Argentine footballer (born 1988)
Ángel Fabián Di María (Spanish pronunciation: [ˈaŋxel faˈβjan di maˈɾia]; born 14 February 1988) is an Argentine😄 professional footballer who plays as a right winger or attacking midfielder for Primeira Liga club Benfica and the Argentina national😄 team. He is known for his dribbling, playmaking skills and unique finishing.[4][5][6][7][8][9][10]
Di María began his career with Rosario Central but😄 came into prominence at Benfica after signing for the club in 2007, aged 19. He helped Benfica win the Primeira😄 Liga, the club's first league title in five years, and two Taça da Liga titles. In 2010, Di María moved😄 to Spanish club Real Madrid in a transfer worth €25 million, where he won a 2011–12 La Liga title and😄 the 2013–14 UEFA Champions League. He subsequently signed for Manchester United in 2014 in a then-British record deal worth £59.7😄 million (€75.6 million), but left a year later to join Paris Saint-Germain. During his time in England, Di María was😄 selected in the FIFPRO Men's World 11 in 2014.[11] In France, Di María won five league titles, five Coupe de😄 France and four Coupe de la Ligue, which includes three domestic quadruples, and helped the club reach its first Champions😄 League final in 2024. He is also the club's ninth-highest goalscorer and all-time leader in assists. He joined Italian side😄 Juventus for free in the summer of 2024, before returning to Benfica in 2024.
Di María debuted for Argentina internationally in😄 2007, playing for the Argentina under-20 team; with the team, he won the 2007 FIFA U-20 World Cup, held in😄 Canada. Playing for the country's Olympic team at the 2008 Olympic Games, Di María scored the winning goal against Nigeria😄 in the final to win Argentina their second successive Olympic gold medals in football. He made his senior debut for😄 Argentina the same year, in 2008, at the age of 20, and has since earned over 130 caps, including appearing😄 in nine major tournaments; he has featured in four FIFA World Cups for Argentina; helping his country reach the final😄 in 2014 and win their third World Cup in 2024, the first in 36 years, scoring the second goal in😄 the final. Furthermore, Di María has also been part of the Argentina squads that have reached three different Copa América😄 finals, in 2024, 2024 and 2024, winning the last one, with him netting the only goal in the final to😄 win Argentina their first trophy in 28 years.
Early life [ edit ]
Di María was born on 14 February 1988 in😄 Rosario, Santa Fe, as one of three children of Miguel di María and Diana Hernandez, and grew up in Perdriel.😄 As an infant, he was unusually active, and on recommendation of a doctor was signed up for football at age😄 three. He also helped his parents with their work at a local coal yard along with his two sisters, Vanesa😄 and Evelyn. Due to the low income his family earned, purchasing football boots and keeping up with Di María's hobby😄 was difficult for his parents. He considers himself to be a "family man" and has used a significant amount of😄 his salary to "give back" to his family. After being transferred to Benfica, he asked his father not to work😄 any more and purchased a house for his parents and sisters.[13]
Club career [ edit ]
Rosario Central [ edit ]
At age😄 four, Di María joined Rosario Central. As he had already committed to playing for his local club, Torito, 35 footballs😄 were given in compensation.
