Matthew Hoppe signs his first professional contract

“Matthew Hoppe has taken his chance and shown that he has the potential to permanently establish himself in the Bundesliga,” said Jochen Schneider, Head of Sport and Communication. “His development once again highlights the great work done by our academy and shows that FC Schalke 04 is the right place for young players to thrive.”

The American striker was also excited with the new deal: “The last few weeks have been like a dream. I am extremely thankful to everyone at Schalke for giving me this chance. Now I want to play my part in us being successful again.”

Matthew Hoppe joined FC Schalke 04 in the summer of 2019 from the Barca Academy in the USA. He scored five goals in 20 competitive games for Norbert Elgert’s U19s, before beginning this season with the U23s in the fourth tier. Hoppe netted once in 16 appearances, prior to his first-team debut. Since then, he has bagged five goals in nine Bundesliga outings, starting each of the last six matches.