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Max Mata

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Max Mata
Personal 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 Forward
Team information
Current team
 St Patrick's Athletic
Number 18
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 Grasshoppers II 10 (5)
2019 → Nõmme Kalju (loan) 14 (9)
2021–2022 Real Monarchs 19 (2)
2022–2023 Sligo Rovers 50 (18)
2023–2025 Shrewsbury Town 22 (1)
2024 → Sligo Rovers (loan) 14 (4)
2024–2025 → Auckland FC (loan) 19 (2)
2026– St Patrick's Athletic 8 (1)
International career‡
2017 New Zealand U17 7 (5)
2018–2019 New Zealand U20 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 15:05, 11 April 2026 (UTC)
‡ 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 League of Ireland Premier Division club St Patrick's Athletic and the New Zealand national team.

Club career

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New Zealand

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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

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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 Grasshopper's first-team.

Loan to Nõmme Kalju

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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 11 times.

Real Monarchs

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

Sligo Rovers

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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

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On 3 August 2023, Mata signed for League One club Shrewsbury Town on a three-year deal.[10] Having returned from his loan spells at Sligo Rovers and Auckland FC, he started off pre-season well in July 2025, scoring in a 3–0 friendly win over Kidderminster Harriers, before suffering a hamstring injury that would keep him out of action an initial eight to ten weeks.[11][12] On 1 September 2025, it was announced that Mata had left the club by mutual consent, having scored 1 goal in 26 appearances during his time there.[13]

Loan to Sligo Rovers

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

Loan to Auckland

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On 3 June 2024, it was announced that Mata had joined newly formed A-League side Auckland FC on loan.[16] On 18 January 2025, he scored his first A-League goal in a 3–0 win over Melbourne City.[17] On 10 June 2025, the club announced that Mata would return to Shrewsbury Town after scoring 2 goals in 19 appearances during his loan spell at the club.[18]

St Patrick's Athletic

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On 1 December 2025, it was announced that Mata had signed for League of Ireland Premier Division club St Patrick's Athletic.[19][20] On 6 March 2026, Mata scored his first goal for the club in a 3–2 Dublin Derby win away to Shelbourne, scoring a 92nd minute winner having replaced Ryan Edmondson from the bench in the 74th minute.[21][22]

International career

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Youth

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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.[23][24] 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.[25][26]

Senior

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Mata made his international debut on 15 November 2019, coming on as a substitute for New Zealand in their 0–1 loss to Lithuania.[27] After a long spell out of the national team, he earned a call up in March 2023 for two friendly fixtures against China,[28] followed by another callup in June for friendlies against Sweden and Qatar.[29]

Personal life

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Mata is of Māori and Cook Island Māori descent.[30] His older brother, Benjamin, is a footballer playing for Wellington Olympic and the Cook Islands national team.[31][32]

Career statistics

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Club

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As of match played 10 April 2026[33]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National cup League cup Continental Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Wellington Phoenix Reserves 2015–16 NZ Premiership 6 3 — — — — 6 3
2016–17 10 5 — — — — 10 5
Total 16 8 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 16 8
Eastern Suburbs 2016–17 NZ Premiership 2 0 0 0 — — — 2 0
2017–18 15 3 0 0 — — 1[a] 0 16 3
Total 17 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 18 3
Grasshoppers II 2018–19 1. Liga 7 4 — — — — 7 4
2020–21 3 1 — — — — 3 1
Total 10 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 10 5
Nõmme Kalju (loan) 2019 Meistriliiga 14 9 2 2 — 4[b] 0 — 20 11
Real Monarchs 2021 USL Championship 19 2 — — — — 19 2
Sligo Rovers 2022 LOI Premier Division 27 7 1 0 — 6[c] 2 — 34 9
2023 23 11 1 1 — — — 24 12
Total 50 18 2 1 0 0 6 2 0 0 58 21
Shrewsbury Town 2023–24 EFL League One 22 1 2 0 0 0 — 2[d] 0 26 1
2024–25 0 0 — — — — 0 0
2025–26 EFL League Two 0 0 — 0 0 — 0[d] 0 0 0
Total 22 1 2 0 0 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
St Patrick's Athletic 2026 LOI Premier Division 8 1 0 0 — — 1[e] 0 9 1
Career total 174 48 6 3 0 0 10 2 4 0 194 53
  1. ^ Appearance in the 2018 New Zealand Football Championship Finals Series
  2. ^ 2 appearances in the UEFA Champions League; 2 appearances in the UEFA Europa League
  3. ^ Appearances in the UEFA Europa Conference League
  4. ^ a b Appearances in the EFL Trophy
  5. ^ Appearances in the Leinster Senior Cup

