NZ Herald
  • Home
  • Latest news
  • Herald NOW
  • Video
  • New Zealand
  • Sport
  • World
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Podcasts
  • Quizzes
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Viva
  • Weather

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • New Zealand
    • All New Zealand
    • Crime
    • Politics
    • Education
    • Open Justice
    • Scam Update
  • Herald NOW
  • On The Up
  • World
    • All World
    • Australia
    • Asia
    • UK
    • United States
    • Middle East
    • Europe
    • Pacific
  • Business
    • All Business
    • MarketsSharesCurrencyCommoditiesStock TakesCrypto
    • Markets with Madison
    • Media Insider
    • Business analysis
    • Personal financeKiwiSaverInterest ratesTaxInvestment
    • EconomyInflationGDPOfficial cash rateEmployment
    • Small business
    • Business reportsMood of the BoardroomProject AucklandSustainable business and financeCapital markets reportAgribusiness reportInfrastructure reportDynamic business
    • Deloitte Top 200 Awards
    • CompaniesAged CareAgribusinessAirlinesBanking and financeConstructionEnergyFreight and logisticsHealthcareManufacturingMedia and MarketingRetailTelecommunicationsTourism
  • Opinion
    • All Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Editorials
    • Business analysis
    • Premium opinion
    • Letters to the editor
  • Politics
  • Sport
    • All Sport
    • OlympicsParalympics
    • RugbySuper RugbyNPCAll BlacksBlack FernsRugby sevensSchool rugby
    • CricketBlack CapsWhite Ferns
    • Racing
    • NetballSilver Ferns
    • LeagueWarriorsNRL
    • FootballWellington PhoenixAuckland FCAll WhitesFootball FernsEnglish Premier League
    • GolfNZ Open
    • MotorsportFormula 1
    • Boxing
    • UFC
    • BasketballNBABreakersTall BlacksTall Ferns
    • Tennis
    • Cycling
    • Athletics
    • SailingAmerica's CupSailGP
    • Rowing
  • Lifestyle
    • All Lifestyle
    • Viva - Food, fashion & beauty
    • Society Insider
    • Royals
    • Sex & relationships
    • Food & drinkRecipesRecipe collectionsRestaurant reviewsRestaurant bookings
    • Health & wellbeing
    • Fashion & beauty
    • Pets & animals
    • The Selection - Shop the trendsShop fashionShop beautyShop entertainmentShop giftsShop home & living
    • Milford's Investing Place
  • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • TV
    • MoviesMovie reviews
    • MusicMusic reviews
    • BooksBook reviews
    • Culture
    • ReviewsBook reviewsMovie reviewsMusic reviewsRestaurant reviews
  • Travel
    • All Travel
    • News
    • New ZealandNorthlandAucklandWellingtonCanterburyOtago / QueenstownNelson-TasmanBest NZ beaches
    • International travelAustraliaPacific IslandsEuropeUKUSAAfricaAsia
    • Rail holidays
    • Cruise holidays
    • Ski holidays
    • Luxury travel
    • Adventure travel
  • Kāhu Māori news
  • Environment
    • All Environment
    • Our Green Future
  • Talanoa Pacific news
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Property Insider
    • Interest rates tracker
    • Residential property listings
    • Commercial property listings
  • Health
  • Technology
    • All Technology
    • AI
    • Social media
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
    • Opinion
    • Audio & podcasts
  • Weather forecasts
    • All Weather forecasts
    • Kaitaia
    • Whangārei
    • Dargaville
    • Auckland
    • Thames
    • Tauranga
    • Hamilton
    • Whakatāne
    • Rotorua
    • Tokoroa
    • Te Kuiti
    • Taumaranui
    • Taupō
    • Gisborne
    • New Plymouth
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Dannevirke
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Levin
    • Paraparaumu
    • Masterton
    • Wellington
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Blenheim
    • Westport
    • Reefton
    • Kaikōura
    • Greymouth
    • Hokitika
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
    • Wānaka
    • Oamaru
    • Queenstown
    • Dunedin
    • Gore
    • Invercargill
  • Meet the journalists
  • Promotions & competitions
  • OneRoof property listings
  • Driven car news

