Man Utd midfielder Mata proud to receive special UEFA award

Manchester United midfielder Juan Mata was happy to accept a special award from UEFA last week.

The Spaniard was one of three recipients of the #EqualGame Awards, which celebrate outstanding work in promoting inclusion and diversity in football.

Mata was recognised for his role with Common Goal, the charity that he co-founded in 2017.

“I was lucky enough to go and see first-hand the amazing work that the organisations that we work with do," Mata explained in an interview with UEFA, which was broadcast during Thursday's Nations League draw ceremony.

“The warmth and the welcome they gave us, it was an incredibly happy moment. But also it was sad for us to see how many people in this world still have to live under difficult conditions.

“I was proud of the work that our organisations are doing there and proud of the stories of people that have overcome difficult problems. This is what we want to do through Common Goal, give people the choice to decide their futures.

“It has definitely improved and developed me as a person that's for sure. I always say the same, football is a great sport but it's much more than that."

The other two winners were Khalida Popal, the founder and former captain of the Afghanistan national women's team, and the German Football Association, or DFB.