Juan Mata exclusive interview about football and art

So, Juan, Football City, Art United. Can you explain the concept to us please?

“Well, the concept is to try to create a relationship between art and football. A couple of years ago, I met the great Hans-Ulrich [Obrist], who is a renowned art creator, and Josh [Willdigg], who was working with him, and I’d always been going to Whitworth Gallery and different galleries in the UK. When I met him, I realised he loved football and he came up with the idea of trying to do something together and connect both worlds, which they hadn’t been connected enough, in my point of view, in history. So here we are today, after many conversations and calls, and trying to get players with artists. We have a team of 11 footballers, with 11 artists, trying to express themselves in the best possible way. And I think it’s fun. It’s been a learning process for me, of course it’s very different to what I’m used to, but I’m really happy with the result and the exhibition.”

It’s an interesting mix of footballers isn’t it, some former Reds and some not, players from all over the world?

“Of course, we have a couple of former Reds, with Shinji Kagawa, who did a great manga with a Japanese artist, and, of course, Eric Cantona. For me, if I think about an artist on the pitch, he was probably the best artist on the pitch. The way he played football and everything he did. He was different and unique. And so he was also very happy and welcoming to the idea of joining. So, I’m very happy and proud that he is one of the players in exhibition and I’m so happy to be here today and to get to know it for the first time.”

We’ve also seen the mask from Ella Toone as well, that’s an interesting piece…

“Ella is great. Since we talked with her, she also was really enthusiastic about it. As you know, she’s full of energy and, yeah, she’s been great in the whole process. So it’s very nice to see that she enjoyed the process also.”