Juan Mata has always been more than just a very good footballer.
He is a restaurateur, philanthropic, pioneer of mental health, Formula -1 investor, football club owner -and everything in between. He even has an MBE that is awarded for church services and charities. His last company? Art curator.
As part of the Manchester International Festival 2025, the former star of Manchester United and Chelsea, who is now playing in Australia for Western Sydney Wanders, has launched its own exhibition: Football town, Art United.
The project was developed in collaboration with the renowned curator Hans Ulrich Obrist, filmmaker Josh Willdigg and the visual arts Holly Shuttleworth and brings brand new work of 11 legendary foot balances and 11 contemporary artists together. Together they explore what happens when two flair worlds and imagination – the field and the studio – collide.
The footballers shown include the former United stars Eric Cantona and Shinji Kagawa, the current United Women’s Star Ella Toone, the Brazil legend Raí and the always colorful Edgar Davids.
From sound installations and manga art to animation, sculpture and genre dry collaborations, Football town, Art United Push borders and re -present creativity through a soccer lens.
“The concept is to try to create a relationship between art and football,” Mata told United’s official website. “I think it’s fun. It was a learning process for me, of course it’s very different from what I am used to, but I’m really satisfied with the result and the exhibition.”
Mata was particularly enthusiastic about working alongside Cantona – a man he described as “artist on the field”.
“Just as he played football and everything he did was different and unique,” said the Spaniard. “And so he was very happy and inviting in the idea of accession. So I am very happy and proud that he is one of the players in the exhibition and I am so happy to be here today and get to know it for the first time.”
The exhibition of Mata is exhibited from July 4 to August 24, 2025 in North Warehouse, Aviva Studios, Water Street, Manchester.
A really unique cultural crossover dies is a football and art fans will not want to miss it.
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