Max Mata

Max Andrew Mata (born 10 July 2000) is a New Zealand professional footballer who plays as a forward for A-League club Auckland, on loan from EFL League One club Shrewsbury Town as well as the New Zealand national team.

Max Mata
Personal information
Full name Max Andrew Mata[1]
Date of birth (2000-07-10) 10 July 2000
Place of birth Auckland, New Zealand
Height 1.86 m (6 ft 1 in)
Position(s) Forward
Team information
Current team
 Auckland FC
(on loan from Shrewsbury Town)
Number 22
Youth career
–2018 Onehunga Sports
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2015–2017 Wellington Phoenix Reserves 16 (8)
2017–2018 Eastern Suburbs 18 (3)
2019–2020 Grasshopper II 10 (5)
2019 → Nõmme Kalju (loan) 14 (9)
2021–2022 Real Monarchs 19 (2)
2022–2023 Sligo Rovers 50 (18)
2023– Shrewsbury Town 22 (1)
2024 → Sligo Rovers (loan) 14 (4)
2024– → Auckland FC (loan) 0 (0)
International career‡
2017 New Zealand U-17 7 (5)
2018–2019 New Zealand U-20 6 (5)
2019– New Zealand 12 (1)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 21 June 2024
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 20 June 2024

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] He scored 4 goals in 14 appearances during his time back on loan with the club.[12]

Auckland loan

On 3 June 2024, it was announced that Mata had joined newly formed A-League side Auckland on loan.[13]

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.[14][15] 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.[16][17]

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.[18] After a long spell out of the national team, he earned a call up in March 2023 for two friendly fixtures against China,[19] followed by another callup in June for friendlies against Sweden and Qatar.[20]

Personal life

Mata is of Māori and Cook Island Māori descent.[21] His older brother, Ben Mata, is a footballer with Wellington Olympic and the Cook Islands national team.[22][23]

Career statistics

Club
As of match played 10 May 2024[24]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National Cup League Cup Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Wellington Phoenix Reserves 2015–16 NZFC 6300——63
2016–17 10500——105
Eastern Suburbs 2016–17 NZFC 2000——20
2017–18 16300——163
Total 34110000003411
Grasshopper Club 2018–19 Swiss Super League 0000——00
2019–20 0000——00
Nõmme Kalju (loan) 2019 Meistriliiga 14910—4[lower-alpha 1]0199
Real Monarchs 2021 USL Championship 1920000—192
Sligo Rovers 2022 LOI Premier Division 27700—3[lower-alpha 2]2309
2023 231111——2411
Total 50181100325420
Shrewsbury Town 2023–24 EFL League One 22120002[lower-alpha 3]0261
2024–25 0000000000
Total 221200020261
Sligo Rovers (loan) 2024 LOI Premier Division 144———144
Auckland FC (loan) 2024–25 A-League Men 0000——00
Total 144000000144
Career total 1534540009216647
  1. Two appearances in UEFA Champions League and two appearances in UEFA Europa League
  2. Appearances in UEFA Europa Conference League
  3. Appearances in EFL Trophy

International
As of match played 21 June 2024[25]
International statistics
National teamYearAppsGoals
New Zealand 201910
202000
202100
202200
202380
202431
Total121

International goals
No.DateVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetition
1.21 June 2024VFF Freshwater Stadium, Port Vila, Vanuatu Vanuatu1–04–02024 OFC Men's Nations Cup

Honours

New Zealand U17

New Zealand U19

Individual

References
  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. "Celtic 5–0 Nomme Kalju: Griffiths scores first goal since November in rout". BBC Sport. 24 July 2019.
  3. "Real Monarchs Add New Zealand Forward Max Mata". www.rsl.com. Retrieved 3 February 2020.
  4. "Max Mata signs for Sligo Rovers – Sligo Rovers". 15 February 2022.
  5. "Max Mata named Wehrly Bros/Sligo Rovers Young POTY – Sligo Rovers". 28 October 2022. Retrieved 24 June 2023.
  6. "Summary - Premier Division - Republic of Ireland - Results, fixtures, tables and news - Soccerway". ie.soccerway.com. Retrieved 24 June 2023.
  7. "New Zealand - M. Mata - Profile with news, career statistics and history - Soccerway". ie.soccerway.com. Retrieved 24 June 2023.
  8. "Max Mata extends his Rovers' contract – Sligo Rovers". 26 July 2022. Retrieved 24 June 2023.
  9. Buttner, Paul (24 February 2023). "Mata hits hat-trick as Sligo snatch points at UCD" – via www.rte.ie.
  10. "Salop sign international striker Max Mata!". www.shrewsburytown.com. 3 August 2023. Retrieved 3 August 2023.
  11. https://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/2024/0215/1432514-mata-makes-sligo-rovers-return-months-after-departure/
  12. https://ie.soccerway.com/players/max--mata-/429717/
  13. https://aucklandfc.co.nz/news/afc-blend-youth-with-experience-as-two-more-signings-announced/
  14. 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.
  15. "Talented New Zealand team heading into Fifa Under-20 World Cup full of confidence". Stuff.co.nz. 23 May 2019. Retrieved 10 July 2019.
  16. "Uruguay end group stage with perfect record". FIFA. Archived from the original on 17 May 2019. Retrieved 18 November 2019.
  17. "Cafeteros outlast Kiwis in dramatic shoot-out". FIFA. Archived from the original on 17 May 2019. Retrieved 18 November 2019.
  18. Voerman, Andrew. "Second-string All Whites fail to seize opportunities in loss to Lithuania". Stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 18 November 2019.
  19. "All Whites squad named for home series vs China". www.nzfootball.co.nz.
  20. "All Whites squad announced for games this month against Sweden and Qatar". www.nzfootball.co.nz. Retrieved 22 June 2023.
  21. "Young Kiwi signs professional football contract in Europe – 'proud of my family name and where I have come from'" – via TVNZ.
  22. friendsoffootballnz_irqgpj (6 March 2022). "The World Cup squad stacked with Lotto NRFL names — and a comedian". Friends of Football. Retrieved 24 June 2023.
  23. "Ben Mata - Men's Soccer". Missouri State. Retrieved 24 June 2023.
  24. "New Zealand - M. Mata - Profile with news, career statistics and history - Soccerway". uk.soccerway.com. Retrieved 4 June 2024.
  25. "Max Mata". National Football Teams. Benjamin Strack-Zimmermann. Retrieved 4 June 2024.
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