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Name: Juan Manuel Mata García
Birth Date: 28 April 1988
Birth Place: Burgos, Burgos, Castile and Léon, Spain
Nationality: Spanish
Height: 1.70 m (5'11'')
Weight: 63 kg (139 lbs)
Position: Left Winger, Attacking Midfielder
Number: 10
Contract Expires: 30 June 2012
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Real Oviedo
Mata started his football career at Real Oviedo, at the age of 12, where his father spent most of his career. He stayed there for three years before joining Real Madrid at age 15.
Real Madrid
After appearing for Cadete A, he swiftly progressed through the junior teams, Juvenil C and finally the Juvenil A. In his last campaign (2005/2006) he scored 18 goals in the league and three more in the Copa de Campeones, including the winner in the final against Real Valladolid, adding another three in the Spanish Juvenil Cup.
Switching to Real Madrid Castilla in 2006/2007, Mata was given the number 34 shirt in the first team, while wearing number 28 in Castilla. In spite of Castilla's final relegation, Mata finished the season as the side's second best scorer at nine, behind striker Álvaro Negredo (18).
Mata had a contractual clause at Real Madrid during his last season at the club, and eventually agreed to sign for Valencia CF in March 2007, starting in 2007/2008.
Valencia CF
Benefitting from constant injuries to Vicente and the ostracism to which then-manager Ronald Koeman condemned Miguel Ángel Angulo, Mata gradually carved a niche on Valencia's first eleven. On 20 March 2008, he scored twice in the Spanish Cup semifinal match against FC Barcelona to help Valencia reach the final against Getafe CF where, on 16 April, he scored the opener in a 3–1 win. During that first season, Mata was voted the team's Best young player by fans and players.
In the Spanish Supercup, Mata scored against his former club Real Madrid in a 3–2 first leg victory, but Valencia lost 5–6 on aggregate as Real Madrid won 4–2 in the second leg. He started 2008/2009 well, scoring in the opener against RCD Mallorca (3–0 win). He also netted the only goal of the game against CA Osasuna, latching on to a long ball from David Villa.
On 25 September 2008, Mata's understanding with Villa proved to be growing in efficiency, as he set up both of his teammate's goals in a 2–0 away win over Málaga CF. Three days later, Mata put in a superb performance against Deportivo de La Coruña, scoring one and creating the other three, in a 4–2 home victory.
Towards the end of the campaign, Mata managed to score two very important late goals for Valencia: the first, the 3–2 winner at Sporting de Gijón, and the second a penalty against Sevilla FC at home, to put Valencia 2–1 up (specialist Villa had already been replaced due to injury) in an eventual 3–1 success. He achieved impressive stats during the season, finishing with 11 successful strikes and 13 assists (in the latter category, league's second-best, behind FC Barcelona Xavi Hernández's 20).
Mata would have another good goalscoring record for Valencia during the 2009/2010 season, netting nine times, all while being given the #10 shirt after the departure of Angulo.
International Career
Mata helped Spain win the 2006 UEFA European Under-19 Football Championship, where he was a key player. 'Juanín' finished the championship second to his teammate Alberto Bueno (five goals) as top goal scorer of the competition, with four in five matches.
On 1 February 2007, U-21 coach Iñaki Sáez included him on his squad for the friendly against England, alongside Roberto Soldado, José Manuel Jurado, Sergio Sánchez, Miguel Torres, Esteban Granero and Antonio Adán, at just 18 years and 10 months.
On 14 November 2008, Vicente Del Bosque called Mata for the senior team to play in a friendly against Chile. He did not leave the bench in a 3–0 home win. On 28 March 2009, he finally made his debut, in the 2010 World Cup qualifier against Turkey, a 1–0 win in Madrid. He came on as a substitute for teammate Villa, in the 63rd minute.
In June 2009, Del Bosque included Mata for the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup, the youngster's first senior tournament. He started in the second group match against Iraq, and came on as a substitute for Albert Riera in the semifinal loss to the United States.
Mata was also a part of the Spain team that won the FIFA 2010 World Cup.
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