HARTFORD, Conn. – Hartford Athletic announced on Wednesday the club had acquired defender Matt Real via transfer from Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC ahead of the 2026 USL Championship season. The transaction is pending league and federation approval. 

Real spent the past two seasons with Colorado Springs, where he recorded 52 appearances across the USL Championship regular season and playoffs. The 26-year-old logged 41 interceptions, 158 recoveries and 99 clearances in 3,947 minutes of action while also notching two goals and three assists as he helped the Switchbacks claim the 2024 USL Championship title.

“Matt is a player that I had the pleasure of working with at the academy level, and as he became a young professional player in Philadelphia,” said Hartford Head Coach Brendan Burke. “Since that time, he has accomplished a lot in MLS and USL. I look forward to working with him again chasing trophies together in Hartford.”

The Drexel Hills, Pa. native began his professional career in 2017 when he signed with Philadelphia Union II in the USL Championship, where Burke was serving as Head Coach. A year later, he signed a homegrown contract with the Philadelphia Union, and spent the next five-and-a-half years playing with both the First Team Union II, making over 130 appearances and providing eight goals and six assists between the two squads. 

Midway through 2024, he joined the Switchbacks on loan, and joined the club on a full-time basis ahead of the 2025 campaign, helping Colorado Springs return to the postseason this year.

At the international level, the 26-year-old has 22 caps for the U.S. Youth National Team program. Most notably, he captained the United States to its second consecutive Concacaf U-20 Championship Title in 2018. During the tournament, he played the full 90 minutes in five matches, including the World Cup-clinching game against Costa Rica and the final against Mexico.