Juan Mata has stressed the importance of gratitude to young professional fooballers.
The Manchester United midfielder, 29, has become a beacon in the sport for bringing to light social issues and contributing to society, most notably with his Common Goal charity pledge, in which he donates 1% of his earnings to help under privileged kids.
When asked by the club's website what advice would he pass on to his younger self, Mata responded: "Just try to enjoy it, be professional - as I have been - take care of your body, because your body is your tool to perform at the good level for many years.
"I think it is so important that you don't take anything for granted. Wake up every day feeling lucky and privileged and go to training with the best motivation, because anything can change in one second. So don't taking anything for granted, even in football."
"Time flies, in general but, in football, even more. But I see myself young in a way, you know, my body feels good, my mind feels good. I'm hungry to keep enjoying this sport. So hopefully, all being well, I can be playing football for many more years."
Source: tribalfootball.com