Born on February 24, 2000, Antony Matheus dos Santos, also known by his moniker Antony, is a Brazilian professional football player who plays right wing for both the Brazil national team and Manchester United in the Premier League.
After graduating from the São Paulo school, Antony joined the team as a senior in 2018. He relocated overseas to Ajax in the summer of 2020, where he spent two seasons winning two Eredivisie titles and one KNVB Cup. As a result of his accomplishments in the Netherlands, Antony was acquired by Manchester United for €95 million (£82 million), the largest amount ever paid for an Eredivisie player.
With the Brazil under-23 squad, Antony took home a gold medal at the 2020 Summer Olympics. After scoring in his first senior international match against Venezuela in October 2021, he went on to play for Brazil in the FIFA World Cup in 2022.
Antony Early Life
Born in Osasco, São Paulo, Antony spent his childhood in the slum of Inferninho, which is located distant from the city center. He combined his passion of futsal with street football as a child, playing football anywhere he could, whether in his home or on the streets, and frequently going to São Paulo games with his aunt.
Club Career
São Paulo
He started playing football at a young age, and when São Paulo saw him, they offered him a contract in 2010 when he was ten years old. He was then accepted into their youth academy. The staff persuaded his manager to retain Antony despite his struggles for playing time and near-expulsion from the club’s youth ranks during his formative years. Antony became friends with Helinho and Igor Gomes while he was in the junior academy. Antony was voted the competition’s best player in September 2018 after assisting his club in winning the J-League Challenge tournament in Japan.
Along with Helinho and Igor Gomes, Antony was promoted to the senior squad on September 26 of that same month. He also signed a contract that would last until September 2023. He made his first-team debut on November 15th, replacing Helinho in a 1-1 tie with Grêmio. In order to participate in the Copa São Paulo de Futebol Júnior, which his team won, he was demoted to the club’s under-20 squad. Due to his four goals and six assists in nine games during the competition, he was awarded the tournament’s best player and scored in the final against Vasco da Gama.
Antony made his Copa Libertadores debut on March 5, 2020, starting in São Paulo’s 2-1 loss to Binacional of Peru. The season was suspended for several months due to the COVID-19 epidemic, and as a result, Antony made his final appearance for the team on March 14th, playing in the San-São derby, when they defeated rivals Santos 2-1.
Ajax
Antony was signed by Ajax on February 23, 2020, for an initial £13 million, which could have increased to £18.2 million, on a five-year contract that would take effect on July 1, 2020. On September 13, 2020, he made his club debut by scoring the lone goal in a victory over Sparta Rotterdam on the road. In a 2–2 tie with Atalanta on October 27, he made his UEFA Champions League debut. He left the field in the 90th minute after colliding with Ruslan Malinovskyi, but on November 3, 2020, he scored his first goal in the competition in a 2–1 victory over Midtjylland on the road.
Antony made 46 appearances during the 2020–21 season as he fought with David Neres for a starting position. He helped Ajax win the domestic double of the Eredivisie and the KNVB Cup by finishing the season with 11 goals and 10 assists, including a goal in the 3-1 loss to Vitesse in the domestic cup final.
A disagreement about Antony’s wish to leave Ajax before the 2022–23 season after he made his injury comeback against Fortuna Sittard on August 6. Antony did not show up for training and was kept out of the matchday squads against Sparta Rotterdam and Utrecht after Ajax turned down Manchester United’s interest in him, including an approach of €85 million. In an interview, Antony stated that he had planned to depart in February but chose to “follow his dreams” by waiting for the transfer to happen until the end of the summer window. He also declined a contract renewal from Ajax.
Manchester United
Ajax revealed on August 30, 2022, that they and Manchester United have come to an agreement over Antony’s transfer. The biggest transfer in Ajax’s and the Eredivisie’s history, Antony signed a five-year contract two days later for a transfer fee of €95 million (£82 million), with an additional €5 million (£4.27 million) in add-ons. This was the third-highest transfer fee ever paid by the club, behind Paul Pogba and Romelu Lukaku. He was given the number 21 shirt that Edinson Cavani, who had just left the club, had worn when he first arrived.
