Juan Mata is Ray Wilkins’ proper heir at Chelsea and Manchester United
As Chelsea and Manchester United fans gather ahead of the FA Cup final, the game is due to be a celebration of one of the game’s true good guys. Ray Wilkins and Juan Mata are two of the greats, but more importantly, two of the good.
Following his sad passing in April, footballing gentleman Ray Wilkins will be the focus of attention for both sets of fans. With his family at Wembley Stadium on Saturday, it will be an afternoon of sadness overflowing with love.
Footballers often have a reputation for being wrapped up in their own little world. To be fair, theirs is a cosseted world, removed from the realities of modern life. However, there are many footballers who play the beautiful game who are forces for good. The media, though, love to focus on the negative. You generally only read about ‘when footballers go bad’.
Following his death, stories of Ray Wilkins’ generosity came to the fore. People from all walks of life, including fellow professionals, had a story to tell. They never featured in the public domain during his lifetime because such wholesome goodness wouldn’t sell column inches or receive the requisite amount of click-bait traffic.
Someone who mirrors the mould and reputation Wilkins quietly built is Juan Mata. His Common Goal charity sees footballers, sportsmen and women donate at least 1% of their annual salaries to worldwide causes. The footballing philanthropist joined the charity at its inception as an ambassador. Common Goal formed in association with Street World Football, who support projects aimed at “changing the world through football.”
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Other players who have signed up include Kasper Schmeichel (Leicester City), Mats Hummels (Bayern Munich), Giorgio Chiellini (Juventus), Alfie Mawson (Swansea City), Charlie Daniels (Bournemouth). With Mata reportedly earning £140,000-per-week, his annual contribution to the cause is £72,800.
Mata, like Wilkins, played for both Chelsea and Manchester United. Mata is difficult to dislike, although Jose Mourinho had a pretty good shot while he was in charge at Stamford Bridge. Mata won Chelsea’s Player of the Year in 2012 and 2013, and the fans loved him.
Mourinho’s second coming in the summer of 2013 saw Mata having to cover more of the field than he previously had to. Mourinho played him out of position on the wings, rather than in his more favoured central spot. At times he was second in the pecking order to Oscar (remember him?), and under Mourinho Mata’s Chelsea career simply fizzled out.
Having allowed – maybe even forced – the Spaniard to leave Chelsea for Old Trafford, the Portuguese One’s time at Chelsea also went on a downward spiral. Irritatingly for Chelsea fans, he followed Mata to United. Even more annoying, he started to give him regular game time. That was just spite, though. As the seasons have passed and the two men have remained in Manchester, Mata has once again become a bit-part player in a team crying out for some creativity.
Where Mata and Wilkins differ has nothing to do with their outlook on life in general or how they could affect those less fortunate themselves. Juan Mata was Jose Mourinho’s chalk to Ray Wilkins’ cheese. Wilkins would have been the first name on a Mourinho team sheet. His style of play personified Mourinho’s modus operandi. Hard working, inspirational and someone who cared for the club with a passion.
When Ray’s wife Jackie presents the trophy to the captain of whichever team triumphs on Saturday, fans of both teams will be celebrating more than just an FA Cup Final win. In spirit, Ray Wilkins will be there too, slapping the captains on the back.
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He’d cast aside club loyalty – we know he was Chelsea – wishing the best to whoever wins, whether the cup is adorned in red or Blue.