Mista
Mista in 2014
Personal information
Full name Miguel Ángel Ferrer Martínez[1]
Date of birth (1978-11-12) 12 November 1978 (age 45)[1]
Place of birth Caravaca de la Cruz, Spain[1]
Height 1.84 m (6 ft 1⁄2 in)[1]
Position(s) Striker
Youth career
1990–1994 Peña Madridista Caravaca Cruz
1994–1995 Caravaca Promesas
1995–1996 Real Madrid
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1996–1997 Real Madrid C 29 (9)
1997–1998 Real Madrid B 43 (23)
1999–2001 Tenerife 84 (22)
2001–2006 Valencia 144 (40)
2006–2008 Atlético Madrid 35 (3)
2008–2010 Deportivo La Coruña 26 (2)
2010 Toronto FC 9 (0)
Total 370 (99)
International career
1995 Spain U17 3 (1)
1996–1997 Spain U18 10 (1)
1999 Spain U21 1 (0)
2005 Spain 2 (0)
Managerial career
2020–2021 Atlético Ottawa
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Miguel Ángel Ferrer Martínez (born 12 November 1978), known as Mista, is a Spanish former professional footballer who played as a striker, currently a manager.

An unsuccessful Real Madrid youth graduate, he would make a name for himself with Valencia, helping the club win a total of four major titles during a five-year spell and scoring a total of 48 goals in 218 La Liga games over ten seasons, in representation of four teams.

Club career

Spain

Born in Caravaca de la Cruz, Region of Murcia, Mista was a protégé of Rafael Benítez, who worked with the player at CD Tenerife, and then Valencia CF.[2]

At Tenerife, Mista – along with Curro Torres and Luis García – was a key member of the team[3] that won promotion to La Liga in 2001. He subsequently signed for Valencia, and was a prominent member[4] of the successful sides that won two league titles and the 2004 UEFA Cup, where he scored the second goal in the 2–0 win against Olympique de Marseille.[5] On 21 March 2004 he netted a hat-trick for the eventual champions in a 5–1 home victory over RCD Mallorca,[6] but his goal rate decreased drastically after the 2004–05 campaign.

In July 2006, Mista joined Atlético Madrid,[7] playing 29 games in his first season but almost absolutely no part in the following. In July 2008, the free agent moved to fellow league club Deportivo de La Coruña on a three-year contract,[8] scoring in his competitive debut by netting the first in a 2–1 defeat of Real Madrid on 31 August;[9] constantly troubled by injuries and a loss of form, his second league goal came more than a year later (7 November 2009) in a 2–0 away victory against Getafe CF.[10][11]

Toronto FC

After only two official goals for Deportivo in two seasons, Mista signed with Toronto FC of Major League Soccer on 6 July 2010, in a deal running until the end of the campaign.[12] He made his unofficial debut for the team in a friendly against Bolton Wanderers at BMO Field on the 21st, and first appeared in the league in a home match against FC Dallas on 24 July. His first and only goal came on 17 August, in a 2–1 home win over Cruz Azul in the CONCACAF Champions League.[13]

On 24 November 2010, in the 2010 MLS Expansion Draft, 32-year-old Mista was waived following a poor season with Toronto.[14] He announced his retirement on 14 August of the following year.[15]

International career

Mista made his debut with Spain on 26 March 2005, in a 3–0 friendly win against China in Salamanca.[16] He added another cap seven months later, in a 6–0 away thrashing of San Marino for the 2006 FIFA World Cup qualifiers.[17]

Coaching career

Mista began working as a coach at youth level, first with Valencia[18] then with Madrid-based Rayo Vallecano.[19] On 11 February 2020, he was announced as the first manager of Canadian Premier League side Atlético Ottawa at the club's official launch event.[20][21] After the COVID-19 pandemic, he finally made his managerial debut on 15 August in a 2–2 draw with York9 FC in neutral Prince Edward Island;[22] the team from the capital finished the season in seventh place, one above last.[23]

After a last-place finish in the 2021 campaign, Mista announced that he would not be returning.[24]