Di María made his professional debut on 14 December 2005 in Rosario's final fixture of the Apertura,😄 a 2–2 draw away to Independiente, by replacing Emiliano Vecchio.[14] He scored for the first time on 24 November 2006😄 in the following season's Apertura in a 4–2 win at home over Quilmes, a minute after replacing Leonardo Borzani at😄 half-time.[15] After playing at the 2007 FIFA U-20 World Cup in Canada, Boca Juniors made a bid of US$6.5 million😄 for him.[16] He was also approached by English club Arsenal, a move that fell through due to the United Kingdom's😄 strict rules on issuing work permits to players from outside the European Union.[17]
Benfica [ edit ]
Di María playing for Benfica😄 in 2007
Di María was transferred to the Portuguese side Benfica in July 2007, where he played as a winger. He😄 was signed as a replacement for Benfica's departing captain, Simão, who joined Atlético Madrid earlier that summer.[16] Benfica paid Rosario😄 Central €6 million for 80% of his sports rights and 50% of sports rights of Andrés Díaz.[18] Later, in August😄 2008, the Portuguese club paid an extra €2 million for the remaining 20%,[19] but re-sold 10% to GestiFute.[20]
Di María had😄 his breakthrough in the 2009–10 season thanks to the trust placed in him by manager Jorge Jesus. On 22 October,😄 in the Europa League group stage match against Everton, he provided a hat-trick of assist for the first time in😄 his career, in a 5–0 thrashing at the Estádio da Luz, marking the biggest loss of an English side in😄 a European competition.[21][22] During that month, Di María signed a new deal with Benfica, adding three more years to his😄 current deal, which was to last until 30 June 2024 with his release fee set at a minimum of €40😄 million.[23] Afterwards, he was backed by Diego Maradona to become "Argentina's next superstar".[24] He would score a brace in Benfica's😄 2–1 home win over AEK Athens, to ensure Benfica's qualification to the round of thirty-two, as group winners.[25] On 27😄 February 2010, Di María scored his first hat-trick in a classic 4–0 win against Leixões. The next day, he made😄 the headlines as "Magic Tri María" in all sports newspapers in Portugal.[26] He finished as the league's top assister that😄 season with 11 assists, including two in a 5–0 against Olhanense, as Benfica won the national championship, adding the year's😄 domestic League Cup, while being named Player of the Month in April.[27]
Real Madrid [ edit ]
2010–11: Debut season [ edit😄 ]
On 28 June 2010, Real Madrid posted on their website that they had agreed with Benfica for the transfer of😄 Di María. He signed a five-year contract for €25 million, plus €11 million in incentives, as announced one day later😄 by the Portuguese Stock Exchange regulating entity.[28] On 7 July 2010, Di María arrived to Madrid directly from Buenos Aires,[29]😄 and passed the medical test on 8 July.[30]
He made his debut on 4 August 2010 in a friendly match against😄 Mexican side América, which Real Madrid won 3–2.[31] On 22 August, Di María scored his first goal in another friendly😄 away against Hércules, which Real Madrid won 1–3.[32] In the last match of the pre-season, on 24 August, after an😄 individual play described as a "magic moment", he opened the score of the 2–0 win against Peñarol for the Trofeo😄 Santiago Bernabéu.[33]
His league debut came on 29 August in a 0–0 draw against Mallorca.[34] On 18 September, Di María scored😄 his first league goal for Real Madrid in their 1–2 away win over Real Sociedad.[35] Ten days later, he scored😄 his first goal in the UEFA Champions League against Auxerre in a 0–1 victory.[36] He scored a controversial first goal😄 against Sevilla on 19 December. Days later, Di María assisted Karim Benzema's two goals and Cristiano Ronaldo's goal in an😄 astonishing 8–0 drubbing of Levante on 22 December. In the second leg of the Champions League round of 16 against😄 Lyon, he scored the third and final goal in a 3–0 win to send Real Madrid through to the quarter-finals😄 for the first time in seven years.[37]
Di María scored Real Madrid's third goal during their first-leg Champions League quarter-final victory😄 over Tottenham Hotspur on 5 April 2011.[38] On 20 April, he was sent off in the 31st minute of extra😄 time in the Copa del Rey final against rival Barcelona. Real Madrid won the match 1–0, the lone goal of😄 the match (in the 13th minute of extra time) being a header from Cristiano Ronaldo, which came from his cross,😄 thus obtaining his first honour with Real Madrid.[39]
2011–12: La Liga win [ edit ]
During the start of the 2011–12 season,😄 Di María endured a tough series of matches as he struggled to adapt to the pace of the league following😄 the summer break. As a result, Di María's early performance for the season was mixed with moments of genuinely good😄 play interspersed with moments of sheer madness by the Argentine. This point was well illustrated during Real Madrid's 1–0 defeat😄 to Levante, a match which saw a clearly out-of-sorts Di María commit a horror foul on Levante's Juanfran during the😄 match. Di María caused the two teams to clash and an on-field incident ensued. However, Di María's performances would improve,😄 including opening up a significant gap at the top of the assists table. From October 2011, Di María was being😄 picked by Madrid head coach José Mourinho ahead of Kaká and Mesut Özil, a sign of his improving form.[citation needed]
