Juan Mata

Biographical information

RolesCompeted in Olympic Games
SexMale
Full nameJuan Manuel•Mata García
Used nameJuan•Mata
Born28 April 1988 in Burgos, Burgos (ESP)
Measurements172 cm / 65 kg
AffiliationsChelsea FC, Chelsea (GBR)
NOC Spain

Biography

Spain’s Juan Mata is the 2010 FIFA World Cup champion, and a 2012 Olympian when Spain was eliminated in the Group stage at the Olympic Games in London. He also represented Spain at all levels starting at Under-16, and played in the 2007 FIFA U-20 World Cup.

Mata’s first senior tournament was the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup where he scored his first senior goal (against Estonia), securing Spain a place in the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, where they were the champions. In the 2011 UEFA European Under-21 in Denmark, he won the Golden Player Award and was named to the Team of the Tournament. Mata won the UEFA Euro 2012, scoring Spain’s fourth goal in the final where they defeated Italy 4-0.

In 2006-2007, Mata played for Real Madrid Castilla, and then was with Valencia in 2007-2008 where he made 174 appearances in four seasons. In 2011, he signed with Chelsea in the Premier League and in his debut season, won the UEFA Champions League and the FA Cup. Mata was sold to Manchester United in 2014.

Mata was born in Burgos, Spain and raised in the north in Oviedo, Asturias. His father, also a footballer, played forward in the 1980s and 1990s for Burgos FC.

Results

Games Discipline (Sport) / Event NOC / Team Pos Medal As
2012 Summer Olympics Football (Football) ESP Juan Mata
Football, Men (Olympic) Spain 14

Special Notes