In a 3-1 home league triumph against rivals Arsenal on September 4, Antony scored his first goal for the team.
In United’s subsequent league game, a 6–3 loss at nearby rivals Manchester City on October 2, he scored once more. He became the first United player to score in three straight Premier League games the following week when he equalized the score in Everton for the third straight league game. United won 2-1.
A day before his 23rd birthday, on February 23, 2023, Antony came on as a substitute at halftime to help his team defeat Barcelona by scoring the game-winning goal in a 2-1 Europa League playoff encounter. He won his first prize with the team on February 26, 2023, when Manchester United defeated Newcastle United 2-0 at Wembley Stadium in the 2023 EFL Cup final.
Real Betis Loan
Antony was loaned to Real Betis, a La Liga team, on January 25, 2025, for the duration of the 2024–2025 campaign. In a 2–2 draw with Athletic Bilbao on February 2, he made his club debut, setting up Betis’ first goal and winning man of the match. Seven days later, in a 3–2 loss to Celta Vigo, Antony scored his first goals for Betis and was chosen man of the match. He was nominated for La Liga Player of the Month because of his performance. Antony was sent off for a challenge on Juan Iglesias during a league game against Getafe on February 23.
But after a successful unfair dismissal claim, the Royal Spanish Football Federation reversed the red card three days later. On May 8, he helped Betis go to their first-ever European final by scoring the first goal and setting up an extra-time goal in a 4–3 aggregate victory over Fiorentina.
Prior to the 2025–26 season, Manchester United placed Antony and a number of other players on the transfer list in May 2025.
After a six-month loan stint with Real Betis, Antony announced his exit on social media on May 31, 2025.
International Career
Youth Level
He scored two goals, including one in the final match against Japan, and helped his team win the 2019 Toulon Tournament after being selected in the Brazil under-23 squad on May 15.
Antony was added to the Brazil under-23 team for the 2020 Summer Olympics on June 17, 2021. He started each of Brazil’s six tournament games. He helped Malcom score the game-winning goal in extra time as Brazil defeated Spain in the final. In 22 appearances for the under-23 squad, he scored six goals.
Senior Level
In a World Cup qualifying match against Venezuela on October 7, 2021, Antony made his debut for the Brazilian national team. He entered the game as a substitute in the 77th minute and gave Brazil the lead in extra time with a goal. He was included in the 2022 FIFA World Cup squad on November 7, 2022.
Antony was kicked out of Brazil’s 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying matches against Bolivia and Peru on September 4, 2023, after he was accused of domestic violence against his ex-girlfriend.
Antony returned to the national team after a two-year sabbatical on May 26, 2025, when newly appointed Brazil manager Carlo Ancelotti named the roster for World Cup qualifying matches against Ecuador and Paraguay.
Personal Life
Rosilene Silva, Antony’s girlfriend, proposed to him on September 16, 2024. His ancestry is Portuguese.
Antony Faith
The Manchester United player Antony is a Christian. Wikipedia states that his religious membership has nothing to do with the matter, even though he was given leave in September 2023 to address the accusations.
Antony Net Worth
The estimated net worth of Antony Matheus dos Santos is between £10 and $12 million. For a cost of £104.5 million, Antony left Ajax in 2022 to sign a five-year contract with Manchester United, earning £10.4 million a year.
Honours
Ajax
- Eredivisie: 2020–21, 2021–22
- KNVB Cup: 2020–21
Manchester United
- FA Cup: 2023–24
- EFL Cup: 2022–23
- UEFA Europa League runner-up: 2024–25
Betis
- UEFA Conference League runner-up: 2024–25
Brazil U23
- Summer Olympics: 2020
- Toulon Tournament: 2019
