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Mata: Rooney told me England will beat Spain

United trio Young-Mata-Rooney

Manchester United midfielder Juan Mata has received a warning from team-mate Wayne Rooney ahead of Spain's friendly against England on Friday: "We will beat you".

With both holders Spain and Roy Hodgson's side having qualified for next year's European Championship in France, the two teams begin their preparations for the finals in Alicante and Mata says England are taking the game very seriously - even if Rooney is set to start on the bench.

Speaking to Goal at Spain's training base in Madrid, the midfielder said: "I have had some contact with my team-mates, especially on WhatsApp. Wayne Rooney was telling me that they were going to beat us and that they are ready to play against Spain.

"They were watching some videos about us, about how we play, who could play, and I think they are very keen on playing the game and beating us. So obviously we have to be ready for that."

Mata, who has played his club football in England for the past five seasons with Chelsea and now Manchester United, sees the Three Lions as potential winners of Euro 2016.

"I think they have a great squad," he said. "They have a good manager and they are ready to fight against anyone. And I seriously believe they can win the next Euros and that they can be fighting for the title because I think they have a lot of qualities in their team."

Mata was left out in the cold at international level by coach Vicente del Bosque after Spain's disastrous World Cup campaign in 2014 and only returned to the fold in August of this year. He was later given the honour of captaining La Roja in the game against Ukraine last month.

"I'm very happy to be here with the national team," he said. "I receive every call-up with a lot of excitement. To wear the captain's armband is a dream for any Spanish player. I'm very proud. And I'm very much keen to keep performing well this year in order to be on that final list for Euro 2016. That would be a great reward for me."


And asked if he has spoken in depth to Del Bosque since his return to the set-up, he said: "No. Only about how I am doing currently and the moment each one of us is experiencing at our clubs...

"I'm happy to be here and to keep coming here. The season when I wasn't here was difficult for me because you always want to be in the squad.

"But I never had any doubt, I have always had a lot of confidence in myself. I knew that this moment would come and that I would be back with the national team, where I have been for so many years."

Mata says Spain's players have not spoken about the forthcoming Clasico between Real Madrid and Barcelona and insists they are focused on England and next week's friendly against Belgium.

"The Clasico? No, we haven't spoken about it," he insisted. "That's more for the press and for the fans, I think. We have watched videos of England, and that's what interests us. It's our next match, and then against Belgium.

mata interviewed for spain

"It's a good sign that we are playing two friendlies because that means we have had a good qualifying campaign and haven't needed to go to the play-offs."

Spain won Euro 2008 and defended their title, with Mata in the squad, in 2012. And despite something of a changing of the guard with players like Xavi and Xabi Alonso no longer around, the midfielder believes the new-look team can challenge for major prizes once again.

"It seems to me that there is a generational change which is logical and normal," he said. "There are players who were at the World Cup in Brazil who are no longer here, either because of their age or because the coach is no longer considering them. And younger players are coming here instead.

"But this team still has a very high competitive level to fight for titles. The demands are very high, especially because of what we have achieved in these last six to eight years, but the excitement and the desire remains the same. There is also plenty of talent for us to be competitive."

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