A few seconds later, I was standing at the center circle of the Allianz Arena, waiting for the Bayern players to stop celebrating the goal that they thought had just won the match. Didier Drogba, my Chelsea teammate, walked up to me to restart play. Didier never had his head down - never looked discouraged - but now he did. And I couldn't understand why. We had gone through so much to get to the final. Our manager had been sacked a few months before, then we had come from behind to beat Napoli in the round of 16, then we had survived with 10 men at Camp Nou in the semifinals. And now … what? It was over?
I put my hand on Didier's shoulder and said, "Look around, Didier. Look where we are. Please, don't worry. Keep believing … just believe."
For some reason I just kept thinking, We are destined to win this thing.
I'm a pretty quiet person, and I think when Didier saw me encouraging him to keep going, he couldn't help but smile.
--------------------------------------------------------
Jeez i didn't even know that
Was just about to post this... thanks for saving me the time.
Don't care at all for footballers these days but love this gesture. Hopefully more will follow suit and just maybe professional football can reclaim it's soul...
We'll done Juan...
Comment deleted by Site Moderator
is there a more decent footballer, nay sportsman, maybe even human that is better than Juan Mata?
Always comes across as one of the nice guys of the game. Even while at Chelsea I found it hard to dislike him.
Mata has to be up there on the list of most lovable human beings in football.
can you all stop talking about my husband please
I like that Mata gets away with 1 horiffic late challenge every other game because 'he's not that type of player' or it's 'out of character'
Top bloke it seems and a top player, very useful to have in the team and squad and I'd keep hold of him for however many years he's happy to rotate.
comment by The_Red_Cognoscente (U9741)
posted 4 minutes ago
is there a more decent footballer, nay sportsman, maybe even human that is better than Juan Mata?
----------------------------------------------------------------------
don't think so, which is why I'm so proud that he plays for our club. Love the bloke.
"There are great clubs in the world, and then there is Manchester United"
Comment deleted by Site Moderator
comment by Greatteamswinit4times- a terrible enemy (U6008)
posted 1 minute ago
comment by Better Call Ander - It's showtime, folks! (U11781)
posted 50 seconds ago
comment by The_Red_Cognoscente (U9741)
posted 4 minutes ago
is there a more decent footballer, nay sportsman, maybe even human that is better than Juan Mata?
----------------------------------------------------------------------
don't think so, which is why I'm so proud that he plays for our club. Love the bloke.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Zola is probably the one that stands out. Love the story of a kid waiting outside his house for an autograph. It started slashing down and Zola's Mrs opened the gates and brought him inside. Zola got back from training and played some football with him in the back garden and gave him a signed shirt before driving him home. Makes me happy that money doesn't change good people in some cases.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
That's awesome.
"I like that Mata gets away with 1 horiffic late challenge every other game because 'he's not that type of player' or it's 'out of character"
comment by Greatteamswinit4times- a terrible enemy (U6008)
posted 1 minute ago
comment by Better Call Ander - It's showtime, folks! (U11781)
posted 50 seconds ago
comment by The_Red_Cognoscente (U9741)
posted 4 minutes ago
is there a more decent footballer, nay sportsman, maybe even human that is better than Juan Mata?
----------------------------------------------------------------------
don't think so, which is why I'm so proud that he plays for our club. Love the bloke.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Zola is probably the one that stands out. Love the story of a kid waiting outside his house for an autograph. It started slashing down and Zola's Mrs opened the gates and brought him inside. Zola got back from training and played some football with him in the back garden and gave him a signed shirt before driving him home. Makes me happy that money doesn't change good people in some cases.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Im not usually that fussed with meeting celebrities, infact i have passed loads in the street before and not batted an eyelid, but i was really gutted that i missed out on meeting Zola by two minutes (at Craven Cottage in the 2011 London legends cup).
comment by Greatteamswinit4times- a terrible enemy (U6008)
posted 5 minutes ago
comment by Better Call Ander - It's showtime, folks! (U11781)
posted 50 seconds ago
comment by The_Red_Cognoscente (U9741)
posted 4 minutes ago
is there a more decent footballer, nay sportsman, maybe even human that is better than Juan Mata?
