Max Mata

New Zealand footballer (born 2000)

Max MataPersonal information

Full name|  Max Andrew Mata[1]
Date of birth|  (2000-07-10) 10 July 2000 (age 25)
Place of birth|  Auckland, New Zealand
Height|  1.86 m (6 ft 1 in)
Position(s)|  Forward
Team information

Current team

|  Shrewsbury Town
Youth career
–2018|  Onehunga Sports
Senior career*
Years|  Team|  Apps|  (Gls)
2015–2017|  Wellington Phoenix Reserves|  16|  (8)
2017–2018|  Eastern Suburbs|  18|  (3)
2019–2020|  Grasshopper II|  10|  (5)
2019|  → Nõmme Kalju (loan)|  14|  (9)
2021–2022|  Real Monarchs|  19|  (2)
2022–2023|  Sligo Rovers|  50|  (18)
2023–|  Shrewsbury Town|  22|  (1)
2024|  → Sligo Rovers (loan)|  14|  (4)
2024–2025|  → Auckland FC (loan)|  19|  (2)
International career‡
2017|  New Zealand U-17|  7|  (5)
2018–2019|  New Zealand U-20|  6|  (5)
2019–|  New Zealand|  14|  (2)

Medal record

Men's football
Representing  New Zealand
OFC Nations Cup
Winner | 2024 Fiji/Vanuatu |
OFC U-19 Championship
Winner | 2018 Cook Islands/Tahiti |
OFC U-17 Championship
Winner | 2017 Samoa/Tahiti |

* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 26 May 2025
‡ National team caps and goals as of 30 June 2024

Max Andrew Mata (born 10 July 2000) is a New Zealand professional footballer who plays as a forward for EFL League Two club Shrewsbury Town and the New Zealand national team.

## Club career

[edit]

### New Zealand

[edit]

After shining in New Zealand as the youngest goalscorer in the country's top-flight at 15, Mata travelled to Switzerland to train with Grasshoppers. After an impressive trial period, he signed for the club.

### Grasshoppers

[edit]

After scoring four goals in his first seven games for the reserves, he was loaned to Estonian side, Nõmme Kalju, in 2019 to further his development in a first-team environment. Mata never established himself with Zurich's first-team.

#### Loan to Nõmme Kalju

[edit]

After joining on loan, Mata made his professional debut for Nõmme Kalju in their 5–0 loss to Celtic in the UEFA Champions League second qualifying round on 24 July 2019.[2] Mata would make 20 appearances for the club in all competitions, scoring 12 times.

### Real Monarchs

[edit]

Mata left Switzerland on a free transfer in December 2020 and signed for American second-tier side, Real Monarchs.[3]

### Sligo Rovers

[edit]

On 15 February 2022, it was announced that Mata had signed for League of Ireland Premier Division club Sligo Rovers.[4] He was named Sligo Rovers' Young Player of the Year in the same year.[5] He finished the 2022 season with seven goals and four assists in sixteen appearances in the league,[6][7] as well as scoring twice in the Europa Conference League.[7] In July 2022, he signed a contract extension until at least the end of the 2024 season.[8] In February 2023, he scored a hat-trick in a 3–2 win away to UCD at the UCD Bowl.[9]

### Shrewsbury Town

[edit]

On 3 August 2023, Mata signed for League One club Shrewsbury Town on a three-year deal.[10]

#### Loan to Sligo Rovers

[edit]

On 15 February 2024, it was announced that Mata had returned to Sligo Rovers, on loan until the summer.[11] He scored 4 goals in 14 appearances during his time back on loan with the club.[12]

#### Loan to Auckland

[edit]

On 3 June 2024, it was announced that Mata had joined newly formed A-League side Auckland on loan.[13]

## International career

[edit]

### Youth

[edit]

Mata was named in the New Zealand U-20 side for the 2019 FIFA U-20 World Cup. He was picked for the tournament even though he would be unavailable for the first two games of the tournament due to a red card that he picked up in the final of the OFC U-19 Championship qualifiers.[14][15] Mata ended up making two appearances for the U-20s, first in the last group game against Uruguay, where he captained the team, and in the round of 16 penalty shootout loss to Colombia.[16][17]

