The Spanish Jamie Vardy: From almost quitting football to a Spain debut at 30 – Jaime Mata is one of the great underdog stories

The Spanish Jamie Vardy: From almost quitting football to a Spain debut at 30 – Jaime Mata is one of the great underdog stories
Tired of modern football? For anyone looking for a story to restore their faith, the unlikely case of newly minted Spain international Jaime Mata should help.In his mid 20s, the striker was still only semi-pro, and a series of near-misses suggesting he was destined for no more than languishing in the lower leagues. Yet on Saturday, he stepped out in a Spain shirt at the Mestalla at the ripe old age of 30.Proof that with hard work, its never too late to get your break.3

Mata celebrates the end of Spain’s win over Norway with Marco Asensio.

Most top footballing talents these days are spotted as teenagers then carefully developed, with their path to the top meticulously planned by the big clubs.Mata, on the other hand, was about to turn 26 and had been deliberating over abandoning his football dream to become a customs officer, when then Girona sporting director Oriol Alsina spotted him playing with Lleida in the third tier.I had just finished studying and I thought going to Lleida would be a couple of sabbatical years, like an Erasmus, the now Spain international reflected in an interview with Cadena Cope last week.

View this post on Instagram 23319 Internacional absoluto espaol Victoria A post shared by Jaime Mata Arnaiz (@mata_jaime9) on Mar 23, 2019 at 6:31pm PDT

Its easy to see why Mata had little cause for optimism: with Lleida he had twice cruelly missed out on promotion to the second division at the play-off stage (setbacks are a recurring theme in his career).Far from the glamour of La Liga, in the Spanish third tier there is no money of note. Not getting any younger and seemingly not going to make it as a pro, switching to a different career with a steady income must have looked very tempting at that moment in time. Then Girona came calling: I had the chance to be a professional, and that was absolutely crazy for me. I thought, maybe I can keep doing this for a bit longer?.Alsina, the man who signed him, didnt last long at Montilivi, but the sporting directors punt on a lower-league striker marked the start of a domino effect that has carried on all the way to the very top. In the more immediate future, Mata would have an impact at Girona too, twice finishing as one of their top scorers as the Catalans made it to the play-offs for promotion to La Liga, only to yes, you guessed it fall at the final hurdle on two occasions.

View this post on Instagram Da de derbi A post shared by Jaime Mata Arnaiz (@mata_jaime9) on Feb 23, 2019 at 12:25am PST

Like with Lleida, two times with Girona was too many, and instead of sticking around for what seemed like more disappointment at Montilivi, the forward moved to Valladolid in the summer of 2016. The cruel irony? At the end of that season Girona were finally promoted to La Liga for the first time in the clubs history. Valladolid finished seventh. Just imagine how Mata felt then.

View this post on Instagram Paso a paso, golpe a golpe, asalto a asalto! Gameday A post shared by Jaime Mata Arnaiz (@mata_jaime9) on Jan 31, 2016 at 2:25am PST

But what followed was the most pivotal season in Matas career. While at Girona his talent was obvious, so too was his inconsistency: in two seasons of more than 40 games he scored only 21 goals, both capable of exciting periods of brilliance then frustratingly long dry spells.It wasnt form that suggested La Liga level regularity in front of goal. Nor was his first year at Valladolid, when he only managed five strikes in the league, and often ended games as an unused substitute.No one could have predicted what would happen next. In the 2017/18 season Mata morphed into the epitome of what the Spanish call a killer, a pure goalscorer. It felt like every shot he took ended up in the net: with 35 strikes including two in the play-offs, he was the key figure in taking Valladolid back to La Liga for the first time in five years. His numbers were so good it was the second best all-time goalscoring return for a striker in the Segunda, only bettered by Sporting Gijon forward Ricardos 46 in 1956/57.3

Mata celebrates play-off victory with Real Valladolid last season.

Mata puts the dramatic shift down to nothing more than confidence.Whatever it was, Getafe had seen enough, snapping him up on a free transfer last summer in what has now proven to be one of the deals of the season.Playing in a way only someone with no time to lose can, the signing has made remarkably easy work of the step up to La Liga, scoring 15 goals in 29 games so far in 2018/19. For Getafe, remember.