----------------------------------------------------------------------
don't think so, which is why I'm so proud that he plays for our club. Love the bloke.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Zola is probably the one that stands out. Love the story of a kid waiting outside his house for an autograph. It started slashing down and Zola's Mrs opened the gates and brought him inside. Zola got back from training and played some football with him in the back garden and gave him a signed shirt before driving him home. Makes me happy that money doesn't change good people in some cases.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
fantastic story that, that's what being a human should be about. Bit of compassion.
comment by Greatteamswinit4times- a terrible enemy (U6008)
posted 1 minute ago
comment by Better Call Ander - It's showtime, folks! (U11781)
posted 50 seconds ago
comment by The_Red_Cognoscente (U9741)
posted 4 minutes ago
is there a more decent footballer, nay sportsman, maybe even human that is better than Juan Mata?
----------------------------------------------------------------------
don't think so, which is why I'm so proud that he plays for our club. Love the bloke.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Zola is probably the one that stands out. Love the story of a kid waiting outside his house for an autograph. It started slashing down and Zola's Mrs opened the gates and brought him inside. Zola got back from training and played some football with him in the back garden and gave him a signed shirt before driving him home. Makes me happy that money doesn't change good people in some cases.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Lovely stuff
I'm sure there are many more than you think, they just don't get reported as much as the bad stuff.
I met Rio Ferdinand when I was with my uncle and his 2 lads, it wasn't just that he signed a few bits for them but he was genuine with them and hung around for a good ten minutes trying to do keep ups with them etc.
Then the missed the first pen in the shoot out.
Nice one Juan
That's a great article and amazing gesture.
Imagine he gets 100 or so of his peers signed up... That could be £100k a week to the charity!
Comment deleted by Site Moderator
comment by Zlatan The King Ibrahimovic (U10026)
posted 14 minutes ago
comment by Greatteamswinit4times- a terrible enemy (U6008)
posted 1 minute ago
comment by Better Call Ander - It's showtime, folks! (U11781)
posted 50 seconds ago
comment by The_Red_Cognoscente (U9741)
posted 4 minutes ago
is there a more decent footballer, nay sportsman, maybe even human that is better than Juan Mata?
----------------------------------------------------------------------
don't think so, which is why I'm so proud that he plays for our club. Love the bloke.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Zola is probably the one that stands out. Love the story of a kid waiting outside his house for an autograph. It started slashing down and Zola's Mrs opened the gates and brought him inside. Zola got back from training and played some football with him in the back garden and gave him a signed shirt before driving him home. Makes me happy that money doesn't change good people in some cases.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
That's awesome.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Mrs Zola is grate.
The site is a little limited on detail, most likely as it launched like...a minute ago!
I'd like to think (or hope at least!) that as a footballer, you'd read this and not find much of a reason to NOT sign up for it! People have a right to do what they like with their money of course, but in few professions does 1% mean so little to the earner, and so much to the charity.
http://www.common-goal.org/
comment by Curly 💩 - I'm mumpsimus and I know it.' (except on a Wednesday, that is my obstreperous day ) - ITS JIST A BIG CLIQUE N'AT (U1103)
posted 3 minutes ago
That's a fantastic article and well done Mata
Anyone know if many other players have actually signed up to the cause?
----------------------------------------------------------------------
It's a good idea, with a longer term goal as well it seems "to unlock 1% of all football revenue to be made available to grassroots and football charities".
Will be interesting to hear about this in a year and see how many others have joined.
Wonder who the next 10 players to sign up will be to make his starting XI.
Sign in if you want to comment
Juan Mata / Common Goal
Page 1 of 3
posted on 4/8/17
A few seconds later, I was standing at the center circle of the Allianz Arena, waiting for the Bayern players to stop celebrating the goal that they thought had just won the match. Didier Drogba, my Chelsea teammate, walked up to me to restart play. Didier never had his head down - never looked discouraged - but now he did. And I couldn't understand why. We had gone through so much to get to the final. Our manager had been sacked a few months before, then we had come from behind to beat Napoli in the round of 16, then we had survived with 10 men at Camp Nou in the semifinals. And now … what? It was over?