On😄 27 November 2011, Di María played 60 minutes in a league match against city rivals Atlético Madrid, in which he😄 scored a goal for Real Madrid. Mourinho's team won the match 4–1. On 3 December 2011, Di María scored Real's😄 first goal from a sharp angle in a 3–0 defeat of Sporting de Gijón in La Liga.[40] He was a😄 constant threat and presence in the starting XI as Real Madrid won their 32nd league title, playing in their 3–0😄 win over Athletic Bilbao that clinched the league title.[41]
2012–14: La Décima and Copa del Rey title [ edit ]
Di María😄 taking a corner against Barcelona in April 2011
Di María scored his first goal of the season against Barcelona in the😄 first leg of the 2012 Supercopa de España at Camp Nou after a mistake by Barcelona goalkeeper Víctor Valdés.[42]
Although Di😄 María did not have the best season, he did contribute in big moments, most notably by sending in the cross😄 for Cristiano Ronaldo's goal against Manchester United on 13 February,[43] he registered seventeen assists, and scored nine goals throughout the😄 season in 52 appearances, notably against Atlético Madrid and Málaga. On 9 August 2012, Di María signed a new contract😄 with Real Madrid, keeping him at the club until 2024.[44]
On 2 October 2013, Di María scored two goals against Copenhagen😄 in Real Madrid's 4–0 Champions League victory over them.[citation needed] Later in the season, due to tactical decisions by the😄 club's new manager Carlo Ancelotti, Di María's playing position was permanently switched to that of an offensive–minded central midfielder, and😄 he was frequently deployed in the starting line-up alongside Luka Modrić and Xabi Alonso in midfield in the team's 4–3–3😄 formation.[45] He contributed to the club's 1–2 victory over Barcelona in the 2014 Copa del Rey Final with the opening😄 goal.[46] Di María was the top assist maker in La Liga for the season, contributing 17.[47]
In the 2014 UEFA Champions😄 League Final against Atlético Madrid on 24 May 2014, Di María dribbled past two players before producing a save from😄 goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois. Di María's teammate Gareth Bale, was there to head the rebound into the net in the 110th😄 minute, giving Real Madrid a 2–1 lead over Atlético in an eventual 4–1 win.[48] Di María was named man of😄 the match by UEFA after the match, and was presented with the honour by former Manchester United head coach Sir😄 Alex Ferguson.[49]
Di María was an unused substitute as Real Madrid won the 2014 UEFA Super Cup against Sevilla on 12😄 August.[50] A week later, in the first leg of the Supercopa de España, he played the final 15 minutes of😄 a 1–1 home draw against Atlético Madrid in place of Luka Modrić.[51][52]
Manchester United [ edit ]
On 26 August 2014, Di😄 María signed a five-year deal with Manchester United for a transfer fee of £59.7 million, one of the most expensive😄 transfers of all time and the highest fee ever paid by a British club at the time.[53][54][55] He inherited the😄 number 7 shirt at United, which was previously worn by club legends such as George Best, Bryan Robson, Eric Cantona,😄 David Beckham and Cristiano Ronaldo.[56] However, he said in an open letter to Real Madrid fans that he had never😄 wanted to leave Real Madrid, but that its board had been unsupportive and unfair: "Someone may not like me".[57]
Di María😄 made his debut on 30 August in a 0–0 draw with Burnley, in which he was substituted for Anderson after😄 70 minutes.[58] He scored his first goal for United on 14 September, netting directly from a free-kick in a 4–0😄 win over Queens Park Rangers.[59][60] He also provided an assist for Juan Mata's goal in the same match, winning the😄 vote for Man of the Match.[59] His performance was highlighted by Sky Sports' Player Cam feature, which was brought back😄 especially for the match.[61] In the next match, against Leicester City on 21 September, he again scored a goal and😄 provided another assist, although United lost the match 5–3.[62]
On 2 October, Di María won Manchester United's Player of the Month😄 award for September after recording two goals and two assists in his first four matches for the club.[63] One week😄 later, he won his second individual trophy at United after his goal against Leicester, in which he chipped goalkeeper Kasper😄 Schmeichel, was voted as the club's Goal of the Month for September.[64] Di María continued his run of fine form😄 on 5 October by scoring a goal and providing an assist for Radamel Falcao to help United defeat Everton 2–1.[65]😄 Di María was substituted with a hamstring injury 13 minutes into United's 3–0 defeat of Hull City on 29 November😄 and subsequently made only one substitute appearance in the team's next seven matches.
