Benjamin Mata
{{Short description|Cook Islands association football player}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2024}}
{{EngvarB|date=January 2024}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = Benjamin Mata
| fullname = Benjamin Leonardo Mata
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1998|8|10}}
| birth_place = Auckland, New Zealand
| height = 1.85 m
| position = Defender
| currentclub = Wellington Olympic
| clubnumber = 15
| youthyears1 = {{0|0000}}–2015
| youthclubs1 = Wanderers SC
| collegeyears1 = 2017–2018
| college1 = Missouri State Bears
| collegecaps1 = 0
| collegegoals1 = 0
| years1 = 2015–2016
| clubs1 = Onehunga Sports
| caps1 =
| goals1 =
| years2 = 2016–2017
| clubs2 = Wellington Phoenix Reserves
| caps2 = 12
| goals2 = 0
| years3 = 2018
| clubs3 = Papakura City
| caps3 =
| goals3 =
| years4 = 2019
| clubs4 = Tupapa Maraerenga
| caps4 = 0
| goals4 = 0
| years5 = 2019–2021
| clubs5 = Team Wellington
| caps5 = 12
| goals5 = 0
| years6 = 2021–
| clubs6 = Wellington Olympic
| caps6 = 71
| goals6 = 31
| nationalyears1 = 2015–2017
| nationalteam1 = New Zealand U17
| nationalcaps1 = 6
| nationalgoals1 = 2
| nationalyears2 = 2022–
| nationalteam2 = Cook Islands
| nationalcaps2 = 1
| nationalgoals2 = 0
| club-update = 25 November 2024
| nationalteam-update = 7 January 2023
}}
Benjamin Mata (born 10 August 1998) is a footballer who plays as a central defender for New Zealand Central League club Wellington Olympic, which he captains. Born in New Zealand, he plays for the Cook Islands national team.
Club career
Mata began his youth career with Wanderers SC.{{cite web |title=TEAM WELLINGTON SIGN BEN MATA AFTER SUCCESSFUL TRIAL |url=http://www.twfc.co.nz/news-2/2019/10/16/team-wellington-sign-ben-mata-after-successful-trial |publisher=Team Wellington FC |access-date=16 March 2022 |archive-date=22 October 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221022021424/http://www.twfc.co.nz/news-2/2019/10/16/team-wellington-sign-ben-mata-after-successful-trial |url-status=dead }} After his departure from the club he joined Onehunga Sports.{{cite web |title=Programme Round 1 |url=https://websites.mygameday.app/get_file.cgi?id=3543104 |publisher=Northern Regional Football League |access-date=17 March 2022}} The following season he was signed to the reserve side of Wellington Phoenix of the A-League.{{cite web |title=PHOENIX U-20 BOSS HEDGE EXCITED FOR SEASON-OPENING CLASH WITH EASTERN SUBURBS |date=21 October 2016 |url=https://wellingtonphoenix.com/news/phoenix-u-20-boss-hedge-excited-season-opening-clash-eastern-suburbs |publisher=Wellington Phoenix |access-date=17 March 2022}}{{cite web |last1=Rolo |first1=Phillip |title=Tasman United coach Richard Anderson knows it's time for team to deliver |url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/football/domestic/86103290/tasman-united-coach-richard-anderson-knows-its-time-for-team-to-deliver |publisher=stuff.co.nz |access-date=17 March 2022}} He was one of two players to receive the Winston Reid Scholarship to join the club.{{cite web |title=Mata version 2.0 on the scene |date=11 February 2017 |url=https://www.oceaniafootball.com/mata-version-2-0-on-the-scene/ |publisher=Oceania Football Confederation |access-date=17 March 2022}}
In 2017 he committed to play college soccer in the United States for the Bears of Missouri State University.{{cite web |title=Bears Land Two International Soccer Players |url=https://missouristatebears.com/news/2017/7/14/mens-soccer-lands-two-international-players.aspx |publisher=Missouri State Athletics |access-date=16 March 2022}} However, he did not go on to appear for the team.{{cite web |title=Missouri State profile |url=https://missouristatebears.com/sports/mens-soccer/roster/ben-mata/4428 |publisher=Missouri State Athletics |access-date=16 March 2022}}
In 2018 Mata joined Papakura City for one season.{{cite web |last1=Easby |first1=Josh |title=Coach keen for first win |date=28 June 2018 |url=https://www.cambridgenews.nz/2018/06/coach-keen-for-first-win/ |publisher=Cambridge News |access-date=17 March 2022}} 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.{{cite web |title=Soccerway profile |url=https://soccerway.com/players/benjamin-mata/394079/ |publisher=Soccerway |access-date=17 March 2022}}{{cite web |title=All to play for on final Match Day |date=February 2019 |url=https://www.oceaniafootball.com/all-to-play-for-on-final-match-day/ |publisher=Oceania Football Confederation |access-date=17 March 2022}}
Later in 2019 he moved to Team Wellington. He remained with the club until 2021 when he signed across town with Wellington Olympic.{{cite web |title=2021 Northern and Central League Player Lists |url=https://www.nzfootball.co.nz/newsarticle/101728 |publisher=New Zealand Footblll |access-date=17 March 2022}} During his first season with Olympic, Mata helped the team win the Central League title that season.{{cite web |title=The World Cup squad stacked with Lotto NRFL names — and a comedian |date=6 March 2022 |url=https://www.friendsoffootballnz.com/2022/03/06/the-world-cup-squad-stacked-with-lotto-nrfl-names-and-a-comedian/ |publisher=Friends of Football New Zealand |access-date=16 March 2022}}{{cite web |last1=Rolo |first1=Phillip |title=Wellington Olympic claim Central League title with win over Miramar Rangers |url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/sport/126076704/wellington-olympic-claim-central-league-title-with-win-over-miramar-rangers |publisher=Stuff.co.national |access-date=17 March 2022}} After the move to Olympic he was named captain of the squad.{{cite web |title=NATIONAL LEAGUE SOUTH CENTRAL SERIES – MEN'S TEAM OF THE SEASON |date=21 December 2021 |url=https://theniche-cache.com/football/2021/12/21/national-league-south-central-series-mens-team-of-the-season |publisher=theniche-cache.com |access-date=16 March 2022}}{{cite web |title=Which club is going to be South Central Series Champion? |url=https://www.nzfootball.co.nz/newsarticle/109509?newsfeedId=1275622 |publisher=New Zealand Football |access-date=17 March 2022}}
International career
Born in New Zealand, Mata represented the country at the youth level. He made his debut for them at the 2015 OFC U-17 Championship.{{cite web |title=Football: Shootout sends U-17s to Chile |url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/football-shootout-sends-u-17s-to-chile/VIQC6YQ5WCHBUPVEJ3POVES62U/ |publisher=New Zealand Herald |access-date=17 March 2022}} 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.
