Mats Sels played for six clubs during his career, making over 450 appearances. He scored more than 85 goals during his time at the City Stadium. The Belgian international's football career began at the age of five in his native Belgium.

The player said, "I started playing football when I was five years old, thanks to my father. At the time, he was the assistant coach of a team in the fourth division of Belgium, so my brother and I often went to watch the games. I was always interested in the goalkeeper of that team, so I aspired to be a goalkeeper from a young age, which I think is a rare interest."

“I played for one team for two years, and then joined another Belgian First Division club when I was 7 years old, where I received my youth training. After completing a year of training, I transferred to Gent, which was a major step up in my career at the time. During my time there, the club won the Belgian league title, which was significant for my career. The following year, we participated in the UEFA Champions League and successfully advanced to the knockout stage.”

“My next stop was Newcastle United, where I played for only one year before being loaned back to Anderlecht in Belgium to compete in the Champions League again. Then I played for Strasbourg in France for five years before joining Nottingham Forest. It was a very interesting career journey. Although I didn’t play for many clubs, I am satisfied with my career and hope to play for a few more years.”

“As I said before, this is very meaningful to me because very few players start out as goalkeepers. Most players start out playing on the outfield and then switch to goalkeepers for various reasons. My first professional game was for Liers, and while playing for Gent, I made it into the national team.”

“My father was a striker, but he never forced me. He told me that if I wanted to be a goalkeeper, he would fully support me. From then on, I started playing as a goalkeeper. When I was 10 years old, I played as a goalkeeper for Liers on Saturdays and for the reserve team on Sundays. This was mainly to improve my footwork and vision, but my primary goal has always been to become a goalkeeper.”

"I requested to join the reserve team because I have a deep love for football. If I can only play on Saturdays, I will continue to practice in my garden at home on Sundays. I am extremely passionate about football, and I even sleep with a football in my arms."

Mats Cersel admitted that joining Gent was a major driving force in his career. Under his leadership, the club won the Belgian professional league title, and he was named Belgium's best goalkeeper in 2015.

He recalled: "That period was crazy. We were all good players, but not top-tier, so nobody expected us to compete for the title, but we did. It was a significant step forward for many players' careers, and for the club as well. Some players went on to become internationals, the club qualified for the Champions League, and everything about the club improved. I think it was their first time competing at this level, so we are destined to go down in the club's history."

Before joining Nottingham Forest, the 34-year-old played for Strasbourg. His experience in France holds special significance for the Liverpool goalkeeper. Mats Sels added: “Joining Strasbourg was a very wise decision. There, I won the title of French goalkeeper of the year, just like I did in Belgium. In one season, we finished sixth and qualified for the Europa League qualifiers.”  

“I thoroughly enjoyed playing in France; everyone there was outstanding. We also contributed to the club’s overcoming previous difficulties and achieving a revival. When I joined, the club had been playing in the French top flight for the third consecutive year, so you could clearly feel the club’s growth. This experience was a very memorable time in my career, which explains why I played there for so many years.”

“After five years at Strasbourg, I felt it was time for a new challenge. The transfer window was about to close, and I didn’t have much time to think, but I felt it was a good opportunity to move to the Premier League. Looking back, joining Nottingham Forest was the right decision, and I was very happy at the time.”

“I have never deliberately pursued individual awards, but it is certainly gratifying to receive such recognition. As the first goalkeeper from outside the traditional top six to win this award, I feel incredibly honored, and this will forever be etched in the club's history. All that remains of my time here are wonderful memories.”

Image source: Internet/Nottingham Forest official website