On 4 January 2024, Di María returned from😄 injury to score a late goal in a 0–2 win against Yeovil Town in the third round of the FA😄 Cup.[66] A week later, he was used as a forward by manager Louis van Gaal in a 0–1 home defeat😄 to Southampton.[67] This new role came in the midst of a bad run of form for Di María, who was😄 said to have struggled since October.[68] Di María was sent off on 9 March as United lost 1–2 at home😄 against Arsenal in the FA Cup sixth round, being booked for diving and for grabbing the shirt of referee Michael😄 Oliver, but earlier set up the equaliser by Wayne Rooney.[69][70]
At the season's end, Di María was judged by The Daily😄 Telegraph to be the worst signing of the season.[71]
Paris Saint-Germain [ edit ]
2024–16: Transfer and domestic quadruple [ edit ]
Di😄 María with Paris Saint-Germain in 2024
On 25 July 2024, Di María failed to board a flight to the United States😄 to join Manchester United's pre-season tour as scheduled; manager Louis van Gaal said he "did not know why".[72] On 2😄 August, it was reported Di María would undergo a medical ahead of a move to Paris Saint-Germain;[73] and four days😄 later, Manchester United confirmed he had been sold to the French champions for an undisclosed fee, believed to be around😄 £44 million, signing a four-year contract.[74][75][76][77]
Di María made his Ligue 1 debut on 30 August away to Monaco as a😄 66th-minute substitute for Lucas, and assisted Ezequiel Lavezzi for the final goal of a 0–3 win at the Stade Louis😄 II.[78] On 15 September, Di María scored his first goal for PSG on his UEFA Champions League debut for the😄 club, a 2–0 win over Malmö FF at the Parc des Princes.[79] Seven days later, he registered his first goal😄 in Ligue 1 as PSG defeated Guingamp 3–0.[80] On 23 April 2024, Di María scored the winning goal for PSG😄 in the 2024 Coupe de la Ligue Final against Lille at the Stade de France.[81] Di María ended 2024–16 setting😄 a new Ligue 1 record for assists in a season with 18.[82]
2024–2024: Sustained domestic success and European final [ edit😄 ]
In the 2024–17 Champions League group stage home match against Basel on 19 October 2024, Di María scored the opening😄 goal in the 40th minute in a 3–0 victory for PSG to register his first goal of the season.[83] On😄 19 November, he opened the scoring with his first Ligue 1 goal of the season in a 2–0 home win😄 against Nantes.
