Former Chelsea and Manchester United mieldfielder Juan Mata has ended his playing spell with Australian club Melbourne Victory after a remarkable career that saw him win major trophies in Spain, England, Turkey and Japan and become one of the most decorated Spanish midfielders of his generation.
The 38-year-old attacking midfielder opted against playing another season with Melbourne Victory after an impressive 2025/26 campaign in which he won the Johnny Warren Medal as the A-League’s best player.
Mata scored five goals and provided a league-high 13 assists in 24 appearances, while also winning the Melbourne Victory Medal for his outstanding season.
Although he is stepping away from playing, Mata will remain involved with Melbourne Victory after taking a minority ownership stake in the club. He is also expected to chair the newly established football committee, where his experience and football knowledge will be used to help shape the club’s future.
“I loved every minute and so greatly enjoyed everything that we achieved last season, falling back in love with football at such a special place, in an amazing city that it was a privilege to call home,” Mata said.
“Now I am excited about our next chapters, believing together in the future of Australian football and inspiring the next generation of Melbourne Victory players and supporters.”
Mata joined Melbourne Victory in 2025 following a season with Western Sydney Wanderers, bringing an extraordinary career spanning almost two decades.
He began his senior career with Real Madrid Castilla before moving to Valencia, where he established himself as one of Spain’s brightest attacking midfielders. He won the Copa del Rey with Valencia in the 2007/08 season before moving to Chelsea in 2011.
His time at Chelsea proved to be one of the defining periods of his career. In his first season, Mata helped the London club win the FA Cup and UEFA Champions League, providing the assist for Didier Drogba’s equaliser in the Champions League final against Bayern Munich.
He was also voted Chelsea’s Player of the Year in both 2011/12 and 2012/13. In the following season, he helped the club win the Europa League, while recording 20 goals and 35 assists in all competitions during the 2012/13 campaign.
Mata joined Manchester United in 2014 and went on to make 285 appearances for the club. During his eight-year spell at Old Trafford, he won the FA Cup, League Cup, Community Shield and Europa League.
His later career took him to Galatasaray, where he won the Turkish Super Lig in 2022/23, and Vissel Kobe, with whom he won the Japanese J1 League in 2023. He subsequently played for Western Sydney Wanderers before his move to Melbourne Victory.
On the international stage, Mata was part of Spain’s golden generation that won the 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2012 European Championship.
He scored in the Euro 2012 final against Italy as Spain secured a 4-0 victory and successfully defended their continental title. He also represented Spain at the 2010 and 2014 World Cups and finished his senior international career with 41 appearances and 10 goals.
Before making his senior debut, Mata won the European Under-19 Championship with Spain in 2006 and the European Under-21 Championship in 2011, where he was named the tournament’s best player.
His individual honours also include being named Chelsea’s Player of the Year twice, making the 2012/13 PFA Premier League Team of the Year, winning the Premier League Player of the Month award in October 2012 and being Manchester United’s Goal of the Season winner in 2014/15 for his memorable bicycle kick against Liverpool.
Mata’s decision to leave the pitch comes after a career that produced a World Cup, European Championship, Champions League, two Europa League titles, two FA Cups, an English League Cup, the Community Shield, the Copa del Rey, a Turkish league title and a Japanese league title.
Away from football, Mata has also built interests in sports ownership, holding stakes in Formula One team Alpine and Major League Soccer club San Diego FC.
Melbourne Victory football director John Didulica said Mata’s 2025/26 campaign would remain a memorable part of the club’s history.
“Everyone at the club is excited that he is part of our ownership group and, in the future, looks forward to his football intelligence leading our football committee,” Didulica said.