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.{{cite web |title=Cook Islands confirm squad for Oceania Qualifiers |date=3 March 2022 |url=https://www.oceaniafootball.com/cook-islands-confirm-squad-for-oceania-qualifiers/ |publisher=Oceania Football Confederation |access-date=17 March 2022}}{{cite web |title=Wellington Olympic's Ben Mata set to play for Cook Islands |date=16 February 2022 |url=https://oceaniafootballcenter.org/2022/02/16/wellington-olympics-ben-mata-set-to-play-for-cook-islands/ |publisher=Oceania Football Center |access-date=17 March 2022}} 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.{{cite web |title=Cook Islands vs. Solomon Islands |url=https://www.fifa.com/tournaments/mens/worldcup/qatar2022/qualifiers/ofc/match-center/400214334 |publisher=FIFA |access-date=17 March 2022}}
=International career statistics=
{{updated|match played 17 March 2022}}{{cite web |title=National Football Teams profile |url=https://www.national-football-teams.com/player/86671/Ben_Mata.html |publisher=National Football Teams |access-date=18 March 2022}}
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" | ||
| colspan=3|Cook Islands | ||
|---|---|---|
| Year | Apps | Goals |
| 2022 | 1 | 0 |
| Total||1||0 |
Personal life
Mata was born in Auckland, New Zealand. His younger brother, Max, is also a footballer.
Career statistics
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;" | |||||||||
| rowspan="2"|Club
!rowspan="2"|Season !colspan="3"|League !colspan="2"|National Cup !colspan="2"|Continental !colspan="2"|Other !colspan="2"|Total | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division
!Apps !Goals !Apps !Goals !Apps !Goals !Apps !Goals !Apps !Goals | |||||||||
| Wellington Phoenix Reserves
|12 | 0 | colspan=2|— | colspan=2|— | colspan=2|— | |12 | 0 | |||
| Tupapa Maraerenga
|2019 |0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2{{efn|name=ofc|Appearances in OFC Champions League.}} | 3 | colspan=2|— | 2 | 3 | |
| rowspan=3|Team Wellington
|rowspan=2|Premiership |1 | 0 | colspan=2|— | colspan=2|— | colspan=2|— | 1 | 0 | |||
| 2020–21
|11 | 0 | colspan=2|— | colspan=2|— | colspan=2|— | 11 | 0 | |||
| colspan=2|Total
!12||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||12||0 | |||||||||
| rowspan=6|Wellington Olympic
|2021 |rowspan=5|National League |16 | 5 | 2 | 2 | colspan=2|— | 5{{efn|name=scs|Appearances in South Central Series.}} | 4 | 23 | 11 | |
| 2022
|24 | 7 | 6 | 0 | colspan=2|— | colspan=2|— | 30 | 7 | ||
| 2023
|23 | 14 | 3 | 6 | 2{{efn|name=ofc|Appearances in OFC Champions League.}} | 1 | colspan=2|— | 28 | 21 | |
| 2024
|26 | 11 | 6 | 5 | 1{{efn|name=ofc|Appearances in OFC Champions League.}} | 0 | 1{{efn|name=ctc|Appearances in Charity Cup.}} | 1 | 34 | 17 |
| 2025
|0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | colspan=2|— | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| colspan=2|Total
!89||37||17||13||3||1||6||5||115||56 | |||||||||
| colspan=3|Career total
!|||||||||||||||||| |
{{notelist}}
Honours
Team Wellington
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{NFT player|86671/Ben_Mata}}
- {{Soccerway|benjamin-mata/394079}}
- [https://missouristatebears.com/sports/mens-soccer/roster/ben-mata/4428 Missouri State Bears profile]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Mata, Benjamin}}
Category:Men's association football defenders
Category:Cook Islands men's international footballers
Category:Cook Island men's footballers
Category:New Zealand expatriate men's association footballers
Category:New Zealand men's youth international footballers
Category:Team Wellington FC players
Category:Wellington Olympic AFC players