I put my hand on Didier's shoulder and said, "Look around, Didier. Look where we are. Please, don't worry. Keep believing … just believe."
For some reason I just kept thinking, We are destined to win this thing.
I'm a pretty quiet person, and I think when Didier saw me encouraging him to keep going, he couldn't help but smile.
--------------------------------------------------------
Jeez i didn't even know that
posted on 4/8/17
Was just about to post this... thanks for saving me the time.
Don't care at all for footballers these days but love this gesture. Hopefully more will follow suit and just maybe professional football can reclaim it's soul...
We'll done Juan...
posted on 4/8/17
Comment deleted by Site Moderator
posted on 4/8/17
is there a more decent footballer, nay sportsman, maybe even human that is better than Juan Mata?
posted on 4/8/17
Always comes across as one of the nice guys of the game. Even while at Chelsea I found it hard to dislike him.
posted on 4/8/17
Mata has to be up there on the list of most lovable human beings in football.
posted on 4/8/17
Shinji?
posted on 4/8/17
can you all stop talking about my husband please
posted on 4/8/17
Mata's such a grate guy.
posted on 4/8/17
I like that Mata gets away with 1 horiffic late challenge every other game because 'he's not that type of player' or it's 'out of character'
Top bloke it seems and a top player, very useful to have in the team and squad and I'd keep hold of him for however many years he's happy to rotate.
posted on 4/8/17
comment by The_Red_Cognoscente (U9741)
posted 4 minutes ago
is there a more decent footballer, nay sportsman, maybe even human that is better than Juan Mata?
----------------------------------------------------------------------
don't think so, which is why I'm so proud that he plays for our club. Love the bloke.
posted on 4/8/17
"There are great clubs in the world, and then there is Manchester United"
posted on 4/8/17
Comment deleted by Site Moderator
posted on 4/8/17
comment by Greatteamswinit4times- a terrible enemy (U6008)
posted 1 minute ago
comment by Better Call Ander - It's showtime, folks! (U11781)
posted 50 seconds ago
comment by The_Red_Cognoscente (U9741)
posted 4 minutes ago
is there a more decent footballer, nay sportsman, maybe even human that is better than Juan Mata?
----------------------------------------------------------------------
don't think so, which is why I'm so proud that he plays for our club. Love the bloke.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Zola is probably the one that stands out. Love the story of a kid waiting outside his house for an autograph. It started slashing down and Zola's Mrs opened the gates and brought him inside. Zola got back from training and played some football with him in the back garden and gave him a signed shirt before driving him home. Makes me happy that money doesn't change good people in some cases.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
That's awesome.
posted on 4/8/17
"I like that Mata gets away with 1 horiffic late challenge every other game because 'he's not that type of player' or it's 'out of character"
posted on 4/8/17
comment by Greatteamswinit4times- a terrible enemy (U6008)
posted 1 minute ago
comment by Better Call Ander - It's showtime, folks! (U11781)
posted 50 seconds ago
comment by The_Red_Cognoscente (U9741)
posted 4 minutes ago
is there a more decent footballer, nay sportsman, maybe even human that is better than Juan Mata?
----------------------------------------------------------------------
don't think so, which is why I'm so proud that he plays for our club. Love the bloke.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Zola is probably the one that stands out. Love the story of a kid waiting outside his house for an autograph. It started slashing down and Zola's Mrs opened the gates and brought him inside. Zola got back from training and played some football with him in the back garden and gave him a signed shirt before driving him home. Makes me happy that money doesn't change good people in some cases.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Im not usually that fussed with meeting celebrities, infact i have passed loads in the street before and not batted an eyelid, but i was really gutted that i missed out on meeting Zola by two minutes (at Craven Cottage in the 2011 London legends cup).
posted on 4/8/17
comment by Greatteamswinit4times- a terrible enemy (U6008)
posted 5 minutes ago
comment by Better Call Ander - It's showtime, folks! (U11781)
posted 50 seconds ago
comment by The_Red_Cognoscente (U9741)
posted 4 minutes ago
is there a more decent footballer, nay sportsman, maybe even human that is better than Juan Mata?
