Welcome to Parra, Mata: A-League’s World Cup winner says he still has petrol in the tank

Juan Mata has moved to allay fears about his fitness and durability after being officially unveiled as the Western Sydney Wanderers’ newest marquee star, promising he still has more to give despite his advancing years and recent struggles at club level.

The former Chelsea and Manchester United star, a World Cup winner with Spain in 2010, touched down at Sydney airport early on Saturday morning to begin his one-year contract with the A-League club. When he emerged from customs, he was immediately serenaded by about 250 red and black-clad fans who came to greet him. Naturally, he has already described them as the best fans in the country.

Juan Mata arrives in Sydney on Saturday morning.Credit: Peter Rae

Mata, 36, represents a major coup for the Wanderers, on and off the field: chief executive Scott Hudson described the Spanish midfielder as the most decorated player in history to have committed to play in Australia, putting him above even Alessandro Del Piero, let alone Sydney FC’s latest big-name recruit in Douglas Costa.

The catch is that Mata, clearly in the twilight of his career, has played only 10 minutes of football in the past 12 months. That was for Vissel Kobe, who he joined for the final few months of their J.League title-winning campaign in 2023, having signed there after a season with Turkish club Galatasaray.

In fact, since leaving the Premier League in mid-2022, he has played only 19 games, with an average of less than 27 minutes per appearance.

“Well, that’s kind of a long story,” Mata said when asked why he didn’t play more often in Japan.

“To be honest, the team was doing really well when I arrived. And when a team is winning ... it’s difficult to make changes. The decision-making in the club was an interesting one, about how to recruit players, but that’s not something that I [want to go into].

“It was frustrating on a personal level not to get as much game time as I thought I would, of course. But with different stages in your career, it also made [me] realise that you have to focus on keep giving your best, even if you’re not being given the time that you want, and setting your standards, and being professional, and learning from other types of football.

And that’s what I did. The dedication, the professionalism of the Japanese players was impressive, it was an example for me. And so wherever I go, I try to pick and choose what I find positive and bring it to my professionalism and my game.”

Mata said he had spent part of the intervening period in London, working with a fitness coach while he assessed his options to continue his glittering career abroad. In the European summer, he began training with FC Nordsjælland, the Danish club whose owners Mata is friends with, to keep sharp.

“So I’ve been with this team dynamic for almost two months, and I feel good, I feel ready to come back,” he said.

Juan Mata with Wanderers chief executive Scott Hudson and coach Alen Stajcic.Credit: Getty Images

“I’m really eager to be on the pitch. I was telling the coach I’m really looking forward to touch the ball again, to train with my new teammates and I feel good and confident that it’s going to be a good season.

“I just want to enjoy football. I want to give my best for the team. Every single day in training, I want to bring high standards, professionalism and all my experience and knowledge in the game and, of course, I want to bring good football. I love to play this game, and I’m still hungry to play. I’ve seen already the fans this morning and I can’t wait for them to celebrate something – hopefully in the first game of the season, which I know is a big one.”

Mata has only been to Australia once before, to play for Manchester United in a pre-season friendly against Leeds United in Perth five years ago, but said he had always been “curious” about this part of the world.

“I mean, I think all of you enjoy the Australian lifestyle, right? So I want to be one more of you,” he said. “We had a nice walk around the centre of Sydney, by the water, and it was fantastic. It’s nice to feel the love from people, but it’s also nice to feel relaxed sometimes, and I think here you can have both, and that’s very nice for me.”

Juan Mata (left) with Raul Albiol, Carlos Marchena and Xabi Alonso after Spain’s 2010 World Cup victory in South Africa.Credit: Getty

Wanderers coach Alen Stajcic lauded Mata’s pulling power for the club and the A-League, but said his primary concern was his on-field ability, and what he can pass onto the younger players in their squad.

“There are so many layers of bringing him – I can’t even call him a player, a human being of this calibre,” Stajcic said.

“The humility that he’s shown in the conversations we’ve had, the way he presents himself here. Obviously, we’re talking about someone who’s special, who’s coming to our club, and I’m grateful.

“That’s a massive part of the values that I’m driving within our team: the gratitude and humility of being a human being, first and foremost. He exemplifies everything I want to have in our team going forward.“

Mata is expected to begin training as early as Sunday, with the Wanderers set to begin their season on October 19 in a derby against Sydney FC and Costa at CommBank Stadium.

“We played against each other a couple of times in Europe,” Mata said of Sydney’s Brazilian recruit. “Of course, we played also in big teams. And I think it will be a great day for football in this country. It’s nice that it’s the first day, it’s nice that we play at home, and hopefully, we can get the three points.”