2023). "'I've learned the Italian style now and I really do enjoy it'". The 42. Retrieved 28 December 2023.
Matts Kunding, a player on whom [..] there are ongoing doubts as to whether he was simply invented. But certain dusty record books in Turin record him as among the very first Irish footballers to play outside of the UK
- ^ "Irish Footballers In Italy: A Century Of Adventure". balls.ie. 4 June 2020. Retrieved 29 December 2023.
Matts Kunding, who to this day remains curiously enigmatic, lined out for Torino before moving across the city to join the newly-formed Juventus
- ^ Moretti, Claudio (2018). Tutto quello che avresti voluto sapere sulla Juventus e non ti hanno mai raccontato (in Italian). Newton Compton Editori. ISBN 9788822726445.
Matthew "Matts" Kunding giocava mediano a inizio Novecento. E stato uno deit primi irlandese a giocari fuori dal territorio britannico [..] Nella stagione 1909-1910 veste le maglia del Toro e conquista un onore quarto posto, mentre l'anno seguente pass ai cugini bianconeri.
- ^ "Profilo Giocatore Matts Kunding". myjuve.it.
- ^ Bosio, Roberto. Il dizionario della Juventus (in Italian). p. 69.
KUNDING MATTHEW: "Matts" Kunding è stato uno dei primi irlandesi a giocare fuori dalla Gran Bretagna. Mediano, gioca in bianconero nella stagione 1910-11 (6 presenze e nessuna rete)