Tired of modern football? For anyone looking for a story to restore their faith, the unlikely case of newly minted Spain international Jaime Mata should help.In his mid 20s, the striker was still only semi-pro, and a series of near-misses suggesting he was destined for no more than languishing in the lower leagues. Yet on Saturday, he stepped out in a Spain shirt at the Mestalla at the ripe old age of 30.Proof that with hard work, its never too late to get your break.
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View this post on Instagram 23319 Internacional absoluto espaol Victoria A post shared by Jaime Mata Arnaiz (@mata_jaime9) onIts easy to see why Mata had little cause for optimism: with Lleida he had twice cruelly missed out on promotion to the second division at the play-off stage (setbacks are a recurring theme in his career).Far from the glamour of La Liga, in the Spanish third tier there is no money of note. Not getting any younger and seemingly not going to make it as a pro, switching to a different career with a steady income must have looked very tempting at that moment in time. Then Girona came calling: I had the chance to be a professional, and that was absolutely crazy for me. I thought, maybe I can keep doing this for a bit longer?.Alsina, the man who signed him, didnt last long at Montilivi, but the sporting directors punt on a lower-league striker marked the start of a domino effect that has carried on all the way to the very top. In the more immediate future, Mata would have an impact at Girona too, twice finishing as one of their top scorers as the Catalans made it to the play-offs for promotion to La Liga, only to yes, you guessed it fall at the final hurdle on two occasions.
View this post on Instagram Da de derbi A post shared by Jaime Mata Arnaiz (@mata_jaime9) onLike with Lleida, two times with Girona was too many, and instead of sticking around for what seemed like more disappointment at Montilivi, the forward moved to Valladolid in the summer of 2016. The cruel irony? At the end of that season Girona were finally promoted to La Liga for the first time in the clubs history. Valladolid finished seventh. Just imagine how Mata felt then.
View this post on Instagram Paso a paso, golpe a golpe, asalto a asalto! Gameday A post shared by Jaime Mata Arnaiz (@mata_jaime9) onBut what followed was the most pivotal season in Matas career. While at Girona his talent was obvious, so too was his inconsistency: in two seasons of more than 40 games he scored only 21 goals, both capable of exciting periods of brilliance then frustratingly long dry spells.It wasnt form that suggested La Liga level regularity in front of goal. Nor was his first year at Valladolid, when he only managed five strikes in the league, and often ended games as an unused substitute.No one could have predicted what would happen next. In the 2017/18 season Mata morphed into the epitome of what the Spanish call a killer, a pure goalscorer. It felt like every shot he took ended up in the net: with 35 strikes including two in the play-offs, he was the key figure in taking Valladolid back to La Liga for the first time in five years. His numbers were so good it was the second best all-time goalscoring return for a striker in the Segunda, only bettered by Sporting Gijon forward Ricardos 46 in 1956/57.
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View this post on Instagram Gran trabajo, gran victoria!A post shared by Jaime Mata Arnaiz (@mata_jaime9) onIncredibly, Madrids least fashionable side are in fourth place and only 10 games away from qualifying for the Champions League for the first time ever. Mata, their top scorer who has turned half-chances into goals, and assisted seven for his teammates, is a huge part of that. No one really believes Getafe can do it, but then no one believed Mata could either.He is only the third Getafe player ever to be called up for Spain, evidence of just how exceptional a story it is for him to even be there alongside the likes of Sergio Ramos and Jordi Alba, let alone to make his debut as he did against Norway.
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TOTTENHAM fans have been given a sneak-peak of their amazing new stadium lit up at night. Video footage has emerged showcasing the £1billion, 62,000-seater ground in all its glory, with Spurs
Tottenham fans get first look inside new 61,000-seater ground
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Lionel Messi was in typically majestic form on Sunday night as Barcelona crushed Real Betis Remarkably it was his 51st career hat-trick, and it wasn't just the visiting faithful who were waxing lyrical about the 31-year-old. Messi left his team-mate Clement Lenglet in disbelief after he wrapped up his hat-trick with a simply stunning lobbed effort.
Lionel Messi responds to standing ovation from Real Betis
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England vs USA confirmed team news: Wayne Rooney starts on the bench as Gareth Southgate dishes out debuts Callum Wilson and Lewis Dunk earn their first international caps, while 18-year-old Jadon
England vs USA confirmed team news: Wayne Rooney starts on
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Crystal Palace goalkeeper Wayne Hennessey has been charged by the Football Association (FA) over a social media post in which he made an alleged Nazi salute.. Wales international Hennessey denied
Crystal Palace keeper cleared by FA of making Nazi salute
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Mo Salah was once again highly praised by his manager Jurgen Klopp after Liverpool beat Chelsea 2-0 on Sunday. The 26-year-old smashed home his team's second goal at Anfield as the Reds earned a momentous victory in their pursuit of the Premier League title.
Jurgen Klopp lauds Mo Salah's 'thunderbolt' goal - Fussboll
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Manchester United's 8 Best Central Midfielders of All Time 0 of 8 Some of the greatest names in the game have played in the famous red shirt—their legacies set in stone, their names to be sung
Manchester United F.C. - Wikipedia
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The 2017/18 season in La Liga is already 10 games old, and a quarter of the way through the campaign, there are already several tiers evident in the league, hinting as to who can have a big year
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Friday, 8 March 2019 Pep Guardiola did not comment on UEFA's investigations into possible Financial Fair Play breaches by Manchester City. City are being investigated over alleged violations after a series of claims were published by Der Spiegel, the German news outlet, which were based on leaked documents.
Pep Guardiola trusts Manchester City to resolve Financial
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Juventus chief responds to Mohamed Salah and Paulo Dybala transfer rumours. Liverpool had been linked with a shock swap deal in the summer
Liverpool transfer rumours rated - Salah/Dybala swap, Reds
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Kepa vs Sarri: Chelsea players should have backed the manager
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The big game will be live on talkSPORT 2 and here's how you can tune in to catch it. Billy Sharp and Sheffield United face Nottingham Forest today Sheffield United vs Nottingham Forest: How to listen Full commentary from Bramall Lane will be live on talkSPORT 2, with our coverage getting underway from 12pm.
Norwich vs Sheffield Wednesday live on talkSPORT 2: Confirmed
thesportsnewsking.com/norwich-vs-sheffield-wednesday-live-on-talksport-2-confirmed-teams-and-free-stream-for-championship-clash/
Norwich vs Sheffield Wednesday: How to listen. Full commentary from Carrow Road will be live on talkSPORT 2, with our coverage getting underway from 7:30pm. Nigel Adderley and David Connolly will bring you all the build-up and commentary and to tune in to the action just click here for the live stream or click the radio player below.
Sheffield United vs Nottingham Forest live on talkSPORT 2
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West Ham midfielder Declan Rice has been called up to the England squad for the first time since declaring his intention to represent the Three Lions on the international stage. London-born Rice, 20, previously played for the Republic of Ireland, but he remained eligible for England as each of his three caps were won in friendlies.
Declan Rice earns debut call-up after switching allegiance
sportsalert.org/2019/03/13/declan-rice-earns-debut-call-up-after-switching-allegiance-from-ireland/
West Ham midfielder Declan Rice has been called up to the England squad for the first time since declaring his intention to represent the Three Lions on the international stage. London-born Rice, 20, previously played for the Republic of Ireland, but he remained eligible for England as each of his three caps were won in friendlies.
Declan Rice earns first England call-up after Ireland switch
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Ian Wright says Arsenal are suffering from mistakes made by former senior staff members. The Gunners legend believes the situation regarding Aaron Ramsey, who was allowed to run down his contract and join Juventus, could have been avoided and reckons the Gunners have never truly replaced former vice-chairman David Dein.
Ian Wright EXCLUSIVE: Former Arsenal striker talks about
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Jim Ratcliffe has reportedly tried to buy Chelsea from Roman Abramovich (Photo by Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images) Ratcliffe was a co-founder of INSPEC and made his money through shale gas, before creating the company Ineos in 1998, a multinational petrochemicals giant.
Reports: Billionaire Manchester United fan in bid to purchase
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