The 27-year-old was relentless with his defensive contribution as he helped the Blue-Black win the Belgian top-flight this season
Club Brugge have named Angola right-back Clinton Mata as their Player of the Year for the 2019-20 campaign.
Mata saw off competition from goalkeeper Simon Mignolet, last year’s award winner Hans Vanaken, Charles De Ketelaere and Ruud Vormer after gathering 34.94 percent of the total votes cast by fans.
The Angola international played 3376 minutes of football for Club Brugge this season, including 25 games in the Belgian First Division A and he helped them keep 18 clean sheets in the process with his contribution of three assists.
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— Club Brugge KV (@ClubBrugge) June 1, 2020
The 27-year-old is one of nine African players in Philippe Clement’s team which includes Nigerian duo Emmanuel Dennis, David Okereke, South Africa’s Percy Tau, Senegalese trio Mbaye Diagne, Krepin Diatta and Youssouph Badji.
Mata joined Club Brugge from league rivals Sporting Charleroi in 2018 after a brief loan spell at Genk.
He won his maiden league title in Belgium this season after Club Brugge were crowned champions early following the abrupt end of the 2019-20 season in May due to the coronavirus.
“This is quality my friends, bedankt allemaal!💙🖤” #POTY @ClintonMata19 pic.twitter.com/Gte8l7QL5q
— Club Brugge KV (@ClubBrugge) May 31, 2020
Born in the Belgian city of Verviers, the defender has spent his entire career in the European country – developing through the ranks at Eupen.
Despite being of Angolan and DR Congolese descent, Mata moved to represent Angola on the international scene in 2014 and he has made eight appearances for the Giant sable antelopes so far.
He was one of the notable players dropped from Angola’s squad for the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt where they failed to make it past the group stage after defeat to Mali and draws against Tunisia and Mauritania in Group E.
Meanwhile, Nigeria’s Okereke was nominated alongside Hans Vanaken for the Goal of the Year award.
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His strike against Zulte-Waregem had 8.2 per cent of the total votes as Vanaken’s volley against Anderlecht gathered 91.8 per cent.
Stem nu! 👇
— Club Brugge KV (@ClubBrugge) June 1, 2020
The 22-year-old Nigerian scored a total of 11 goals after 34 matches in his debut campaign in Belgium.
He signed a four-year contract at Brugge in July 2019, after his outstanding contribution of 10 goals and 12 assists in 33 Serie B games for Spezia.
