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Former Liverpool and Leeds United defender Dominic Matteo is known for his grit on the football pitch, but it’s his resilience off the field that has defined his biggest battle—his fight against a brain tumour. Diagnosed with a rare anaplastic ependymoma, a type of tumour more commonly found in children, Matteo’s story is one of survival, determination, and hope. What makes his story even more compelling is that brain tumours, which can affect anyone from any walk of life, are not as rare as people may think. As Dominic himself points out, “A brain tumour diagnosis can happen to anyone, from any walk of life.”
"I Didn’t Feel Right, But I Just Cracked On"
Matteo’s symptoms crept up on him gradually, in ways that were easy to dismiss at first.
“I was working for Soccer Saturday at Sky, and I remember being at a Hull game. The cameraman and a press officer, who both knew me really well, said, ‘You don’t seem the same today.’ I just said, ‘I’m fine, I’m fine,’ but deep down, I didn’t feel right,” he recalls.
There were more warning signs. “I’d never crashed my car in my life, but I clipped a curb and got a flat tyre. That was strange because my eyesight had always been really good. Then, when I was doing live TV, a goal went in, and I didn’t know who had scored. That was never me—I’ve always known football inside out.”
The signs continued, but Matteo kept going, as he always had in football. “One night, after dinner with my wife, I suddenly felt sick and had to pull over. My mates have always said, ‘He’ll never spew, he likes his beer too much!’ But that night, I did. I thought I must have just eaten something bad, took some paracetamol, and went to bed.”
"I Collapsed at the Right Time"
The turning point came just as he was about to fly to Singapore for a football tournament. His wife, Jess, insisted he get a check-up first.
“I went to the hospital, and while I was there, I collapsed. If that had happened on a plane, who knows what would have happened? Someone was looking down on me that day.”
The doctors rushed Matteo for a brain scan, and the results were immediate. “I remember being pulled out of the MRI scan early, and I just knew something was wrong. Then I was blue-lighted to another hospital, and that’s kind of the last thing I remember.”
His life was in the hands of his brain surgeon, Ryan Matthew, and oncologist, Professor Susan Short, whom he now considers heroes. “Ryan saves lives every day of the week,” Matteo says. “I’ve got so much respect for him. He told me my case was one of the worst he had ever seen.”
Support from Liverpool and Leeds United
As Matteo recovered from life-saving surgery, he was overwhelmed by the support he received—especially from the football community.
“Liverpool FC were incredible,” he says. “They told my wife, ‘Don’t worry about anything. We’ll look after you and make sure everything is as good as it can be.’ And they did. The amount of stuff they sent to the hospital—it was overwhelming. I never expected that. When you’re playing football, you crack on, you kick a few people, and you think, ‘I’ve probably made a few enemies over the years!’ But it turns out I had a few mates after all.”
Leeds United also played a huge role in his recovery. “They were exactly the same as Liverpool,” Matteo says. “They let me use Elland Road when I had a life coach for a year. That was all thanks to my friend Jason—one of my best mates—who paid for it. That year of life coaching was incredible. It gave me the mindset I needed to get through everything. Without that, I don’t know where I’d be.”
"It Took Everything From Me, But I’m Still Here"
Matteo’s recovery was far from easy.
“I can’t read, I can’t write, and I can’t see very well down the right-hand side of my eye because of the tumour,” he admits. “But it is what it is. I’m still here, I’m still fighting, and that’s me. I’ll never stop battling.”
Adjusting to his new reality was tough. “I had to accept that I’ll never drive again. That took me a while to get my head around, but it’s just the way it is. I even joked that Uber should give me a contract at this point!”
He also struggles with memory and concentration, especially when speaking publicly. “Sometimes, when I’m on stage, I lose my train of thought. But I just own it now. I tell people, ‘Look, I’ve had a brain tumour. If I mess up, that’s why!’ And people accept that.”
"We Get Just 1%—That Has to Change"
Matteo has become a passionate advocate for brain tumour awareness, often speaking about the desperate need for more research funding.
“We get just 1% of the cancer funding in the UK. That’s nothing,” he says. “When brain tumours are the biggest cancer killer of people under 40- We have to do more.”
Matteo is also backing efforts to bring mobile MRI scanning units to hospitals in the UK, a project he’s working on with fellow brain tumour patient Mel Crossland. “We’re trying to get one into Leeds,” he explains. “It could be life-changing, especially for kids. Right now, a lot of children have to be put under anaesthetic just to get a scan. With this new tech, their families could stay in the room with them. But again—it all comes down to funding.”
Yorkshire’s Brain Tumour Charity is committed to investing in local research, in the hope of finding new treatments and improving the health outcomes of brain tumour patients. On 24th March, YBTC will be opening up to funding bids of up to £5,000 to help towards the costs of seed-funding projects, which will enable innovative proof of concept studies, hopefully leading towards future breakthroughs in brain tumour research. See Research | YBTC for further information.
"If I Can Help One Person, It’s Worth It"
One of Matteo’s biggest motivations in speaking out is the hope that his story can help others. He believes that by sharing his experience, he can give people hope and inspire them to fight.
“If I can help one person, even just one person a year, then it’s all worth it,” he says. “That means more to me than anything else.”
Matteo’s message resonates with others who have faced similar challenges. “I was at Elland Road a few weeks back, and as I was walking through, a guy pulled me aside. He said, ‘I had a brain tumour 25 years ago, and I’m doing great.’ That gave me such a lift. Just hearing a story like that gives you hope.”
Dominic also sees the importance of sharing these stories, especially as he’s met others who have experienced brain tumours first-hand, including high-profile figures like TV presenter Davina McCall. It was while filming Long Lost Families, when Dominic was reunited with his birth mother, Maggie, that he met Davina. Reflecting on their encounter, Matteo said, “It just shows you, in every walk of life, it can happen to anyone. Davina McCall, who I knew a little bit from back in the day, recently had a benign tumour. And so, it just shows— a brain tumour diagnosis can happen to anyone, from any walk of life.” For Dominic, seeing other public figures speak out about their experiences is an important reminder that anyone, regardless of their background, can be affected by this devastating illness.
This shared solidarity motivates him to continue advocating for more awareness and funding for brain tumour research, hoping that by uniting voices and sharing stories, more lives can be saved.
The power of peer support and shared understanding is central to Yorkshire’s Brain Tumour Charity’s approach to its vital support services; providing in-person support groups and wellbeing walks all over Yorkshire. For further details please visit Support | YBTC.
Living Life to the Fullest
Despite everything, Matteo refuses to let his diagnosis define him.
“My mindset is simple—I’m not lying down. I’m cracking on. I’m living my life.”
He still keeps busy with football, business, and public speaking, but he’s also learned to take time out for himself. “We’re going to Dubai soon, just to recharge. I’ve been so busy, and sometimes you just need a reset. I never used to be the one saying that—usually, it was my wife! But this time, it was me. I knew I needed it.”
Through it all, his family remains his biggest motivation. “I’ve got a beautiful wife, three amazing kids, and great friends. I’ve got too much to live for.”
Dominic Matteo’s story is a powerful reminder that even in the face of adversity, hope, resilience, and a strong support system can make all the difference. His fight continues—not just for himself, but for everyone affected by brain tumours, regardless of their background or circumstances. Whether you’re a footballer, like Dominic, a TV presenter like Davina McCall, or anyone from any walk of life, brain tumours can strike anyone, and we must all continue to advocate for more awareness and funding.
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