Miguel ÃÂngel Ferrer MartÃÂnez (born 12 November 1978), known as Mista, is a Spanish former professional footballer who played as a striker.
An unsuccessful Real Madrid youth graduate, he would make a name for himself with Valencia, helping the club to win four major titles during his five-year spell and scoring 48 goals in 218 La Liga games over ten seasons, in representation of four teams.
Mista was a Spain international in the 2000s. He later worked briefly as a coach with Atlético Ottawa.
Born in Caravaca de la Cruz, Region of Murcia, Mista was a protégé of Rafael BenÃÂtez. The pair worked together at CD Tenerife and Valencia CF.
At Tenerife, Mista â along with Curro Torres and Luis GarcÃÂa â was a key member of the team that promoted to La Liga in 2001. He subsequently signed for Valencia, and was a prominent member of the successful sides that won two league titles and the 2003âÂÂ04 UEFA Cup, where he scored the second goal in the 2âÂÂ0 win against Olympique de Marseille. On 21 March 2004, he netted a hat-trick for the eventual champions in a 5âÂÂ1 home victory over RCD Mallorca, but his goal rate decreased drastically after the 2004âÂÂ05 campaign.
In July 2006, Mista joined Atlético Madrid, playing 29 games in his first season but almost absolutely no part in the following. In July 2008, the free agent moved to fellow top-division club Deportivo de La Coruña on a three-year contract, scoring in his competitive debut by netting the first in a 2âÂÂ1 defeat of Real Madrid on 31 August; constantly troubled by injuries and a loss of form, his second league goal came more than a year later (7 November 2009) in a 2âÂÂ0 away victory against Getafe CF.
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 season. He first took the field in a friendly against Bolton Wanderers on the 21st, and made his competitive debut in a 1âÂÂ1 draw against FC Dallas also at BMO Field three days later. His only goal came on 17 August, in a 2âÂÂ1 home win over Cruz Azul in the CONCACAF Champions League.
On 24 November 2010, in the 2010 MLS Expansion Draft, the 32-year-old Mista was waived. He announced his retirement on 14 August of the following year.
Mista made his debut with Spain on 26 March 2005, in a 3âÂÂ0 friendly win against China in Salamanca. He added another cap seven months later, in a 6âÂÂ0 away thrashing of San Marino for the 2006 FIFA World Cup qualifiers.
Mista began working as a coach at youth level, first with Valencia then with Madrid-based Rayo Vallecano. 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. After the COVID-19 pandemic, he finally made his managerial debut on 15 August in a 2âÂÂ2 draw with York9 FC in neutral Prince Edward Island; the team from the capital finished the season in seventh place, one above last.
After a last-place finish in the 2021 campaign, Mista announced that he would not be returning.
Valencia
Atlético Madrid
Deportivo
Toronto FC