Max_Mata

Max Mata

Max Mata

New Zealand footballer

Max Andrew Mata (born 10 July 2000) is a New Zealand professional footballer who plays as a forward for League of Ireland Premier Division club Sligo Rovers, on loan from EFL League One club Shrewsbury Town as well as the New Zealand national team.

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Club career

New Zealand

After shining in New Zealand as the youngest goalscorer in the country's top-flight at 15, Mata travelled to Switzerland to train with Swiss giants, Grasshoppers. After an impressive trial period, he signed for the club.

Grasshoppers

After scoring four goals in his first seven games for the reserves, he was loaned to Estonian side, Nõmme Kalju, in 2019 to further his development in a first-team environment. Mata never established himself with Zurich's first-team.

Nõmme Kalju

After joining on loan, Mata made his professional debut for Nõmme Kalju in their 5–0 loss to Celtic in the UEFA Champions League second qualifying round on 24 July 2019.[2] Mata would make 20 appearances for the club in all competitions, scoring 12 times.

Real Monarchs

Mata left Switzerland on a free transfer in December 2020 and signed for American second-tier side, Real Monarchs.[3]

Sligo Rovers

On 15 February 2022, it was announced that Mata had signed for League of Ireland Premier Division club Sligo Rovers.[4] He was named Sligo Rovers' Young Player of the Year in the same year.[5] He finished the 2022 season with seven goals and four assists in sixteen appearances in the league,[6][7] as well as scoring twice in the Europa Conference League.[7] In July 2022, he signed a contract extension until at least the end of the 2024 season.[8] In February 2023, he scored a hat-trick in a 3–2 win away to UCD at the UCD Bowl.[9]

Shrewsbury Town

On 3 August 2023, Mata signed for League One club Shrewsbury Town on a three-year deal.[10]

Sligo Rovers loan

On 15 February 2024, it was announced that Mata had returned to Sligo Rovers, on loan until the summer.[11]

International career

U-20

Mata was named in the New Zealand U-20 side for the 2019 FIFA U-20 World Cup. He was picked for the tournament even though he would be unavailable for the first two games of the tournament due to a red card that he picked up in the final of the OFC U-19 Championship qualifiers.[12][13] Mata ended up making two appearances for the U-20s, first in the last group game against Uruguay, where he captained the team, and in the round of 16 penalty shootout loss to Colombia.[14][15]

National team

Mata made his international debut on 15 November 2019, coming on as a substitute for New Zealand in their 0–1 loss to Lithuania.[16] After a long spell out of the national team, he earned a call up in March 2023 for two friendly fixtures against China,[17] followed by another callup in June for friendlies against Sweden and Qatar.[18]

Personal life

Mata is of Māori and Cook Island Māori descent.[19] His older brother, Ben Mata, is a footballer with Wellington Olympic and the Cook Islands national team.[20][21]

Honours

New Zealand U17

New Zealand U19

Individual

References

  1. [1]
    "FIFA U-20 World Cup Poland 2019: List of Players: New Zealand" (PDF). FIFA. 13 June 2019. p. 11. Archived from the original (PDF) on 6 February 2020.
  2. [2]
    "Celtic 5–0 Nomme Kalju: Griffiths scores first goal since November in rout". BBC Sport. 24 July 2019.
  3. [3]
    "Real Monarchs Add New Zealand Forward Max Mata". www.rsl.com. Retrieved 3 February 2020.
  4. [4]
    "Max Mata signs for Sligo Rovers – Sligo Rovers". 15 February 2022.
  5. [5]
    "Max Mata named Wehrly Bros/Sligo Rovers Young POTY – Sligo Rovers". 28 October 2022. Retrieved 24 June 2023.
  6. [6]
    "Summary - Premier Division - Republic of Ireland - Results, fixtures, tables and news - Soccerway". ie.soccerway.com. Retrieved 24 June 2023.
  7. [7]
    "New Zealand - M. Mata - Profile with news, career statistics and history - Soccerway". ie.soccerway.com. Retrieved 24 June 2023.
  8. [8]
    "Max Mata extends his Rovers' contract – Sligo Rovers". 26 July 2022. Retrieved 24 June 2023.
  9. [9]
    Buttner, Paul (24 February 2023). "Mata hits hat-trick as Sligo snatch points at UCD" – via www.rte.ie.
  10. [10]
    "Salop sign international striker Max Mata!". www.shrewsburytown.com. 3 August 2023. Retrieved 3 August 2023.
  11. [11]
    https://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/2024/0215/1432514-mata-makes-sligo-rovers-return-months-after-departure/
  12. [12]
    Voerman, Andrew (14 May 2019). "Ban no barrier to Kiwi striker Max Mata making Fifa Under-20 World Cup squad". Stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 18 November 2019.
  13. [13]
    "Talented New Zealand team heading into Fifa Under-20 World Cup full of confidence". Stuff.co.nz. 23 May 2019. Retrieved 10 July 2019.
  14. [14]
    "Uruguay end group stage with perfect record". FIFA. Archived from the original on 17 May 2019. Retrieved 18 November 2019.
  15. [15]
    "Cafeteros outlast Kiwis in dramatic shoot-out". FIFA. Archived from the original on 17 May 2019. Retrieved 18 November 2019.
  16. [16]
    Voerman, Andrew. "Second-string All Whites fail to seize opportunities in loss to Lithuania". Stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 18 November 2019.
  17. [17]
    "All Whites squad named for home series vs China". www.nzfootball.co.nz.
  18. [18]
    "All Whites squad announced for games this month against Sweden and Qatar". www.nzfootball.co.nz. Retrieved 22 June 2023.
  19. [19]
    "Young Kiwi signs professional football contract in Europe – 'proud of my family name and where I have come from'" – via TVNZ.
  20. [20]
    friendsoffootballnz_irqgpj (6 March 2022). "The World Cup squad stacked with Lotto NRFL names — and a comedian". Friends of Football. Retrieved 24 June 2023.
  21. [21]
    "Ben Mata - Men's Soccer". Missouri State. Retrieved 24 June 2023.
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