Juan Mata is enjoying an outstanding spell in his career. The Spanish midfielder is playing a key role in Melbourne Victory’s rise up the table into the title play-off positions, doing what he enjoys most: knitting the team’s play together and driving attacking football.
At the start of 2026, Juan leads the Australian A-League in the combined ranking of assists and chances created. He has registered four assists — the joint-highest tally in the competition alongside Adelaide United’s Yaya Dukuly — and has also created four clear goal-scoring opportunities for his teammates. To these figures, he has added a goal of his own.
Beyond his attacking influence, Juan has also contributed defensively, averaging 2.6 ball recoveries per match. He has featured in every league fixture so far, accumulating 686 minutes on the pitch.
Six of the best in December. 🤩
— Professional Footballers Australia (@thepfa) January 8, 2026
Congratulations to all six players who have been nominated for the Austraffic PFA A-League Men Player of the Month for December!
Voting is now open for all PFA members, with the winner of the peer-voted award to be announced next week.… pic.twitter.com/3WOBtWG4Av
Numbers that underline his importance to the team’s style of play and that have earned him a nomination for the PFA Player of the Month award for December, presented by Professional Footballers Australia. The winner will be decided by an open public vote.
