The samba is coming back to AAMI Park.
Melbourne City this week welcomed experienced Brazilian midfielder Matheus Rossetto to the Club on loan for the 2026/27 season, with the 30-year-old set to arrive in Melbourne this weekend before immediately linking up with Aurelio Vidmar’s squad.
But how did a midfielder with experience across Brazil and North America end up in City blue?
From one of South America’s most renowned Academies to silverware in Brazil, almost 100 appearances in Major League Soccer and now a new chapter in Australia, let’s take a look at Rossetto’s journey to Melbourne.
Academy to first team
Like so many of City’s own Academy graduates, Rossetto’s football story began as a teenager.
He joined Athletico Paranaense’s Academy at just 13 years of age and steadily worked his way through one of Brazil’s most respected youth systems.
It’s an Academy renowned for producing elite talent, with the likes of Fernandinho, Alex Sandro, Bruno Guimarães and Renan Lodi all emerging through its ranks. Rossetto developed alongside the latter two of those future stars before making his senior debut in 2015.
Following a brief loan spell with Ferroviária, he returned to Athletico and established himself as a regular over the next five seasons.
It proved to be one of the most successful periods in the Club’s history, with Rossetto helping Athletico lift both the Copa Sudamericana and Copa do Brasil while making 113 senior appearances.
Taking his talents to Atlanta
After more than a decade with Athletico Paranaense, a new challenge awaited.
Rossetto joined Atlanta United ahead of the 2020 MLS season, arriving at one of North America’s biggest clubs with a reputation as an intelligent, technically gifted midfielder capable of controlling the tempo of a match.
His first season wasn’t without its challenges. Between adapting to a new country, a different style of football and the disruption caused by COVID-19, settling into life in Atlanta took time. Rossetto has since spoken about how those factors made his transition more difficult than expected.
Once settled, however, he became one of the team’s most trusted performers.
Playing alongside stars such as Thiago Almada and Luiz Araújo, Rossetto earned a reputation as the player who quietly made everything tick. Coaches praised his football intelligence, teammates admired his tireless work ethic, and he was entrusted with the captain’s armband on several occasions during his four seasons in Atlanta.
By the time he departed, Rossetto had made just shy of 100 appearances across all competitions.
Back home in Brazil
Rossetto returned to Brazil in 2024, joining Fortaleza despite strong interest from Atlanta in retaining his services.
He continued to perform consistently in Série A, surpassing 100 appearances in Brazil’s top flight and further cementing his reputation as one of the competition’s most reliable midfielders.
Although Fortaleza endured a difficult 2025 campaign that ultimately ended in relegation, Rossetto’s individual performances remained as impressive as ever.
Across the 2024 and 2025 Série A seasons, Opta data ranked him among the competition’s top three players for passing accuracy (92.3%), while his 170 possession wins were the second-most of any Fortaleza player over the same period.
A new challenge awaits
Now, the next chapter begins in Melbourne.
Rossetto arrives in Australia with more than 200 senior appearances across Brazil and Major League Soccer, becoming the sixth Brazilian to represent Melbourne Heart and Melbourne City.
Speaking after signing with the Club, Rossetto said City’s ambition and style of football made the move an easy decision.
“I’m very happy to be joining Melbourne City and excited for this new challenge in Australia,” Rossetto said.
“I’ve heard a lot of positive things about the Club, the style of football the team wants to play and the ambition that exists here. It made this an opportunity I really wanted to be part of.”
“I want to bring everything I’ve learned throughout my career, help the team however I can and do everything possible to contribute to a successful season.”
With his family arriving in Melbourne alongside him in the coming days, Rossetto’s Australian adventure is only just beginning, and City fans won’t have to wait much longer to see our newest Brazilian in action.
Don’t miss seeing Rossetto and City in action this season – click here to become a 2026/27 Member!