### Senior

[edit]

Mata made his international debut on 15 November 2019, coming on as a substitute for New Zealand in their 0–1 loss to Lithuania.[18] After a long spell out of the national team, he earned a call up in March 2023 for two friendly fixtures against China,[19] followed by another callup in June for friendlies against Sweden and Qatar.[20]

## Personal life

[edit]

Mata is of Māori and Cook Island Māori descent.[21] His older brother, Benjamin, is a footballer playing for Wellington Olympic and the Cook Islands national team.[22][23]

## Career statistics

[edit]

### Club

[edit]

As of match played 22 February 2025[24]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition  Club  | Season  | League  | National Cup  | League Cup  | Other  | Total

|
|
|
|
|
|

Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals
Wellington Phoenix Reserves | 2015–16 | Premiership | 6 | 3 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 6 | 3
2016–17 | 10 | 5 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 10 | 5
Total  | 16 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 16 | 8
Eastern Suburbs | 2016–17 | Premiership  | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 2 | 0
2017–18 | 16 | 3 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 16 | 3
Total  | 18 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 18 | 3
Grasshopper Club | 2018–19 | Swiss Super League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 0 | 0
2019–20 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 0 | 0
Nõmme Kalju (loan)  | 2019 | Meistriliiga | 14 | 9 | 1 | 0 | — | 4[a] | 0 | 19 | 9
Real Monarchs | 2021 | USL Championship | 19 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 19 | 2
Sligo Rovers | 2022 | LOI Premier Division | 27 | 7 | 0 | 0 | — | 3[b] | 2 | 30 | 9
2023 | 23 | 11 | 1 | 1 | — | — | 24 | 12
Total  | 50 | 18 | 1 | 1 | — | 3 | 2 | 54 | 21
Shrewsbury Town | 2023–24 | EFL League One | 22 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2[c] | 0 | 26 | 1
2024–25 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0
Total  | 22 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 26 | 1
Sligo Rovers (loan)  | 2024 | LOI Premier Division  | 14 | 4 | — | — | — | 14 | 4
Auckland FC (loan)  | 2024–25 | A-League Men | 19 | 2 | — | — | 0 | 0 | 19 | 2
Career total  | 167 | 47 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 2 | 180 | 49

1. ^ Two appearances in UEFA Champions League and two appearances in UEFA Europa League
2. ^ Appearances in UEFA Europa Conference League
3. ^ Appearances in EFL Trophy

### International

[edit]

As of match played 30 June 2024[25]
International statistics  National team | Year | Apps | Goals

|
|
|

New Zealand | 2019 | 1 | 0
2020 | 0 | 0
2021 | 0 | 0
2022 | 0 | 0
2023 | 8 | 0
2024 | 5 | 2
Total | 14 | 2

### International goals

[edit]

No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition

|
|
|
|
|
|

1  | 21 June 2024 | VFF Freshwater Stadium, Port Vila, Vanuatu |  Vanuatu | 1–0 | 4–0 | 2024 OFC Nations Cup
2  | 30 June 2024 | VFF Freshwater Stadium, Port Vila, Vanuatu |  Vanuatu | 3–0 | 3–0

## Honours

[edit]

