Manchester United star Juan Mata has spoken of his pride at becoming a ‘Godfather’ of a new sports and educational initiative for young people in his recession-ravaged homeland Spain.

The former Chelsea winger has become the patron of a new scholarship founded by Laureus Sport for Good Foundation at the University Camilo Jose Cela in Madrid.

This scholarship will aid the educational and sporting opportunities of underprivileged students in the Mediterranean country.

“For me it’s a privilege to be the ‘Godfather’ of an initiative like this,” said Mata, who hails from Villafranca in the Castile region of Spain.

“I believe that to join education and sport together is always positive and helps improve our society.I hope this scholarship helps to achieve this.”

Mata is an alumnus of the university itself, having studied Science of Physical Activity and Sport, and has been an Ambassador for Laureus Foundation Spain for the past few years.

Laureus are a charity which uses sport to help millions of children worldwide through sport,

During the next academic year at the university, semi-professional athletes with limited financial means will now have the opportunity to continue their education at the prestigious university due to Mata’s endorsed initiative.

The University Camile Jose Cela is renowned in Spain as the ‘University of Sports’ and received the 2013 National Award for Sport, the ‘Joaquin Blume Award’.

The benefits of having such a high-profile supporter like 26-year-old Mata tackle such a worthwhile cause has been expressed by the President of the Laureus Foundation Gabriel Musforral.

“It fills me with great pride to collaborate with one of the best universities in Spain and with one Spain’s greatest sports personalities,” he said.

“The agreement opens up the possibility of helping many more young people who need it.”

With Spain and its young people being hit by the catastrophic unemployment created by the Eurozone debt crisis over the last few years, the Laureus Foundation has been hard at work to ensure they improve the lives of hundreds of Spanish children through the use of sport.

Eduardo Nolla, Dean of the University Camilo José Cela, said: “For us, as an education entity, it is essential to get our students close to the values of dedication, overcoming problems and work that sport represents and that the Laureus Foundation spreads.

“We are convinced we will do many projects together.”

Mata image courtesy of Rio Ferdinand #5 via YouTube, Godfather image courtesy of Paramount Pictures, with thanks.