Puzzles & Quizzes

  • Puzzles
    • All Puzzles
    • Sudoku
    • Code Cracker
    • Crosswords
    • Cryptic crossword
    • Wordsearch
  • Quizzes
    • All Quizzes
    • Morning quiz
    • Afternoon quiz
    • Sports quiz

Regions

  • Northland
    • All Northland
    • Far North
    • Kaitaia
    • Kerikeri
    • Kaikohe
    • Bay of Islands
    • Whangarei
    • Dargaville
    • Kaipara
    • Mangawhai
  • Auckland
  • Waikato
    • All Waikato
    • Hamilton
    • Coromandel & Hauraki
    • Matamata & Piako
    • Cambridge
    • Te Awamutu
    • Tokoroa & South Waikato
    • Taupō & Tūrangi
  • Bay of Plenty
    • All Bay of Plenty
    • Katikati
    • Tauranga
    • Mount Maunganui
    • Pāpāmoa
    • Te Puke
    • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Hawke's Bay
    • All Hawke's Bay
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Havelock North
    • Central Hawke's Bay
    • Wairoa
  • Taranaki
    • All Taranaki
    • Stratford
    • New Plymouth
    • Hāwera
  • Manawatū - Whanganui
    • All Manawatū - Whanganui
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Manawatū
    • Tararua
    • Horowhenua
  • Wellington
    • All Wellington
    • Kapiti
    • Wairarapa
    • Upper Hutt
    • Lower Hutt
  • Nelson & Tasman
    • All Nelson & Tasman
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Tasman
  • Marlborough
  • West Coast
  • Canterbury
    • All Canterbury
    • Kaikōura
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
  • Otago
    • All Otago
    • Oamaru
    • Dunedin
    • Balclutha
    • Alexandra
    • Queenstown
    • Wanaka
  • Southland
    • All Southland
    • Invercargill
    • Gore
    • Stewart Island
  • Gisborne

Media

  • Video
    • All Video
    • NZ news video
    • Herald NOW
    • Business news video
    • Politics news video
    • Sport video
    • World news video
    • Lifestyle video
    • Entertainment video
    • Travel video
    • Markets with Madison
    • Kea Kids news
  • Podcasts
    • All Podcasts
    • The Front Page
    • On the Tiles
    • Ask me Anything
    • The Little Things
  • Cartoons
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Sport / Football

Footballers earn an obscene amount and live in a bubble - Mata

By Claire Duffin of the Daily Mail
Daily Mail·
25 Apr, 2016 07:00 PM5 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

Juan Mata of Manchester United. Photo / Getty

Juan Mata of Manchester United. Photo / Getty

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Modern day footballers have long been accused of being overpaid, pampered divas. And now one of Britain's high paid stars has admitted it is true.

Manchester United's Juan Mata has risked the wrath of his teammates by conceding what everyone else knew all along - that "overprotected" professional footballers earn an "obscene" amount of money and live in a bubble.

The 27 year-old Spanish footballer - who signed for Manchester United from Chelsea for £37 million (NZ$78m) and earns £150,000 (NZ$317,000) a week - said he was not comfortable with the huge wages given to the games top players and would take a pay cut.

In a frank interview the midfielder also acknowledged how his "protected" life was a world away from that of his friends in Spain who "had to look for work, sign on to the dole and emigrate".

"It scares me sometimes to think about just how protected I am," he said. "The smallest problem and someone will come and fix it for me. That's one of the aspects in which we don't live a normal life".

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

He added: "Football is very well remunerated at this level. It's like we live in a bubble. With respect to the rest of society, we earn a ridiculous amount.

"It's unfathomable. With respect to the world of football, I earn a normal wage. But compared to 99.9 per cent of Spain and the rest of the world, I earn an obscene amount.

"The barometer we use for measuring our salaries is comparing them to those of our team-mates and what other players are earning elsewhere."

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

He added: "Real life is the one my friends live. They've had to look for work, sign on to the dole and emigrate. That's normal life now. My life as a footballer is not normal."

