Personal Life
Juan Manuel Mata García was born on 28 April 1988, in the town of Ocón de Villafranca, Burgos. He inherited his name from his father, Juan Manuel Mata Sr., who was also a footballer. He was a forward who played in the 1980s and early 1990s for nearby Burgos CF. Mata was raised in his father's hometown of Oviedo, Asturias. His father later acted as Mata's agent, becoming FIFA-registered in the process. He attended Universidad Politecnica de Madrid where he read journalism. He is also currently pursuing a degree in Business and Advertising. In his spare time, Mata enjoys table-tennis, a sport he played as a child. Upon his move to Chelsea he said he also enjoys sightseeing around London. He gained a nickname at Chelsea, 'Johnny Kills', the literal translation of his name from Spanish into English. His name translates as 'forest' or 'dweller by the forest'.
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