On 14 February 2024, Di María scored a brace as PSG defeated Barcelona 4–0 in the first leg of😄 2024–17 UEFA Champions League round of 16 at the Parc des Princes.[84] On 1 April, he scored in PSG's 4–1😄 win over Monaco in the 2024 Coupe de la Ligue final.[85] On 8 May 2024, he played as PSG won😄 2–0 against Les Herbiers to clinch the 2024–18 Coupe de France.[86]
On the first leg of his side's Champions league round😄 of 16 tie against his former club Manchester United in the 2024–19 season, Di María sustained a serious injury following😄 a tackle from Ashley Young; however, he refused to be substituted, and in the final moments of the game, he😄 assisted Kylian Mbappé's goal for a 0–2 win at Old Trafford.[87] Eventually, PSG lost 3–1 in the second leg and😄 were eliminated in the round of 16 for the third consecutive season.[88]
In the 2024–20 UEFA Champions League group stage, Di😄 María scored a brace in a 3–0 win over his former club Real Madrid on 18 September 2024.[89] On 18😄 August 2024, Di María scored a goal and recorded two assists in PSG's 3–0 Champions League semi-final victory over RB😄 Leipzig;[90] the club went on to play against Bayern Munich in the final, but lost the match 1–0.[91]
2024–2024: Assist record😄 and departure [ edit ]
On 23 September 2024, Di María was handed a four-match suspension for a spitting incident with😄 Álvaro González during Le Classique 10 days earlier.[92] He would miss the league matches against Angers, Nîmes, Dijon and Nantes.[93]😄 In a UEFA Champions League match against RB Leipzig on 4 November, Di María scored the opening goal in an😄 eventual 2–1 defeat.[94] He made his return to league action in a match against Rennes three days later, and scored😄 a goal to help PSG win the match 3–0.[95]
In a home match against İstanbul Başakşehir on 9 December 2024, Di😄 María recorded two assists; he subsequently became the player with the third most assists in UEFA Champions League history with😄 a tally of 32, only being behind Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.[96] On 12 March 2024, Di María extended his😄 contract with Paris Saint-Germain for one more season with an option for a second.[97] On 4 May, Di María was😄 sent off against Manchester City in the semi-finals of the Champions League for stamping on Fernandinho in an off the😄 ball incident.[98] He was handed a three-match ban in European competitions.[99] In the 2024 Coupe de France Final, when PSG😄 defeated Monaco by a score of 2–0, Di María broke the all-time assist record for PSG by delivering a pass😄 for a Kylian Mbappé goal. It was his 104th assist as a PSG player.[100]
In the 2024–22 season with Paris Saint-Germain,😄 Di María won the Ligue 1 title, his fifth league title with the club. On 20 May 2024, his departure😄 from Paris at the end of his contract was confirmed.[101] In his last match for the club against Metz on😄 21 May, Di María scored a goal and recorded an assist, helping his team to a 5–0 win. He received😄 a tribute and ovation from the Parc des Princes.[102] Di María ended his spell at PSG with 92 goals and😄 112 assists in 295 matches.[103]
Juventus [ edit ]
On 8 July 2024, Di María joined Juventus as a free agent after😄 signing an annual contract.[104] He made his club debut on 15 August, in Juventus's opening match of the Serie A😄 season; he scored the opening goal and later assisted Dušan Vlahović's second goal in an eventual 3–0 home win but😄 was substituted in the second half after sustaining an injury.[105][106] On 15 September, he made his 100th Champions League appearance,😄 and his debut with Juventus in that competition, in a 2–1 home defeat against his former club Benfica.[107] On 5😄 October, Di María provided a hat-trick of assists in a 3–1 home win against Maccabi Haifa in the Champions League,😄 making the third highest assist provider in the competition's history.[108] Despite his contributions, Juventus finished third in the group stage😄 which put them in the Europa League knockout round play-offs, and as a result, they failed to make the Champions😄 League knockout stages for the first time since 2013.[109]
