Personal information | |||
---|---|---|---|
Full name | Benjamin Leonardo Mata | ||
Date of birth | 10 August 1998 | ||
Place of birth | Auckland, New Zealand | ||
Height | 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in) | ||
Position(s) | Defender | ||
Team information | |||
Current team | Wellington Olympic | ||
Number | 15 | ||
Youth career | |||
–2015 | Wanderers SC | ||
College career | |||
Years | Team | Apps | ( Gls) |
2017–2018 | Missouri State Bears | 0 | (0) |
Senior career* | |||
Years | Team | Apps | ( Gls) |
2015–2016 | Onehunga Sports | ||
2016–2017 | Wellington Phoenix Reserves | 12 | (0) |
2018 | Papakura City | ||
2019 | Tupapa Maraerenga | 0 | (0) |
2019–2021 | Team Wellington | 12 | (0) |
2021– | Wellington Olympic | 45 | (16) |
International career‡ | |||
2015–2017 | New Zealand U17 | 6 | (2) |
2022– | Cook Islands | 1 | (0) |
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 7 January 2023 ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 7 January 2023 |
Benjamin Mata (born 10 August 1998) is a Cook Islands footballer who currently plays as a central defender for Wellington Olympic and the Cook Islands national team.
Mata began his youth career with Wanderers SC. [1] After his departure from the club he joined Onehunga Sports. [2] The following season he was signed to the reserve side of Wellington Phoenix of the A-League. [3] [4] He was one of two players to receive the Winston Reid Scholarship to join the club. [5]
In 2017 he committed to play college soccer in the United States for the Bears of Missouri State University. [6] However, he did not go on to appear for the team. [7]
In 2018 Mata joined Papakura City for one season. [8] [1] In 2019 he joined Tupapa Maraerenga of the Cook Islands Round Cup. He made two appearances for the club in 2019 OFC Champions League qualification, scoring three goals. [9] [10]
Later in 2019 he moved to Team Wellington. He remained with the club until 2021 when he signed across town with Wellington Olympic. [11] During his first season with Olympic, Mata helped the team win the Central League title that season. [12] [13] After the move to Olympic he was named captain of the squad. [14] [15]
Mata represented his native New Zealand at the youth level. He made his debut for the nation at the 2015 OFC U-17 Championship. [1] [16] After qualifying as champions of the 2017 OFC U-17 Championship, he was then part of the squad that advanced to the round of 16 in the 2017 FIFA U-17 World Cup. He captained the side in the team's round of 16 loss to Brazil. [7]
In March 2022 it was confirmed that Mata had committed to representing the Cook Islands internationally and had been included in the nation’s squad for 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification. [17] [18] He went on to make his senior international debut on 17 March 2022 in the opening match against the Solomon Islands. He served as captain of the squad in his first-ever appearance. [19]
Cook Islands | ||
---|---|---|
Year | Apps | Goals |
2022 | 1 | 0 |
Total | 1 | 0 |
Mata was born in Auckland, New Zealand. He is the brother of fellow footballer Max Mata. [7] [12]
Personal information | |||
---|---|---|---|
Full name | Benjamin Leonardo Mata | ||
Date of birth | 10 August 1998 | ||
Place of birth | Auckland, New Zealand | ||
Height | 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in) | ||
Position(s) | Defender | ||
Team information | |||
Current team | Wellington Olympic | ||
Number | 15 | ||
Youth career | |||
–2015 | Wanderers SC | ||
College career | |||
Years | Team | Apps | ( Gls) |
2017–2018 | Missouri State Bears | 0 | (0) |
Senior career* | |||
Years | Team | Apps | ( Gls) |
2015–2016 | Onehunga Sports | ||
2016–2017 | Wellington Phoenix Reserves | 12 | (0) |
2018 | Papakura City | ||
2019 | Tupapa Maraerenga | 0 | (0) |
2019–2021 | Team Wellington | 12 | (0) |
2021– | Wellington Olympic | 45 | (16) |
International career‡ | |||
2015–2017 | New Zealand U17 | 6 | (2) |
2022– | Cook Islands | 1 | (0) |
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 7 January 2023 ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 7 January 2023 |
Benjamin Mata (born 10 August 1998) is a Cook Islands footballer who currently plays as a central defender for Wellington Olympic and the Cook Islands national team.
Mata began his youth career with Wanderers SC. [1] After his departure from the club he joined Onehunga Sports. [2] The following season he was signed to the reserve side of Wellington Phoenix of the A-League. [3] [4] He was one of two players to receive the Winston Reid Scholarship to join the club. [5]
In 2017 he committed to play college soccer in the United States for the Bears of Missouri State University. [6] However, he did not go on to appear for the team. [7]
In 2018 Mata joined Papakura City for one season. [8] [1] In 2019 he joined Tupapa Maraerenga of the Cook Islands Round Cup. He made two appearances for the club in 2019 OFC Champions League qualification, scoring three goals. [9] [10]
Later in 2019 he moved to Team Wellington. He remained with the club until 2021 when he signed across town with Wellington Olympic. [11] During his first season with Olympic, Mata helped the team win the Central League title that season. [12] [13] After the move to Olympic he was named captain of the squad. [14] [15]
Mata represented his native New Zealand at the youth level. He made his debut for the nation at the 2015 OFC U-17 Championship. [1] [16] After qualifying as champions of the 2017 OFC U-17 Championship, he was then part of the squad that advanced to the round of 16 in the 2017 FIFA U-17 World Cup. He captained the side in the team's round of 16 loss to Brazil. [7]
In March 2022 it was confirmed that Mata had committed to representing the Cook Islands internationally and had been included in the nation’s squad for 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification. [17] [18] He went on to make his senior international debut on 17 March 2022 in the opening match against the Solomon Islands. He served as captain of the squad in his first-ever appearance. [19]
Cook Islands | ||
---|---|---|
Year | Apps | Goals |
2022 | 1 | 0 |
Total | 1 | 0 |
Mata was born in Auckland, New Zealand. He is the brother of fellow footballer Max Mata. [7] [12]