He's won it all already and he's ready to win it all again. We recently sat down with Juan Mata to talk about dealing with the pressure of being holders, World Cup memories and how he rates England's chances this summer.
SB: What was the first World Cup you can remember?
Mata: The first one I remember was in the United States in 1994, I was 6 years old and I remember Spain playing against Italy and we lost. I watched it with my family and friends in Oviedo, which is the city where I was raised and spent the early years of my life, that's the memory that comes to my mind.
SB: Is there extra pressure going into this World Cup as holders?
Mata: Well, I think in the last few years we've had this pressure. After winning the European Championships twice in a row and after winning the World Cup in 2010, we know that we're one of the favourites but we're ready to deal with the pressure.
SB: Do you think Spain are better now then when they won the World Cup four years ago?
Mata: It's difficult to say, very difficult to say. Most of the players there are the same but we have some great young players coming through. It's difficult to win a world cup, I've been lucky enough to win it and it would be amazing for us to win Euro Cup, World Cup, Euro Cup, World Cup! No one has done that before.
SB: Four years on what are your memories from the 2010 World Cup?
Mata: It was one of the greatest days of my life. I remember when Iniesta scored with just four minutes remaining until the end of the game and I will never forget that celebration, I was just running and running towards him, all the team were running towards him, it was an amazing feeling when the referee blew for full time, it was like a dream come true, I couldn't control my emotions.
SB: What's the atmosphere like around the Spain camp at a tournament?
Mata: We train everyday and after we have some off time, sometimes our families come to the tournaments so we have some time to be with them but after we have a games room where we play table tennis, pool, video games.
SB: When your Spanish team mates ask you what the Premier League is like, what do you tell them?
Mata: I tell them it's amazing to play here. Since I came I've felt that it was different, everything is different, what happens on the pitch and off it too, the supporters, the travel, everything is really good so I'm very happy to play in the Premier League.
SB: Have you spoke much with your Man United team mates about the World Cup?
Mata: Yeah we always talk about it, some of them are facing each other in the group, Valencia is in the same group as Evra. Chicharito with Mexico, we have a lot of players that are going to the World Cup, the jokes have started!
SB: What do make of England's chances? Who do you rate as their most important players?
Mata: When I think about England I think about Rooney, who for me is one of the greatest England players of all time. Lamps and Gerrard are always important but they also have young players that are playing really well like Oxlade-Chamberlain, Wilshere, Sterling, Sturridge, I think they've got a good team and they have a good chance.
SB: If Spain win the World Cup that'll be 4 majors titles in row. Would this current squad be considered best football team of all time?
Mata: It depends on who you ask, I think Brazil in the 70's were very good but in our country right now we're living the best moment in our history, so if we win this World Cup hopefully we will be considered as the best.
Juan Mata wears the Earth Pack adidas Predator LZ. What do you think of Spain's World Cup chances this summer?
