Manchester United midfielder Juan Mata has hailed English football culture.

Mata has urged any Spanish footballer considering a move abroad to chase a Premier League deal.

He explained to El Pais:"Sports-wise, it's a very positive experience. I would recommend to any player who is considering coming over to spend at least one year experiencing the Premier League because, for the fans, the league competition, the structure, the organization... it's fantastic. There is a genuine respect towards footballers. It's incredible.

"You're in a top-level team and when you lose, the fans keep cheering you and encouraging you; they look forward to the next game with excitement and that spurs you on to win and dedicate the victory to them. It's different in that way to Spain. Here, the public understands football in a special way. Here, football is taken as a game – which you can either win or lose. The fans are with the team to the death in the good times and the bad. In Spain there is a different attitude when you go to the stadium to watch a match. The way people live their football here is incredible.

"On the last day of the season, the team always does a lap of the pitch to applaud the fans and say thank you to them; we had finished seventh in the table and felt quite down but the fans showed their support for us, they don't us it doesn't matter- next year we will do better... You would never see that at one of the big clubs in Spain."