On 23 February 2024, he scored a hat-trick in a 3–0 away😄 win over Nantes in the Europa League.[110] On 9 March, he scored his fourth goal in the competition, after netting😄 the only goal of a home win over Freiburg.[111] He impressed during the season, despite suffering from multiple hamstring injuries,😄 which limited his game time. On 6 June, Di María confirmed his departure from Juventus, following the expiry of his😄 contract.[112]
Return to Benfica [ edit ]
Amidst growing interest from Saudi clubs, Di Maria ended all speculations on 6 July 2024,😄 when he signed a one-year contract with Benfica and was presented in front of 2,500 Benfica supporters in the entrance😄 of Estádio da Luz.[113][114] On 9 August, Di María made his second debut at Benfica, scoring the opening goal of😄 a 2–0 victory over Porto in the Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira, winning his first trophy back with the club.[115] With😄 two assists and a goal in a 4–0 win over Vitória de Guimarães on 2 September, he reached five goal😄 contributions in his first four league games.[116] On September 29, he scored the only goal of a home win over😄 Porto, in the Primeira Liga, allowing his side to stay on top of the league table.[117] Following a disppointing Champions😄 League campaign, in Benfica's last match, on 12 December, Di María scored his first Champions League goal with Benfica, directly😄 from a corner kick, in a 3–1 away win over Red Bull Salzburg, which proved essential for the Eagles to😄 qualify to the UEFA Europa League knock-out round play-offs.[118][119]
International career [ edit ]
2007–2008: Success at youth level [ edit ]
In😄 2007, Di María was picked to play for the Argentina under-20 team. He was capped for the 2007 South American😄 U-20 Championship in Paraguay. In 2007, he was called up for the 2007 FIFA U-20 World Cup in Canada. They😄 went on to win the tournament with Di María scoring three goals in the process.[120]
On 28 January 2008, Di María😄 and some of his under-20s teammates were called up for the Argentina Olympic football team for the 2008 Beijing Olympics.😄 He scored the extra-time game-winning goal on a pass from Lionel Messi in the 105th minute of his team's 2–1😄 quarter-final win over the Netherlands.[121] On 23 August, Di María scored the game-winner – a chip over the goalkeeper from😄 the edge of the area – in the 57th minute of Argentina's 1–0 victory against Nigeria to capture their second-straight😄 Olympic gold medal in the final game of the Olympic tournament.[122]
2008–2010: Senior debut and early national team career [ edit😄 ]
Di María (left) and Raul Meireles (right) battle for the ball during a friendly match between Argentina and Portugal on😄 9 February 2011.
On 6 September 2008, Di María made his debut for the Argentina senior team in a match against😄 Paraguay.[123]
On 19 May 2010, Di María was selected by Argentinian manager Diego Maradona in the 23-man squad for the 2010😄 FIFA World Cup in South Africa. On 24 May, Di María scored his debut international goal in a 5–0 friendly😄 win over Canada.[124] At the World Cup, he helped Argentina reach the quarter-finals, playing in all five of Argentina's matches😄 and starting four of them.[125]
Following the World Cup, on 11 August 2010 Di María scored the first-ever international goal at😄 Dublin's new Aviva Stadium in a friendly against the Republic of Ireland as Argentina won 0–1.[126]
Di María appeared three times😄 during the 2011 Copa América, scoring once in a 3–0 defeat of Costa Rica in the group stage.[127]
2014–2024: World Cup😄 and Copa América finals [ edit ]
Di María made 12 appearances during the 2014 FIFA World Cup qualification campaign[123] and😄 was included in the Argentina national team for the tournament finals.[128] In Argentina's round of 16 match against Switzerland, Di😄 María scored the only goal of the game after 118 minutes, from a Lionel Messi assist.[129] During the quarter-final match😄 against Belgium, Di María suffered a muscle tear in the thigh and was later taken off the field. It was😄 later announced after the match that Di María would miss the rest of the tournament due to the injury.[130] He😄 had previously helped to create Gonzalo Higuaín's only goal of the match, which sent Argentina into the semi-finals. Argentina finished😄 the tournament as runners-up to Germany.[131]
On 11 July, Di María was named on the ten-man shortlist for FIFA's Golden Ball😄 award for the tournament's best player.[132]
