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]
The Oceania Football Confederation (OFC) is one of the six continental confederations of international association football. The OFC has 13 members, 11 of which are full members and two which are associate members not affiliated with FIFA. It promotes the game in Oceania and allows the member nations to qualify for the FIFA World Cup.
New Zealand Football is the governing body for the sport of association football in New Zealand. It oversees the seven New Zealand Football federations, as well as the New Zealand men's national football team, the national junior and women's teams, the men's and women's national Leagues New Zealand National League, National Women's League, and a number of tournaments, including the Chatham Cup and Kate Sheppard Cup. A New Zealand team, Wellington Phoenix FC who plays in the Australian A-League also comes under New Zealand Football jurisdiction.
Roy Krishna is a Fijian professional footballer who plays as a striker for Indian Super League club Odisha and the Fiji national team.
Hamish John Sanders Watson is a New Zealand footballer who plays as a centre forward for National Premier Leagues Victoria side Dandenong Thunder.
Desmond Buckingham is an English professional football manager who is currently the head coach of League One club Oxford United.
The 2019 OFC Champions League was the 18th edition of the Oceanian Club Championship, Oceania's premier club football tournament organized by the Oceania Football Confederation (OFC), and the 13th season under the current OFC Champions League name.
Liberato Gianpaolo Cacace is a New Zealand professional footballer who plays as a left-back for Serie A club Empoli and the New Zealand national team.
Benjamin Peter Waine is a New Zealand professional footballer who plays as a forward for EFL Championship club Plymouth Argyle and the New Zealand national team.
Max Andrew Mata is a New Zealand professional footballer who plays as a forward for EFL League One club Shrewsbury Town and the New Zealand national team.
Raphael Ohanua Lea'i Jr. is a Solomon Islands professional footballer who plays as a striker for the Solomon Islands national team. He is the first Solomon Islands player to have played professional football in Europe.
Marko Seufatu Nikola Stamenić is a New Zealand professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Serbian Superliga club Red Star Belgrade and the New Zealand national team.
The New Zealand Men's National League is a men's football league at the top of the New Zealand football league system. Founded in 2021, the New Zealand National League is the successor to the New Zealand Football Championship. The league is contested by ten teams, with teams qualifying from their regional leagues. Four teams qualify from the Northern League, three qualify from the Central League, two qualify from the newly formed Southern League and the Wellington Phoenix Reserves are automatically given a spot each year.
Maro Bonsu-Maro is a Cook Islands footballer who currently plays for Manukau United and the Cook Islands national team.
Jay Joshua Herdman is a professional soccer player who currently plays for Whitecaps FC 2 of MLS Next Pro. Born in New Zealand, he has represented both Canada and New Zealand at youth level.
The 2022 season was the 132nd competitive association football season in New Zealand.
The 2023 OFC Champions League was the 22nd edition of the Oceanian Club Championship, Oceania's premier club football tournament organized by the Oceania Football Confederation (OFC), and the 17th season under the current OFC Champions League name.
Leon Kofana is a Solomon Islands footballer who currently plays for Telekom S-League club Henderson Eels and the Solomon Islands national team.
The 2024 OFC Champions League will be the 23rd edition of the Oceanian club championship. Organized by the Oceania Football Confederation (OFC), it is Oceania's premier club football tournament. The 2024 edition of the tournament will be 18th season under the current OFC Champions League name.
Michael Tumua Leo is a Samoan association footballer who plays as a forward for Lupe o le Soaga and the Samoa national team.