The popular Old Trafford midfielder has set himself a target after racking up more than 200 appearances for the club
Juan Mata wants to play until he is 40 – like former Manchester United team-mate Ryan Giggs.
The Old Trafford midfielder, 30, has played more than 200 times for the club since joining from Chelsea in 2014.
And, while he has a long way to go to match Giggs’ 963 United appearances, the Spaniard, who also played for Valencia, has more than 500 senior matches to his name.
He told Inside United magazine: “I would love to play until I am 40 like Giggsy did!
“I feel good, mentally and physically. And with more experience you understand the game better so you can position yourself in better situations and you can make better decisions when you have the ball, and when you don’t have the ball, so you can make up for your natural physical progression.
“For me, football is played with the feet but it’s also played with the mind and in your head.
“I try to be as focused as I can with my brain to make the right decisions, and playing like that I think I can play still for some years and that’s my aim.
“I am enjoying it a lot and I will try to push it as much as I can and I’ll try to catch Giggsy in years! In games it’s difficult because he’s played over a thousand or something, but in years I can try.”
Mata, who has made 21 appearances and scored five goals in all competitions for United this season, is in his sixth campaign at Old Trafford.
He has opened a restaurant in Manchester with his father and loves life in the city.
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“The people in Manchester are what makes this city special,” he added. “Obviously, the rivalry between Manchester United and Manchester City is quite big, but everyone I find in the street, in the restaurants and everywhere, they are warm and welcoming and open.”
United return to action with a home Premier League clash with Brighton on Saturday as Ole Gunnar Solskjaer looks to extend his winning start as interim manager to seven games following Sunday’s win over Tottenham at Wembley.