View this post on Instagram Gran trabajo, gran victoria!A post shared by Jaime Mata Arnaiz (@mata_jaime9) on Jan 18, 2019 at 11:17pm PST

Incredibly, Madrids least fashionable side are in fourth place and only 10 games away from qualifying for the Champions League for the first time ever. Mata, their top scorer who has turned half-chances into goals, and assisted seven for his teammates, is a huge part of that. No one really believes Getafe can do it, but then no one believed Mata could either.He is only the third Getafe player ever to be called up for Spain, evidence of just how exceptional a story it is for him to even be there alongside the likes of Sergio Ramos and Jordi Alba, let alone to make his debut as he did against Norway.3

Mata argues with Atletico Madrid ace Saul

For Mata, it is all a bonus. This is someone who last week admitted to being blown away by the luxury of not having to wash his own kit when he first debuted in the third tier: I used to come into the dressing room and think wow, there are two physios here, thats so cool!. He couldnt have imagined then just how much better things would get.

---

Tottenham want Eddie Howe as their new manager should Mauricio Pochettino leave amid interest from Manchester United. Pochettino is on United's shortlist as they seek a new permanent manager to take over at Old Trafford in the summer.
Tottenham prepare for Man Utd Mauricio Pochettino bid by

---

A majority of the residents now fear that they may have been short-changed after it emerged that some of the neighbours have had their payout wired into their bank accounts. Construction of the 8.96-kilometre dual carriageway project has been delayed by the slow pace of acquiring the land.
Liverpool vs Newcastle: Brilliant Dejan Lovren volley

---

Southampton sack manager Mark Hughes, club legend takes caretaker charge Celtic boss Rodgers and ex-Monaco coach candidates to replace Hughes at Southampton Football
New Stoke manager: Graham Potter keen on replacing Mark

---

Cardiff manager Neil Warnock and chief executive Ken Choo will attend Emiliano Sala's funeral in Argentina on Saturday. The 28-year-old had signed for Cardiff in a club-record £15million move
Emiliano Sala: Cardiff manager Neil Warnock and chief

---

Virgil van Dijk explains why he's voted for Raheem Sterling for PFA Player of the Year voted for England teammate Harry Kane to win the award. he would be a worthy winner of the PFA Player
Virgil van Dijk Says He Voted for Raheem Sterling as PFA

---

Louis van Gaal has accused Ole Gunnar Solksjaer of 'parking the bus' against bigger teams in his latest critical outburst against the Manchester United boss.. United have have lost five of their last seven games, including being dumped out of the FA Cup and more recently the Champions League, where they were beaten 3-0 against Barcelona at the Nou Camp on Wednesday.
'He parks the bus right in front of De Gea!' - Van Gaal slams

---

Tammy Abraham 'not far off' regular place in senior England team, says former Aston Villa striker Darren Bent World Football June 6, 2019 Man United transfer news LIVE: Daniel James having medical TODAY, Fernandes to be first signing, Meunier 'dreams' of Red Devils
Under 11's - Bleak Hill Rovers

---

Heung-Min Son admits he is sad to be leaving Tottenham's

---

Arsenal are preparing a summer bid for Brazilian wonderkid Gabriel Martinelli, according to reports. The 17-year-old, who plays for San Paulo-based club Ituano, had a trial with Manchester United in 2017 and played for a youth XI against Lincoln City, replacing Nishan Burkhart in a 2-0 win at Sincil Bank.
Arsenal preparing summer transfer move for Brazilian

---

Arsenal may end up "looking elsewhere" in their pursuit of a permanent midfield signing, says Ray Parlour, with the Gunners unlikely to play Barcelona's "game" when it comes to Denis Suarez.

---

Women's World Cup: Parris and White on target as Lionesses start brightly Lyon's new signing Nikita Parris and Ellen White were England's star players in a 2-0 Women's World Cup win over Scotland. Stephen Creek
England women 2-0 Denmark women: Nikita Parris & Jill Scott

---

Liverpool news: Likeliness of Reds winning the Premier League title revealed as bookies slash their odds Wednesday, 30 January 2019 The likeliness of Liverpool winning the Premier League has increased further after Manchester City's defeat to Newcastle United.
Liverpool news: Reds' hopes of winning Premier League title

---

Manchester United's defeat at the hands of Paris Saint-Germain or decide whether interim boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer gets the job permanently," he added. "I think he should get the job on a
Ander Herrera says Ole Gunnar Solskjaer should get Manchester

---

Transfer news, rumours LIVE: Arsenal, Man Utd, Liverpool, Chelsea, Tottenham latest… today's football gossip We'll bring you today's football gossip and the latest from Arsenal, Man Utd
Transfer news, rumours LIVE: Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool

---

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer scored a last-minute winner in the 1999 Champions League final with Manchester United News Group Newspapers Ltd. It would mean the top three being joined by Spurs and Arsenal - both as top seeds - with United missing out.

---