Matteo Ruggeri was born on 11 July 2002 in San Giovanni Bianco, Italy, and grew up in Zogno, Lombardy. He joined Atalanta's youth academy in 2011 and made his professional debut in November 2020 as a Champions League substitute against Liverpool, with his Serie A bow following five days later. A 2021–22 loan at newly-promoted Salernitana provided regular Serie A minutes before he returned to Atalanta.
Ruggeri was a part of the Atalanta squad that won the 2024 UEFA Europa League and earned a place in the competition's Team of the Season. Atlético Madrid signed him in July 2025 on a five-year contract for around €25 million, with Diego Simeone identifying him as the long-term left-sided defensive option in his rebuild.
Ruggeri represented Italy across the U17 to U21 ranks before earning a senior call-up in March 2025 for UEFA Nations League quarter-final fixtures against Germany.
A 1.87 m left-footed left-back with stamina, defensive commitment, and the willingness to support attacking patterns down the flank, Ruggeri offers Atlético a modern dual-purpose profile at left-back that pairs well with the structures Simeone has used during the 2025–26 campaign.