Various sources indicate that Joel practices Christianity, which centers around the belief in Jesus Christ as the son of God and the savior of humanity.
The Liverpool star center-back Job Joël André Matip was born on August 8, 1991, to his mother, Eva Maria Matip, and father, Jean Matip, in Bochum, Germany.
He began his big career with Schalke 04 in 2009. He was part of their DFB-Pokal and DFL-Supercup winning team in 2011.
Before moving to his current club, he had 258 competitive appearances and 23 goals to his name.
Furthermore, joining Liverpool made him the player that he is today. With them, he won the UEFA Champions League 2019, Premier League 2019-20, and the 2019 UEFA Super Cup.
On the international level, Matip represented Cameroon and played in the 2010 Africa Cup of Nations and the FIFA World Cups of 2010 and 2014. He retired from his international career in 2015.
Joel has been married to Larissa Matip since 2020 and shares a son, born in 2021.
Joel Matip Religion
According to multiple sources, Joel is a Christian.
Matip comes from a mixed ethnicity; he follows Christmas as his major festival. He has followed the same religion as his parents.
The amount of success he has achieved in his life, he attributes them all to the almighty.
He has openly discussed his faith and has been seen making religious gestures on the field, such as crossing himself before games.
Joel Matip, a devout Christian, frequently crosses himself before matches and credits his faith for guiding his decisions and actions on and off the field.
In interviews, Matip has expressed gratitude for his religious beliefs, stating that they give him strength and help him stay grounded amidst the pressures of professional soccer.
He has also mentioned that he regularly attends church services and engages in prayer as part of his religious culture.
Joel Matip Family
Joel is the son of former Cameroonian soccer player Jean Matip, and his mother is German.
He comes from a humble middle-class family with supportive parents.
Matip’s family is one of the most successful German families with a Cameroonian background.
His father, a former chemistry teacher, became a player and later a coach of FC Italia B. This made him the first black soccer coach in Bochum.
Matip has two siblings: a brother named Marvin Matip, a former soccer player, and a sister, Rebecca Matip, a successful dermatologist in Gelsenkirchen.
The three siblings are the cousins of the former soccer player Joseph-Désiré Job.
Joel Matip Career
Matip initiated his professional journey at SC Weitmar 45 and subsequently transferred to VfL Bochum in 1997.
He confirmed on 15 February 2016 that he had agreed to a four-year pre-contract with Liverpool, securing a free transfer once his contract with Schalke expired.
Matip played his first match for Liverpool on 23 August 2016, contributing to a 5-0 victory over Burton Albion in the EFL Cup during the 2016-17 season.
Matip received Liverpool’s Player of the Month accolade for his outstanding performances in November.