----------------------------------------------------------------------
don't think so, which is why I'm so proud that he plays for our club. Love the bloke.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Zola is probably the one that stands out. Love the story of a kid waiting outside his house for an autograph. It started slashing down and Zola's Mrs opened the gates and brought him inside. Zola got back from training and played some football with him in the back garden and gave him a signed shirt before driving him home. Makes me happy that money doesn't change good people in some cases.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
fantastic story that, that's what being a human should be about. Bit of compassion.
posted on 4/8/17
comment by Greatteamswinit4times- a terrible enemy (U6008)
posted 1 minute ago
comment by Better Call Ander - It's showtime, folks! (U11781)
posted 50 seconds ago
comment by The_Red_Cognoscente (U9741)
posted 4 minutes ago
is there a more decent footballer, nay sportsman, maybe even human that is better than Juan Mata?
----------------------------------------------------------------------
don't think so, which is why I'm so proud that he plays for our club. Love the bloke.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Zola is probably the one that stands out. Love the story of a kid waiting outside his house for an autograph. It started slashing down and Zola's Mrs opened the gates and brought him inside. Zola got back from training and played some football with him in the back garden and gave him a signed shirt before driving him home. Makes me happy that money doesn't change good people in some cases.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Lovely stuff
I'm sure there are many more than you think, they just don't get reported as much as the bad stuff.
I met Rio Ferdinand when I was with my uncle and his 2 lads, it wasn't just that he signed a few bits for them but he was genuine with them and hung around for a good ten minutes trying to do keep ups with them etc.
posted on 4/8/17
Then the missed the first pen in the shoot out.
Nice one Juan
posted on 4/8/17
That's a great article and amazing gesture.
Imagine he gets 100 or so of his peers signed up... That could be £100k a week to the charity!
posted on 4/8/17
Comment deleted by Site Moderator
posted on 4/8/17
comment by Zlatan The King Ibrahimovic (U10026)
posted 14 minutes ago
comment by Greatteamswinit4times- a terrible enemy (U6008)
posted 1 minute ago
comment by Better Call Ander - It's showtime, folks! (U11781)
posted 50 seconds ago
comment by The_Red_Cognoscente (U9741)
posted 4 minutes ago
is there a more decent footballer, nay sportsman, maybe even human that is better than Juan Mata?
----------------------------------------------------------------------
don't think so, which is why I'm so proud that he plays for our club. Love the bloke.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Zola is probably the one that stands out. Love the story of a kid waiting outside his house for an autograph. It started slashing down and Zola's Mrs opened the gates and brought him inside. Zola got back from training and played some football with him in the back garden and gave him a signed shirt before driving him home. Makes me happy that money doesn't change good people in some cases.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
That's awesome.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Mrs Zola is grate.
posted on 4/8/17
The site is a little limited on detail, most likely as it launched like...a minute ago!
I'd like to think (or hope at least!) that as a footballer, you'd read this and not find much of a reason to NOT sign up for it! People have a right to do what they like with their money of course, but in few professions does 1% mean so little to the earner, and so much to the charity.
posted on 4/8/17
http://www.common-goal.org/
posted on 4/8/17
comment by Curly 💩 - I'm mumpsimus and I know it.' (except on a Wednesday, that is my obstreperous day ) - ITS JIST A BIG CLIQUE N'AT (U1103)
posted 3 minutes ago
That's a fantastic article and well done Mata
Anyone know if many other players have actually signed up to the cause?
----------------------------------------------------------------------
It's a good idea, with a longer term goal as well it seems "to unlock 1% of all football revenue to be made available to grassroots and football charities".
Will be interesting to hear about this in a year and see how many others have joined.
Wonder who the next 10 players to sign up will be to make his starting XI.
Page 1 of 3