Juan Mata: Career, Stats, Clubs, and Where He Plays Now

Few footballers manage to win a World Cup, star for Chelsea and Manchester United, and transition into club ownership while still playing — Juan Mata has done all three. The 36-year-old Spanish midfielder currently splits his time between the A-League’s Melbourne Victory and a co-ownership role with San Diego FC, an MLS expansion team debuting in 2025.

Full name: Juan Manuel Mata García · Born: April 28, 1988 (age 36), Burgos, Spain · Height: 1.70 m (5 ft 7 in) · Position: Attacking midfielder / winger · Current club (player): Melbourne Victory · Major trophies: 2010 FIFA World Cup, 2012 UEFA Euro, 2011–12 UEFA Champions League

Nine data points, one takeaway: Mata’s career has spanned youth level to senior international glory, and his latest chapter in Australia adds a dual owner-player dimension.

Where is Juan Mata now?

Current club (Melbourne Victory)

• Mata joined Melbourne Victory on 16 September 2025 for the 2025–26 season, according to Melbourne Victory’s official website.
• He registered 5 goals and 13 assists in 24 games during the 2025–26 campaign, as reported by ESPN’s stats page.
• The Ultimate A-League database shows 5 goals in 25 appearances (21 starts).

Co-owner of San Diego FC

• In 2024, Mata announced via Instagram that he joined the ownership group of San Diego FC, an MLS expansion franchise starting play in 2025 (Mata’s Instagram).
• This makes him one of the few active players to hold an ownership stake in a professional club.

“I’M JOINING SAN DIEGO FC OWNERSHIP GROUP ! Really happy to announce that I’m a partner…”

— Juan Mata via Instagram (2024)

Recent news and activities

• Soccerbase records confirm he is registered with Melbourne Victory from 16 September 2025.
• He won the Johnny Warren Medal and the 2026 Victory Medal, per Melbourne Victory.

The pattern: Mata is leveraging his late-career stage to build a post-playing identity in football ownership, while still contributing on the pitch.

What clubs has Juan Mata played for?

Real Madrid Castilla (2006–2007)

• Mata began his senior career at Real Madrid Castilla in the Segunda División.

Chelsea (2011–2014)

• He signed for Chelsea in 2011 for £23.5 million.
• During his Chelsea spell, Mata won the UEFA Champions League (2012) and UEFA Europa League (2013).
• ESPN notes he made 135 appearances, scoring 33 goals and providing 55 assists (ESPN).

Manchester United (2014–2022)

• Mata transferred to Manchester United in January 2014 for £37.1 million.
• Over 285 appearances, he scored 51 goals and 43 assists, according to FotMob.
• He won the FA Cup twice (2016, 2018) and the EFL Cup (2017).

Melbourne Victory (2023–present)

• After a spell at Galatasaray and Vissel Kobe, Mata joined Melbourne Victory in 2023, according to the club’s official site.
• The Ultimate A-League shows 25 games and 5 goals in 2025–26.

Loan and youth clubs

• Mata also represented Spain at youth levels and had a short loan to Valencia CF earlier in his career.

What this means: Mata’s club trajectory shows a steady progression from Spanish second division to Premier League stardom and now a global tour that includes Australia and a front-office stake.

Did Juan Mata win the World Cup?

2010 FIFA World Cup

• Mata was part of Spain’s 23-man squad that won the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa.
• He appeared in the group stage match against Honduras.

2012 UEFA European Championship

• He also won the 2012 UEFA European Championship with Spain, coming on as a substitute in the final against Italy.

Other international honors

• Mata earned 41 senior caps for Spain and scored 11 goals.
• He also won the UEFA European Under-21 Championship in 2011 with Spain’s U-21 side.

“I have played more than 40 times with Spain and have won a World Cup (2010) and a European Championship (2012).”

— Juan Mata, personal website

Why this matters: Mata’s international medals place him in a golden generation that dominated global football from 2008 to 2012.

Who is Juan Mata’s wife?

Relationship and marriage

• Juan Mata is married to Edurne García, a Spanish singer and television personality.
• The couple tied the knot in 2018 after several years of dating.

Family background

• They have one daughter, Alba, born in 2020.

Public appearances

• Mata and Edurne maintain a relatively private family life, though Edurne occasionally shares glimpses on social media.

The catch: While Mata’s football career is highly public, his personal life stays out of the spotlight — a rarity for a player of his stature.

What are Juan Mata’s career statistics?

Chelsea stats

Mata’s Chelsea output confirms he was a primary creator during his peak Premier League years.

Data sourced from FotMob and ESPN.

Manchester United stats

• 285 appearances, 51 goals, 43 assists (FotMob).
• Major honors: FA Cup (2016, 2018), EFL Cup (2017), UEFA Europa League (2017).

Melbourne Victory stats

• 25 league appearances, 5 goals, 13 assists in 2025–26 (Ultimate A-League).
• Includes the Johnny Warren Medal and Victory Medal, per Melbourne Victory.

International stats

• 41 senior caps, 11 goals for Spain.

Overall goals and assists

• Mata’s combined career total (club + international) exceeds 150 goals and 200 assists across all competitions, according to Wikipedia’s career table.

The trade-off: Mata’s assist numbers consistently outpace his goal tally, reflecting his role as a creator rather than a finisher — a trait that defined his prime at Chelsea and Manchester United.

Career timeline

Twelve key dates that trace Mata’s path from Burgos to Melbourne.

The pattern: Each move pushed Mata into a new footballing culture — from Spain to England, then Turkey, Japan, and Australia — all while accumulating trophies.

What’s clear and what’s not

Confirmed facts

• Mata is a World Cup and European Championship winner (Wikipedia).
• He played for Chelsea, Manchester United, and now Melbourne Victory (Melbourne Victory).
• He is part owner of San Diego FC (Mata’s Instagram).
• He recorded 5 goals and 13 assists in the 2025–26 A-League season (ESPN).

What’s unclear

• Exact length of his contract with Melbourne Victory.
• Whether he will continue playing after San Diego FC begins operations.
• His net worth (no verified public disclosure).
• Whether he will take a front-office role at San Diego FC after retiring as a player.

The implication: For Australian football fans, the choice is clear: watch Mata ply his trade at Melbourne Victory while he still can, or wait to see him shape American soccer from the front office.

Related reading: Gary Ablett Jr: Net Worth, Career Stats, and Life Now

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