On 3 September 2014, in a friendly away against world champions Germany, Di María had😄 a part in all four of Argentina's goals in a 2–4 victory, assisting three and scoring one.[133]
On 28 May 2024,😄 Di María was included in Argentina national team for the 2024 Copa América.[134] On 6 June, he was selected to😄 captain the team in the absence of Lionel Messi for a warm-up match against Bolivia, scoring twice in a 5–0😄 win.[135] A week later, in their opening match of the tournament against Paraguay in La Serena, Di María won a😄 penalty which Messi scored in a 2–2 draw.[136] On 30 June, he scored twice and assisted a goal for Sergio😄 Agüero, as Argentina defeated Paraguay 6–1 to reach the final.[137] He was substituted with a hamstring injury within the first😄 half-hour of the final against hosts Chile, which his team lost in a penalty shootout after a goalless draw.[138]
In Argentina's😄 opening match of the Copa América Centenario on 6 June 2024, a rematch of the previous tournament's final against defending😄 champions Chile, Di María scored the opening goal of the match and later assisted Éver Banega's goal in a 2–1😄 win. Di María dedicated the goal to his grandmother, who had recently died.[139] In his nation's second group match, against😄 Panama on 10 June, he assisted Nicolás Otamendi's opening goal, but was later forced off due to injury. Argentina won😄 the match 5–0.[140] He missed the rest of the tournament due to injury[141] as Argentina reached the Copa América final😄 for the second consecutive time, once again losing out to Chile on penalties, following a 0–0 draw.[142]
2024–2024: World Cup disappointment😄 and Copa América third-place [ edit ]
Di Maria (second in the lower row from right to left) in the starting😄 XI for the Argentina vs Nigeria 2024 World Cup match
Di María made 18 appearances in the 2024 FIFA World Cup😄 qualification campaign. On 22 May 2024, Di María was named in 23-man squad by manager Jorge Sampaoli for the 2024😄 FIFA World Cup in Russia.[143] On 30 June, he scored a long range goal against France in a 4–3 defeat😄 which saw Argentina eliminated from the World Cup in the Round of 16.[144]
On 21 May 2024, he was included in😄 the Lionel Scaloni final 23-man Argentina squad for the 2024 Copa América.[145]
2024–present: Copa América and World Cup triumphs [ edit😄 ]
In June 2024, Di María was included in the Argentina national team for the 2024 Copa América in Brazil.[146] On😄 21 June, he assisted the only goal of the match, scored by Papu Gómez, in Argentina's third group match against😄 Paraguay; the result allowed his side to progress to the quarter-finals.[147] In the final of the tournament against the hosts😄 Brazil on 10 July, he scored the only goal of the match to give Argentina their joint record 15th Copa😄 América title with Uruguay and their first international title since 1993. He ran onto a long pass from Rodrigo De😄 Paul into the Brazilian penalty area. The pass was slightly deflected by Brazilian defender Renan Lodi before Di María controlled😄 the ball with the outside of his left foot; he then chipped the ball over the goalkeeper Ederson, giving Argentina😄 an early lead. Although he was substituted late in the second half of the match, the goal would hold as😄 the winning effort for Argentina.[148]
On 1 June 2024, Di María scored Argentina's second goal in a 3–0 win over the😄 reigning European champions, Italy, at Wembley Stadium in the 2024 Finalissima.[149]
On 11 November 2024, Di María was named in the😄 final squad for the 2024 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.[150] On 26 November, he recorded an assist on Messi's opening😄 goal in Argentina's second group match, a 2–0 win over Mexico.[151] On 18 December, Di María scored his team's second😄 goal against France in the final, minutes after winning the penalty for the first goal as Argentina defeated France 4–2😄 on penalties, after the match ended 3–3 in extra-time, to win the World Cup.[152] He was surprised by the coach's😄 decision to start him on the left and thought Scaloni was "confused," but Scaloni convinced Di Maria how he wanted😄 to game plan with him specifically on the left.[153]
