The Asturian midfielder Juan Mata has officially confirmed that he will no longer wear the Melbourne Victory shirt. After a single but spectacular season in Australia’s A-League, the veteran footballer has decided to bring his spell on the other side of the world to an end and carefully consider his next professional steps from Europe.
At 38 years old, the World Cup winner with Spain wraps up a brilliant stint in the Oceanian league. Mata was awarded the Johnny Warren Medal, the honor that recognizes him as the best player in the Australian championship. During his time in Melbourne, he posted outstanding numbers, recording 5 goals and 13 assists in 24 matches played.
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Despite his departure from the pitch in Australia, the Asturian will maintain a close institutional link with the club. Mata is part of Melbourne Victory’s shareholder group and will take over as president of the club’s new football committee, an executive role he will combine with deciding whether to extend his playing career in Europe.
Back to Europe?
The player himself expressed his gratitude to the club and the fans in his public farewell. “I enjoyed every minute and fell in love with football again in a very special place,” said the former player of clubs such as Chelsea, Manchester United, and Valencia CF.
With this decision, Juan Mata has once again put himself in the European football spotlight. The coming days will be decisive in finding out whether the skillful attacking midfielder chooses to hang up his boots for good or embarks on one final professional adventure on the pitch.
This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇪🇸 here.
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