• Former Ghanaian midfielder Michael Essien met his old teammate Juan Mata at FC Nordsjaelland in Denmark
• The Black Stars legend has spent the past two years as assistant manager at the Danish club
• Mata, a former Chelsea star, left Japanese club Vissel Kobe in February and has been free for the past five months

Michael Essien has been reunited with his former Chelsea teammate Juan Mata at Danish club FC Nordsjaelland.

Mata has been training with the club over the past week as he attempts to return to football after leaving Japanese club Vissel Kobe in February.

Meanwhile, Essien is working at Nordsjaelland as assistant manager, after ending his football career in 2021.

In a photo shared on social media, the two shared a heartwarming moment as their paths crossed again.

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It is not yet clear whether Mata will sign for the club, but his presence is a huge boost for the young players at FC Nordsjaelland.

Essien and Mata played together for a season at Chelsea before the Ghanaian left for Italian giants AC Milan.

Why Juan Mata trains at Nordsjaelland

The Spaniard trains at Nordsjaelland to stay close to his wife, who is from Sweden, a country close to Denmark.

Mata also shared the same charity, Common Goal, with the club.

FC Nordsjaelland wrote on social media:

“Juan Mata will be training with the Superliga selection in Farum for the coming period. The 36-year-old Spaniard is married to a Swede with family in Malmö and is therefore looking for an opportunity to train nearby.

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“Juan Mata has enquired about the possibility of training with him for a while while he is in Sweden. As Mata is a good friend of the family – including being a co-founder of the charity Common Goal, of which FC Nordsjælland is a member – we would like to accommodate this request.”

Essien praises Spanish striker Nico Williams

Earlier, Yen.com.gh reported that Michael Essien was full of praise for Spanish winger Nico Williams after his performance against England in the European Championship final.

The Ghanaian-born striker scored on Sunday, July 14, 2024 as Spain beat the Three Lions 2-1 to win Euro 2024.

Williams, the younger brother of Black Stars striker Inaki Williams, opened the scoring two minutes after the break after a quick pass from the Spaniards, with Lamine Yamal providing a perfect pass for the Athletic Bilbao star.

Source: YEN.com.gh