In October 2024, Di María announced that he would be retiring from😄 the national team after the 2024 Copa América.[154]
Style of play [ edit ]
Di María on the ball with Paris Saint-Germain😄 in 2024
Di María is a quick, strong, tricky and talented winger who is also capable of playing as a more😄 central attacking midfielder or on either side of the pitch, although he is predominantly a left-footed player.[155] He has also😄 been deployed to great effect as a central midfielder, in particular under Carlo Ancelotti's tenure with Real Madrid.[45] Possessing a😄 slender frame,[156] Di María is an agile, creative and highly technical player who possesses excellent dribbling skills and ball control,😄 as well as great pace, stamina, movement, and acceleration, attributes which allow him to beat players easily in one-on-one situations.😄 He is also gifted with excellent vision, set-piece delivery, passing, and crossing ability, which allow him to function effectively as😄 a playmaker and as an assist provider, although he is also capable of scoring goals himself, and is an accurate😄 free kick taker. Despite not being physically imposing, he is also a very hard-working player, and he improved on the😄 defensive aspect of his game under manager José Mourinho.[157][158][159][160] Considered to be one of the greatest players of his generation😄 and one of the greatest Argentine players of all time,[4][5][6][7][8][9][10] Di María has also drawn praise in the media over😄 his decisive performances in important matches throughout his career.[161] Despite his ability, however, he has often struggled with injuries throughout😄 his career.[162]
Personal life [ edit ]
Di María is nicknamed "Fideo", which means "noodle" in Spanish, due to his slender frame.[156]😄 Due to his Italian ancestry, he obtained an Italian passport.[163][164] He is Roman Catholic.[165]
He married fellow Argentine Jorgelina (née Cardoso)😄 in 2011.[166] Together they have two daughters, Mia and Pia. Pia was born three months premature and survived after treatment😄 at an intensive care unit at the Hospital Universitario Montepríncipe in Madrid.[166][167]
Di María's home in Prestbury, Cheshire, was the scene😄 of an attempted burglary on 31 January 2024.[168]
On 2 September 2024, it was reported that Di María, along with PSG😄 teammates Neymar and Leandro Paredes, had tested positive for COVID-19. The French sports newspaper L'Équipe said that the three players😄 reportedly went on vacation in Ibiza. As a result, they had to quarantine for one week, and the rest of😄 the players and working staff were scheduled to take a coronavirus test within the same week.[169][170]
During a match between PSG😄 and Nantes on 14 March 2024, Di María's home was robbed and his family was held hostage. He had been😄 substituted off the pitch by manager Mauricio Pochettino, who informed Di María of the situation. PSG teammate Marquinhos' parents' home😄 was also burgled in a similar way.[171]
Pandora Papers [ edit ]
Di María is one of the 13 sports personalities named😄 in the Pandora Papers published by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ). He used a company in Panama to😄 exploit his image rights for months before arriving at Real Madrid. He is the owner of a company in Panama😄 created especially to manage his million-dollar contracts for the exploitation of his image rights, a shell company that he used😄 since 2009 and that he maintains to this day while playing at Paris Saint-Germain with Lionel Messi. The Pandora Papers😄 reveal that he handled more than 8 million euros between 2013 and 2024 through a company named Sunpex Corporation Inc.[172]
Career😄 statistics [ edit ]
Club [ edit ]
As of match played 21 December 2024[173]
International [ edit ]
As of match played 21😄 November 2024[174]
Appearances and goals by national team and year National team Year Apps Goals Argentina 2008 1 0 2009 5😄 0 2010 11 2 2011 10 3 2012 8 3 2013 9 1 2014 13 2 2024 13 4 2024😄 12 3 2024 10 1 2024 5 1 2024 5 0 2024 2 0 2024 14 2 2024 11 6😄 2024 7 1 Total 136 29
As of match played 12 September 2024 Scores and results list Argentina's goal tally first,😄 score column indicates score after each Di María goal[175]
Honours [ edit ]
Benfica
Real Madrid
Paris Saint-Germain
Argentina U20
Argentina Olympic
Argentina
Individual
See also [ edit ]