International

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As of match played 30 June 2024[34]
Appearances and goals by national team and year
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
Scores and results list New Zealand's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Mata goal.
List of international goals scored by Max Mata
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 2024 OFC Nations Cup

Honours

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Auckland FC

New Zealand U17

New Zealand U19

New Zealand

Individual

References

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  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. ^ "All Whites forward Max Mata 'out for a while' with hamstring injury". 29 July 2025.
  12. ^ "All Whites striker Max Mata to miss international series against Australia". 10 August 2025.
  13. ^ "Max Mata departs Shrewsbury Town". Shrewsbury Town FC. 1 September 2025. Retrieved 6 November 2025.
  14. ^ "Mata makes Sligo Rovers return months after departure". RTÉ.ie. 15 February 2024.
  15. ^ "New Zealand - M. Mata - Profile with news, career statistics and history - Soccerway".
  16. ^ "AFC blend youth with experience as two more signings announced". 3 June 2024.
  17. ^ "Match Report: Auckland FC 3–0 Melbourne City". Auckland FC. 18 January 2025. Retrieved 6 November 2025.
  18. ^ "Update: Mata returns to Shrewsbury Town". Auckland FC. 10 June 2025. Retrieved 6 November 2025.
  19. ^ "Max Mata Is A Saint". St Patrick's Athletic FC. 1 December 2025.
  20. ^ McCadden, Mark (1 December 2025). "St Patrick's Athletic swoop for international striker with World Cup ambitions". Irish Mirror.
  21. ^ Healy, Tommy. "Max Mata steals stoppage time victory for St. Pats against Shelbourne in dramatic Dublin Derby". extratime.com. Retrieved 7 March 2026.
  22. ^ Buttner, Paul (6 March 2026). "Stoppage-time Mata goal seals dramatic St Pats win over Shels in pulsating Dublin derby". Irish Examiner. Retrieved 7 March 2026.
  23. ^ 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.
  24. ^ "Talented New Zealand team heading into Fifa Under-20 World Cup full of confidence". Stuff.co.nz. 23 May 2019. Retrieved 10 July 2019.
  25. ^ "Uruguay end group stage with perfect record". FIFA. Archived from the original on 17 May 2019. Retrieved 18 November 2019.
  26. ^ "Cafeteros outlast Kiwis in dramatic shoot-out". FIFA. Archived from the original on 17 May 2019. Retrieved 18 November 2019.
  27. ^ Voerman, Andrew. "Second-string All Whites fail to seize opportunities in loss to Lithuania". Stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 18 November 2019.
  28. ^ "All Whites squad named for home series vs China". www.nzfootball.co.nz.
  29. ^ "All Whites squad announced for games this month against Sweden and Qatar". www.nzfootball.co.nz. Retrieved 22 June 2023.
  30. ^ "Young Kiwi signs professional football contract in Europe – 'proud of my family name and where I have come from'" – via TVNZ.
  31. ^ friendsoffootballnz_irqgpj (6 March 2022). "The World Cup squad stacked with Lotto NRFL names — and a comedian". Friends of Football. Retrieved 24 June 2023.
  32. ^ "Ben Mata - Men's Soccer". Missouri State. Retrieved 24 June 2023.
  33. ^ "New Zealand - M. Mata - Profile with news, career statistics and history". Soccerway. Retrieved 4 June 2024.
  34. ^ "Max Mata". National Football Teams. Benjamin Strack-Zimmermann. Retrieved 4 June 2024.
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