Mata, who has won the Champions League and FA Cup with Chelsea and was part of Spain's 2010 World Cup winning squad, signed for Manchester United in 2012, when he was flown from London to Manchester by private helicopter to seal the deal.

His club is the third richest in the world, behind Real Madrid and Barcelona, and generated £395.2m in revenue in 2015 according to the Deloitte Football Money League report. Manchester United's wage bill is in excess of £200 million a year.

Mata himself is understood to earn more than £150,000 a week and is said to live in Cheshire with girlfriend, Evelina Kamph, 27, an osteopath who is originally from Sweden.
But in the interview with Spanish television, he said he was understood critics of the modern game, who claim football has become too commercialised.

Discover more

Football

Two years, five goals and $46 million in earnings

26 Apr 03:00 AM

It is not the first time the footballer has sparked controversy. The Spaniard is considered to be slightly more down to earth - and intelligent - than the average Premiership footballer.

Within a year of arriving in the UK from Valencia he could speak English fluently. While at Chelsea he studied for a degree in marketing and sports science and spent his time visiting London tourist attractions, posting photographs of his favourite landmarks on his Instrgram page.

He endeared himself to fans at Chelsea when, after signing for Manchester United, he wrote them an open letter in which he thanked them for their support.

In Manchester, he is said to spent his time visiting art galleries and taking photographs and writes a weekly blog in English and Spanish.

He spends his holidays backpacking round the Spanish countryside and Greek islands with friends.

And has eschewed a flashy car, opting instead for a fashionable vintage VW Beetle.
He and his sister Paula were born in Burgos, in northern Spain, where their father played professional football.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

They were raised in Oviedo after Juan Snr's career took him further north to Asturias.
When he was 15, Mata left home to join the Real Madrid academy before moving to Valencia at 19 and then to London and Chelsea four years later for £23.5m.

Mata, whose father is his agent, also criticised "flashy" young players in the interview.

"Every player thinks he's Maradona when he joins a big club," he said. "That happens to all of us but then you start to notice it in the younger players.

"You see kids who think they're rock stars; wearing extravagant clothes and driving fancy cars... and sometimes you have to take them aside and have a word.

"As long as you can keep a cool head though and continue working as hard as before, which after all is what got you to where you are, than you'll be able to handle yourself.

"I don't enjoy the business side of football. I love the game. I love training and competing. I'd happily take a pay cut if there was less business involvement in the sport.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

"At this level we're very well paid and sometimes you get to thinking that there really isn't much of a difference between x and x+3.

"There are times when too much pressure is put on young players, which is wrong. They're not prepared properly for failure, and things don't always go to plan.

"They need to be taught that only a fortunate few can make it to the top. 99.9% of them won't make it that far."

Save

    Share this article

Latest from Football

Auckland FC

South American striker favoured to replace Moreno at Auckland FC

04 Jul 12:05 AM
Football

'Makes no sense': Ronaldo pays tribute as details emerge of crash that killed Liverpool football star

03 Jul 06:03 PM
New Zealand

Stephen Hoyle to swap NZ amateur league football for pro A-League

02 Jul 05:00 PM

There’s more to Hawai‘i than beaches and buffets – here’s how to see it differently

sponsored
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Football

South American striker favoured to replace Moreno at Auckland FC

South American striker favoured to replace Moreno at Auckland FC

04 Jul 12:05 AM

There are two Europeans and one South American on the shortlist to replace Neyder Moreno.

'Makes no sense': Ronaldo pays tribute as details emerge of crash that killed Liverpool football star

'Makes no sense': Ronaldo pays tribute as details emerge of crash that killed Liverpool football star

03 Jul 06:03 PM
Inside the Rovers: A-League Bound

Inside the Rovers: A-League Bound

Stephen Hoyle to swap NZ amateur league football for pro A-League

Stephen Hoyle to swap NZ amateur league football for pro A-League

02 Jul 05:00 PM
From early mornings to easy living
sponsored

From early mornings to easy living

NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • NZ Herald e-editions
  • Daily puzzles & quizzes
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Subscribe to the NZ Herald newspaper
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP