He participated in the composition of League A, the strongest in this competition. He praised the current Spanish team and remembered the victory at Euro 2012, in whose final he scored a goal.
Juan Mata was the protagonist in the draw for the 2024/25 Nations League, held in Paris. Champion of the European Cup and the World Cup with Spain, Juan participated in the composition of League A (which includes the most important teams, except England).
“I am impressed and very proud of the new generation,” he said on stage, referring to the team that won the Nations League in 2023. He also recalled his success with Spain in 2012, where he scored a goal in the final against Italy: “Winning the Euro and scoring that goal was the icing on the cake.”
It is not the first time that Mata has participated in the draw of a major competition. He already did it at the Women’s Euro Cup in 2022. Then the event took place in Manchester.
Looking for a new challenge
After a magical 2023, in which he won the Turkish Super League with Galatasaray and the Japanese League (J1 League) with Vissel Kobe in a few months, Juan is looking for a new destination to continue an excellent professional career.
Beyond his football successes, Juan’s association with Common Goal has led to several recognitions. One of them came from UEFA itself, which honoured Mata in 2021 with the #EqualGame award (for his involvement in improving society through football). Precisely this award was made public in advance of a draw for the Nations League.