Managerial statistics

As of 31 December 2021[25]
Team From To Record Ref.
M W D L GF GA GD Win %
Atlético Ottawa 29 January 2020 28 December 2021 36 8 10 18 39 62 −23 022.22
Total 36 8 10 18 39 62 −23 022.22 —

Honours

Valencia

Atlético Madrid

Deportivo

Toronto

References

  1. ^ a b c d "Miguel Ángel Ferrer Martínez, 'MISTA'". El Mundo (in Spanish). Retrieved 15 March 2020.
  2. ^ Waugh, Chris (19 June 2016). "Newcastle boss Rafa Benitez teaches his players 'values', ex-Valencia striker insists". Evening Chronicle. Retrieved 14 January 2021.
  3. ^ Santon, Carlos (28 October 2000). "La ambición de Benítez tuvo justa recompensa" [Benítez's ambition had its just reward]. Marca (in Spanish). Retrieved 12 September 2017.
  4. ^ Valencia reclaim pole position; UEFA, 19 April 2004
  5. ^ Valencia 2–0 Marseille; BBC Sport, 19 May 2004
  6. ^ Mista magic dazzles Mallorca; UEFA, 21 March 2004
  7. ^ Mista to start again at Atlético; UEFA, 27 July 2006
  8. ^ "El Deportivo de La Coruña ficha al atlético Mista" [Deportivo de La Coruña sign Atlético's Mista]. El País (in Spanish). 28 June 2008. Retrieved 23 March 2017.
  9. ^ Deportivo La Coruña 2–1 Real Madrid; ESPN Soccernet, 31 August 2008
  10. ^ Depor ease past Getafe; ESPN Soccernet, 7 November 2009
  11. ^ Cudeiro, Juan Luis (21 November 2009). "Mista vuelve a gritar gol" [Mista cries goal again]. El País (in Spanish). Retrieved 23 March 2017.
  12. ^ Toronto FC signs Spanish forward Mista; Toronto FC, 6 July 2010
  13. ^ Mista's first goal in Champions League; Toronto FC, 18 August 2010
  14. ^ Toronto waives five players; Toronto FC, 24 November 2010
  15. ^ "Mista se retira del fútbol a los 32 años por una lesión" [Mista retires from football at age 32 due to an injury]. Diario AS (in Spanish). Madrid. 14 August 2011. Retrieved 11 February 2020.
  16. ^ Segura, Manuel (27 March 2005). "Aperitivo oriental" [Oriental hors d'oeuvre]. Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). Retrieved 17 May 2013.
  17. ^ Castelló, Iván (12 October 2005). "Se consuma el fracaso: a la repesca" [Failure confirmed: to the play-offs]. Diario AS (in Spanish). Retrieved 26 June 2016.
  18. ^ Burgos, Julián (27 June 2018). "El Valencia cierra su staff de la cantera: Mista sigue en el Juvenil" [Valencia complete their youth system staff: Mista remains at the Juvenil]. Diario AS (in Spanish). Retrieved 15 March 2020.
  19. ^ De Vicente, Marcos (11 June 2019). "Mista entrenará al Rayo Vallecano Juvenil A" [Mista to coach Rayo Vallecano Juvenil A]. Marca (in Spanish). Retrieved 15 March 2020.
  20. ^ O'Connor-Clarke, Charlie (11 February 2020). "Mista revealed as Atlético Ottawa's first head coach and GM". Canadian Premier League. Retrieved 11 February 2020.
  21. ^ Woods, Michael (11 February 2020). "Ottawa's new soccer team is called Atletico Ottawa". CTV News. Retrieved 11 February 2020.
  22. ^ Jacques, John (29 August 2020). "Mista: Atletico Ottawa is in a growth period". Northern Tribune. Retrieved 14 January 2021.
  23. ^ O'Connor-Clarke, Charlie (15 December 2020). "Atlético Ottawa: 2020 season in review". Canadian Premier League. Retrieved 14 January 2021.
  24. ^ "Thank you from the bottom of my heart. – Mista". Atlético Ottawa. 28 December 2021. Retrieved 7 January 2022.
  25. ^ Mista at Soccerway

External links

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