Juan Mata follows in David Beckham’s footsteps as former Man United star begins new chapter

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Former Manchester United star Juan Mata is planning for life beyond retirement.

It has been two years since Juan Mata departed Manchester United after his eight-year spell at Old Trafford.

The 36-year-old Spaniard signed under David Moyes and ended up making 285 appearances and scoring 51 goals for United before his exit in 2022.

Mata joined Australian side Western Sydney Warriors this summer after short stints at Galatasaray and Vissel Kobe.

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Last month, Mata rolled back the years on his debut for the Western Sydney Warriors and he has now made four total appearances for the A-league side.

It is no secret that Mata is in the twilight years of his career and is nearing retirement, and he has already confirmed what he plans to do next with his latest move.

Juan Mata invests in MLS side San Diego FC

Mata made history this week by becoming the first active international player to invest in a Major League Soccer side.

Via X, Mata announced that he is joining the ownership group of San Diego FC, who are set to join MLS in 2025 for their inaugural season.

It is not the first time Mata has dived into sports investments after he was also part of a group of investors in Formula 1’s Alpine team.

As reported by The Athletic, San Diego FC’s CEO Tom Penn was delighted to welcome Mata to the club, saying: “Juan embodies excellence and purpose in everything he does. His passion for using football as a force for good resonates deeply with our vision for our SDFC and our community, and we couldn’t be more thrilled to welcome him to our club.”

Juan Mata follows in the footsteps of David Beckham

As pointed out in Mata’s announcement post, he is just the second-ever international player to have invested in an MLS club behind Manchester United legend David Beckham.

Beckham and Mata have both experienced playing out on the wing for United and now they will come face-to-face in the MLS next season.

READ MORE: Juan Mata ‘always talked about’ his position with one former Man Utd teammate, he sent clear message to player

Beckham first invested in Inter Miami back in 2013, just one year after he left MLS side LA Galaxy as a player.

The legendary United winger has enjoyed huge success in America and now employs Lionel Messi in Miami. The Argentine is set to join Beckham and Messi as MLS investors once his playing years are over.