Champions League
A former Premier League star has marked their 36th birthday by sharing throwback photo with fans on social media.
The attacking midfielder became a fan favourite at two clubs during an 11-year spell in the Premier League.
The childhood photo sees the star looking unrecognisable from their playing pomp, with the future Champions League winner writing 'Always together' with the snap showing him gripping a football.
His senior career took off at Valencia after coming through the youth system at Real Oviedo and Real Madrid.
The midfielder was part of Spain's World Cup winning squad in 2010, before moving to the Premier League the following year in a £23.5million move to Chelsea.
The former Premier League star celebrated their 36th birthday by sharing a throwback photo
He was a fan favourite at two Premier League sides, winning the Champions League at Chelsea
- 'It hasn't worked!' Is VAR the problem or the solution?
- EPISODE 87: Why United must tear down Old Trafford and move to Wembley
- PODCAST: How many Manchester United players get in the Arsenal team?
- PODCAST: Listen to the latest episode of 'It's All Kicking Off!'
- EPISODE 84: Listen to the latest episode of 'It's All Kicking Off!'
The Spaniard was a key part of the Blues side who earned Champions League glory for the first time in 2012, despite being the only Chelsea player to miss a penalty in the final shoot-out against Bayern Munich.
In both 2012 and 2013 he was named as Chelsea's Player of the Year and was named in the PFA Team of the Year in the latter.
READ MORE: Man United 'should build their whole club culture' around captain Bruno Fernandes, says Juan Mata... with the Portuguese star a 'great example' for Reds' young players
AdvertisementHe would also lift the FA Cup and Europa League with the Blues, before moving to Manchester United in a £37m move in January 2014.
In eight years at Man United, the midfielder won the Europa League, FA Cup and Carabao Cup.
The fan favourite left at the conclusion of his contract in 2022, having made 285 appearances and scored 51 goals for the Red Devils.
The star is of course Juan Mata, a World Cup and European Championship winner with Spain.
Mata's former team-mates were among those to send messages to the star on his 36th birthday on Sunday.
Ex-Chelsea captain John Terry described him as a 'legend', while former Man United and Spain team-mates David De Gea and Ander Herrera also responded to the throwback picture.
Juan Mata spent four seasons at Chelsea was twice named as the club's Player of the Year
The Spaniard moved to Man United in 2014 and enjoyed an eight year spell at Old Trafford
Mata has recently been promoting Man United upcoming pre-season tour in the United States
Mata is currently a free agent after a brief spell at Japanese side Vissel Kobe, making one appearance for the Japanese champions before leaving the club in January.
The Spaniard had also spent a season at Galatasaray after leaving Man United, helping the club earn the Turkish title in 2023.
Mata was seen in a Man United shirt again last week as the popular former star helped to promote the club's pre-season tour to the United States.
He claimed that Man United should build the club's culture around captain and 'great leader' Bruno Fernandes while on a visit to San Diego.
Related articles
Man charged in random attack on Steve Buscemi in NYC
NEW YORK (AP) — A man wanted in connection with the random attack on actor Steve Buscemi on a New Yo2024-05-20- It didn’t take Nelly Korda long to put another tournament within her grasp.Korda shot a 7-under 65 S2024-05-20
The stuff that Coppola’s dreams are made of: The director on building ‘Megalopolis’
CANNES, France (AP) — Of the many quotations and slogans that flitter through Francis Ford Coppola’s2024-05-20The German chancellor tours flooded regions in the southwest in a show of solidarity
BERLIN (AP) — German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Saturday toured flooded regions in the southwest, whe2024-05-20Saudi historical district expects to cooperate with more Chinese partners: official
Saudi Arabia's historical district Diriyah, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is aiming to cooperate2024-05-20Tyson Fury flies into rage after being separated from Oleksandr Usyk at heated weigh
Tyson Fury raged at Oleksandr Usyk in what was a heated final face-off during the weigh-ins ahead of2024-05-20
atest comment