How the 2012 Champions League final inspired Juan Mata to change the world | OneFootball

One of the most brilliant things about football is the way it brings people of all races, religions and backgrounds together and it was that sentiment which inspired Juan Mata to be the change he wanted to see in the world.

In August this year, the Manchester United midfielder helped launch the Common Goal initiative, which enables an increasing number footballers to donate 1% of their salaries to charities around the world.

The philanthropic Spaniard was the first player to make the pledge and since then, 35 of his fellow professionals – including Mats Hummels, Giorgio Chiellini, Shinji Kagawa and Kasper Schmeichel – have followed suit.

And it might surprise you to learn that the 29-year-old first had the idea to use his wealth and profile to help others in the moments after winning the 2012 Champions League with Chelsea.

The Blues overcame many obstacles on the road to the final that year but the ultimate challenge was undoubtedly the toughest, as they faced Bayern Munich in Munich in the final.

And when Thomas Müller headed Bayern in front with 83 minutes on the clock in the Allianz Arena, it looked like the game was up for Roberto Di Matteo’s side.

“A few seconds later I was standing in the centre circle of the Allianz Arena, waiting for the Bayern players to stop celebrating the goal they thought had just won the match,” Mata told the Guardian after winning their 2017 Footballer of the Year award.

“Didier Drogba, my Chelsea team-mate, walked up to me to restart play. Didier never had his head down – never looked discouraged – but now he did. I couldn’t understand why. We had gone through so much to get to the final. Our manager had been sacked a few months before, then we had come from behind to beat Napoli in the round of 16, then we had survived with 10 men at Camp Nou in the semi-finals. And now … it was over?

“I put my hand on Didier’s shoulder and said: ‘Look around, Didier. Look where we are. Keep believing … just believe.’

“For some reason I kept thinking: ‘We are destined to win this thing.’ I’m a pretty quiet person and when Didier saw me encouraging him to keep going, he couldn’t help but smile. He said: ‘OK, Juan. Let’s go.’”

Five minutes later, Mata whipped in a cross and Drogba netted a dramatic equaliser. The final went to penalties and it was the Ivorian striker who stepped up and converted the winning spot-kick.

And it was while celebrating with his team-mates in the dressing room afterwards that a light bulb went on in Mata’s head.

“As we were celebrating, I looked around at my team-mates and saw the beauty of football,” he recalled.

“A keeper from the Czech Republic. A defender from Serbia and another from Brazil. Midfielders from Ghana, Nigeria, Portugal, Spain and England. And, of course, one incredible striker from Côte d’Ivoire.

“We came from all over the world, from different circumstances and spoke many different languages. Some had grown up during wartime. Some had grown up in poverty. But there we were, all standing together in Germany as champions of Europe.

“The way we had come together from all around the world to work for a common goal was more meaningful to me than the trophy. To me, that is something that can change the world for the better.”