Former Spain international and World Cup winner Juan Mata has joined the ownership group of MLS expansion team San Diego FC, the club announced Wednesday.
Mata, who currently plays for Australian A-League men's team Western Sydney Wanderers, is the first active international soccer player to own shares in an MLS team and is only the second international player ever to be involved in MLS, alongside Inter Miami CF co-owner David Beckham -Ownership involved.
San Diego, which will begin play next season, is owned by Egyptian businessman and club chairman Sir Mohamed Mansour. The ownership group also includes the Sycuan Band of the Kumeyaay Nation, an Indian tribe whose reservation is located near El Cajon, California.
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Mansour also owns Danish club FC Nordsjælland and the Right to Dream Academy, a football academy with facilities in Ghana, Egypt and Denmark.
“We are very pleased that Juan Mata has joined the club as a partner,” said Mansour. “Juan is an active and long-standing supporter of Right to Dream and he shares our values of using football to create long-term social impact and change.”
Mata, 36, founded the Common Goal initiative in 2017 and donated one percent of his salary to social causes. Common Goal is a partner of Right to Dream (RTD).
“Joining San Diego FC as a partner is an exciting opportunity to build something truly special in a city and league that is experiencing incredible growth,” Mata said in a statement released by the team. “This club and Right to Dream’s commitment to community impact, excellence and a vision for long-term success aligns perfectly with my own values. I look forward to bringing my experience and passion for the game and working with everyone here.” Build a club that inspires both on and off the field.
Juan Mata moved to the Western Sydney Wanderers in the A-League in September. Getty Images
Mata has had an illustrious playing career, in which, in addition to his World Cup successes, he also won the 2012 European Championship with Spain and the 2011/12 UEFA Champions League with Chelsea.
“Juan’s addition to SDFC’s ownership group brings a global perspective and commitment to positive social impact that align perfectly with our club’s mission,” said SDFC CEO Tom Penn. “As a World Cup winner, Champions League winner and leader on and off the pitch, Juan embodies excellence and determination in everything he does. His passion for using football as a force for good aligns with our vision for our SDFC and our community, and we couldn't be more excited to welcome him to our club.”
A product of Real Madrid's youth academy, Mata began his professional career at Real Madrid Castilla before moving to Valencia CF in 2007, where he won the Copa del Rey the following year.
Mata signed for Chelsea in 2011 and, in addition to the Champions League, was part of the teams that won the FA Cup in 2012 and the UEFA Europa League in 2013. He was also named Chelsea Player of the Year twice during this time.
Mata also enjoyed success when he joined Manchester United in January 2014, winning the FA Cup, Europa League and EFL Cup during his nine seasons with the club. He later won championship titles with Galatasaray in Turkey and with Vissel Kobe in Japan.
In September of that year he moved to the Western Sydney Wanderers.
Mata is a strategic investor in Alpine Racing Ltd, a Formula 1 team backed by Renault Group through Otro Capital, a private investment fund focused on sports, media and entertainment companies.
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