Mathieu Cafaro

Squad depth

Nantes · 29 yrsRotationNew signing

33.5

based on the 2025/26 season · updated 18 Aug 2026

Profile

Full nameMathieu Cafaro

PositionCentral midfielder

NationalityFrance

Age29

Date of birth25 Mar 1997

BirthplaceSaint-Doulchard

Height178 cm

Shirt number#20

ClubNantes

More about M. Cafaro →

Central midfielder

Season stats

Full career & schedule →

Appearances

Goals

Assists

374

Minutes

Domestic-league season · Nantes.

Also this season

Earlier this season at Paris FC — Coupe de France: 2 apps, 0g 0a, 129 min

The headline Season rating covers his time at Nantes; availability counts only fixtures while in this squad.

Performance data · by competition

Competition	Apps	G	A	Min	Match
Ligue 2	1	0	0	58	7

Career

Full career & schedule →

Ligue 2×2

Following his move to Nantes, Cafaro's current-season form is level with last season (Season 0→0), while his Rating held around 34. His peak season for form remains 2020/21 (Season 37).

Domestic career

Season	Club	Apps	G	A	Match	RTG	Season
2026/27	Nantes · 17th	6	0	1	6.83	34	0
2025/26	Paris FC · 11th	10	0	0	6.61	35	0
2024/25	Paris FC · 2nd	11	4	3	7.21	47	18
2024/25	Saint Etienne · 17th	15	1	0	6.67	51	11
2023/24	Saint Etienne · 3rd	35	4	8	7.19	61	34
2022/23	Saint EtienneLoan · 8th	33	5	3	6.95	62	36

Domestic-league totals per season. RTG = Field Insider Rating (potential / ceiling); Season = age-blind form that year. 6 earlier seasons and 4 youth-team spells in the full career.

Scout report

Squad depthCentral midfielder

M. Cafaro is a 29-year-old central midfielder at Paris FC, rated 34.8 overall by Field Insider's model. An experienced operator, he has been a fringe squad member this season (5.2% of available minutes). Below: strengths, watch-points, market-value outlook and the latest transfer news on Cafaro.

On the season, Cafaro graded 0 for current form (age-blind), on 0 goals, 0 assists and 0 defensive actions per 90.

Year-on-year, that's broadly in line with last season (Season 0 → 0). Over the 7 seasons on record his form has drifted down, peaking in 2020/21.

On long-term talent our Rating reads 35. At 29 Cafaro is in his prime years, and a market index of 11.2 reflects that trajectory.

From the career report

Read the full career report →

Past his 2020/21 peak — the recent trend is downward, so buyers are paying for what's left, not what was.

Peak: 2020/21Trending downBreakout: 2022/23Stepped up 2024/255 clubs

34.8

Ratingi

developing / rotation level

Seasoni

below regular-starter level

5.2%

Minutes

limited game time

Def. actions / 90

light defensive volume

Output in context · Paris FC finished 11th of 18 · a mid-table side

Apps

Def. / 90

—

Tackles

—

Interceptions

Clean sheets

0 tackles, blocks & interceptions per 90 — light defensive volume across 10 appearances.

Watch points

Game time. Only 5.2% of available minutes — needs a settled run to prove the level.
Level. Rates below a nailed-on top-tier starter on our model.

Outlook

Rated 34.8 overall — developing / rotation level. Defensively he reads as light defensive volume (0 tackles, blocks & interceptions per 90). Experienced and reliable, but the value curve is easing (1.1× now → 0.8× projected in three years).

Generated from Field Insider's rating model · AI-written analysis to follow.

Per 90 & availability

Minutes played %5.2%

Available fixtures34 of 34

Goals / 900

Assists / 900

Goal contribution / 900

Defensive actions / 900

Player flow

Goal involvements0

Cards / 900

Season-by-season progression

Rating (potential)Season (form)

Value & potential by age

Market valueRating

Solid = now · dashed = projected

The gold line is market value — an index (not €) blending rating, age and league. It climbs through the early 20s, peaks around ages 23–27 (~13), then tapers with age. At 29, Cafaro sits on 11.2, past its peak and easing. The blue line is Cafaro's projected Rating — 34.8 today — recomputed at each age, so it follows the same rise-and-fall as a career matures and declines. Solid = up to today; dashed = projected.

Transfer history

NantesJul 2026 – now

Paris FCFeb 2025 – Jul 2026

Saint EtienneJul 2023 – Feb 2025

Saint Etienne(on loan)Jul 2022 – Jul 2023

Standard LiegeJan 2022 – Jul 2022Free

ReimsJul 2017 – Jan 2022Free

Toulouseuntil Jul 2017

About M. Cafaro

Mathieu Cafaro is a 29-year-old central midfielder who plays for Nantes, born on March 25, 1997 in Saint-Doulchard, standing 178 cm tall. He is from France. Nantes currently sit 17th of 18 in the Ligue 2.

This season

In the current season, M. Cafaro has made 6 appearances with 0 goals and 1 assist across 374 minutes, with 1 yellow card.

M. Cafaro's next match is on September 19, 2026, when Nantes face Boulogne away in the Ligue 2.

Field Insider's view

Field Insider currently rates M. Cafaro at 34.8 with a Season form score of 0. See the full scout report for strengths, watch-points and the market-value outlook.

His honours include 2 career titles — among them the Ligue 2. Full list in the career record.

Career

Across 13 recorded seasons, M. Cafaro has totalled 254 club appearances with 42 goals and 24 assists for 8 different clubs. His busiest campaign came in 2023/24, with 35 appearances for Saint Etienne.

M. Cafaro's career has also included time at Paris FC, Saint Etienne, Standard Liege, Reims and Toulouse.

Transfer news

No transfer news found for this player.