Auckland FC

* A-League Premiership: 2024-25

New Zealand U17

* OFC U-17 Championship: 2017

New Zealand U19

* OFC U-19 Championship: 2018

New Zealand

* OFC Nations Cup: 2024

Individual

* OFC U-19 Men's Championship Golden Boot: 2018

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "FIFA U-20 World Cup Poland 2019: List of Players: New Zealand" (PDF). FIFA. 13 June 2019. p. 11\. Archived from the original (PDF) on 6 February 2020.
2. ^ "Celtic 5–0 Nomme Kalju: Griffiths scores first goal since November in rout". BBC Sport. 24 July 2019.
3. ^ "Real Monarchs Add New Zealand Forward Max Mata". www.rsl.com. Retrieved 3 February 2020.
4. ^ "Max Mata signs for Sligo Rovers – Sligo Rovers". 15 February 2022.
5. ^ "Max Mata named Wehrly Bros/Sligo Rovers Young POTY – Sligo Rovers". 28 October 2022. Retrieved 24 June 2023.
6. ^ "Summary - Premier Division - Republic of Ireland - Results, fixtures, tables and news - Soccerway". ie.soccerway.com. Retrieved 24 June 2023.
7. ^ a b "New Zealand - M. Mata - Profile with news, career statistics and history - Soccerway". ie.soccerway.com. Retrieved 24 June 2023.
8. ^ "Max Mata extends his Rovers' contract – Sligo Rovers". 26 July 2022. Retrieved 24 June 2023.
9. ^ Buttner, Paul (24 February 2023). "Mata hits hat-trick as Sligo snatch points at UCD" – via www.rte.ie.
10. ^ "Salop sign international striker Max Mata!". www.shrewsburytown.com. 3 August 2023. Retrieved 3 August 2023.
11. ^ "Mata makes Sligo Rovers return months after departure". RTÉ.ie. 15 February 2024.
12. ^ "New Zealand - M. Mata - Profile with news, career statistics and history - Soccerway".
13. ^ "AFC blend youth with experience as two more signings announced". 3 June 2024.
14. ^ Voerman, Andrew (14 May 2019). "Ban no barrier to Kiwi striker Max Mata making Fifa Under-20 World Cup squad". Stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 18 November 2019.
15. ^ "Talented New Zealand team heading into Fifa Under-20 World Cup full of confidence". Stuff.co.nz. 23 May 2019. Retrieved 10 July 2019.
16. ^ "Uruguay end group stage with perfect record". FIFA. Archived from the original on 17 May 2019. Retrieved 18 November 2019.
17. ^ "Cafeteros outlast Kiwis in dramatic shoot-out". FIFA. Archived from the original on 17 May 2019. Retrieved 18 November 2019.
18. ^ Voerman, Andrew. "Second-string All Whites fail to seize opportunities in loss to Lithuania". Stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 18 November 2019.
19. ^ "All Whites squad named for home series vs China". www.nzfootball.co.nz.
20. ^ "All Whites squad announced for games this month against Sweden and Qatar". www.nzfootball.co.nz. Retrieved 22 June 2023.
21. ^ "Young Kiwi signs professional football contract in Europe – 'proud of my family name and where I have come from'" – via TVNZ.
22. ^ friendsoffootballnz_irqgpj (6 March 2022). "The World Cup squad stacked with Lotto NRFL names — and a comedian". Friends of Football. Retrieved 24 June 2023.
23. ^ "Ben Mata - Men's Soccer". Missouri State. Retrieved 24 June 2023.
24. ^ "New Zealand - M. Mata - Profile with news, career statistics and history - Soccerway". uk.soccerway.com. Retrieved 4 June 2024.
25. ^ "Max Mata". National Football Teams. Benjamin Strack-Zimmermann. Retrieved 4 June 2024.

## External links

[edit]

* Max Mata at Soccerway
* Max Mata – FIFA competition record (archived)

* v
* t
* e

Shrewsbury Town F.C. – current squad

* 2 Hoole
* 3 Benning
* 5 M. Feeney
* 6 J. Feeney
* 7 Wheeler
* 8 Biggins
* 9 Lloyd
* 11 Oliver
* 12 Ojo
* 13 Young
* 14 Perry
* 15 Gape
* 16 Pierre
* 17 Gilliead
* 18 Dinanga
* 22 Nsiala
* 23 Nurse
* 24 Stewart
* 26 Shipley
* 27 Marquis
* 31 Blackman
* 33 Godwin
* Harrison
* Mata
* Head coach: Appleton

* v
* t
* e

New Zealand squad – 2024 OFC Men's Nations Cup winners (6th title)

* 1 Crocombe
* 2 Payne
* 3 Kelly-Heald
* 4 Bindon
* 5 Surman
* 6 Howieson
* 7 Barbarouses
* 8 Rufer
* 9 Waine
* 11 Just
* 12 Paulsen
* 13 Cacace (c)
* 14 Old
* 15 Smith
* 16 Sutton
* 17 Greive
* 18 Van Hattum
* 19 Randall
* 20 Conchie
* 21 Mata
* 22 Sail
* Coach: Bazeley

*[Apps]: League appearances
*[Gls]: League goals
*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template