Juan Mata

Juan Mata

Mata playing for Manchester United in 2021
Personal information
Full name	Juan Manuel Mata García[1]
Date of birth	(1988-04-28) 28 April 1988 (age 36)
Place of birth	Burgos, Spain
Height	1.70 m (5 ft 7 in)[2]
Position(s)	Attacking midfielder, winger
Team information
Current team	Western Sydney Wanderers
Number	64
Youth career
2000–2003	Real Oviedo
2003–2006	Real Madrid
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2006–2007	Real Madrid Castilla	39	(9)
2007–2011	Valencia	129	(33)
2011–2014	Chelsea	82	(18)
2014–2022	Manchester United	196	(34)
2022–2023	Galatasaray	16	(3)
2023–2024	Vissel Kobe	1	(0)
2024–	Western Sydney Wanderers	1	(0)
International career
2004	Spain U16	3	(2)
2004	Spain U17	2	(0)
2006–2007	Spain U19	13	(12)
2007	Spain U20	5	(3)
2007–2011	Spain U21	20	(5)
2012	Spain Olympic	4	(0)
2009–2016	Spain	41	(10)
Medal record Men's football Representing  Spain FIFA World Cup Winner 2010 South Africa UEFA European Championship Winner 2012 Poland–Ukraine FIFA Confederations Cup Runner-up 2013 Brazil UEFA European Under-21 Championship Winner 2011 Denmark UEFA European Under-19 Championship Winner 2006 Poland
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 19 October 2024

Juan Manuel Mata García (born 28 April 1988) is a Spanish professional footballer who plays for A-League Men club Western Sydney Wanderers. He primarily plays as an attacking midfielder, but can also play as a winger.

A graduate of Real Madrid's youth academy, Mata played for Real Madrid Castilla in 2006–07, before joining Valencia in the summer of 2007. He became an integral part of the club's midfield, making 174 appearances over the course of four seasons and winning the Copa del Rey. In 2011, Mata signed for English club Chelsea for a fee believed to be in the region of €28 million and established himself as the team's focal player.^[3] In his first two seasons, he won the UEFA Champions League, the FA Cup, and the UEFA Europa League.

Despite Mata's stature at the club, he fell out of favour at Chelsea under newly appointed manager José Mourinho and was sold to Manchester United in January 2014, for a fee of £37.1 million. He made 285 appearances over nine seasons at United, winning the Europa League and FA Cup again as well as the EFL Cup and FA Community Shield. He joined Galatasaray after his contract with United expired in the summer of 2022, where he won the first league title of his career.

Mata debuted for Spain in 2009 and played at the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup, his first senior tournament. In September 2009, Mata scored his first goal for the senior team, against Estonia, securing the nation a place at the 2010 FIFA World Cup, and was part of Spain's World Cup-winning squad. In 2011, he resumed playing in the under-21 side, helping Spain win the 2011 UEFA European Under-21 Championship in Denmark. He won the Golden Player award and was part of the Team of the Tournament. Mata returned to the senior squad for UEFA Euro 2012 and, after coming on as a substitute, scored Spain's fourth goal in the final as Spain defeated Italy 4–0 to retain their title as champions of Europe.