He grew up in La Guajira, a place plagued by poverty and corruption in Colombia, belongs to the Wayúu ethnic group and thanks to that town he began his path in the world of soccer. This Saturday, he will play the final of the continental competition against Real Madrid. I know his story.
From La Guajira, a place plagued by poverty and corruption in Colombia to dispute the final of the Champions League for him Liverpool ante Real Madrid. The story of louis diaz It is one of those that make the skin of any football lover bristle: Played the Copa América Indígenain 2019 he wanted it Marcelo Gallardo to add it to Riverbreaks it in the Premier League y he was champion with the Reds and Porto on the same day. I know his exciting life story.
The story of Luis Díaz: from playing the Copa América Indígena to the Champions League final with Liverpool
Luis Fernando Diaz was born in Barrancas, La Guajira, the northernmost area of Colombian territory, a place plagued by extreme poverty and with high rates of corruption in the different sectors of society. The 25-year-old winger is part of the Wayuu ethnic group and the really curious thing is that Thanks to that town, he began his journey through the world of the beautiful sport.
Its discoverer has a first and last name. In addition to a great distinctive hair worldwide. Carlos Alberto Valderrama legend and Colombian glory, He discovered it when he was the technical director of the indigenous communities team. Díaz participated in the 2015 Indigenous America Cup that was held in Chile, he played all the games, scored two goals and was the captain.
Lucho’s talent, as he is nicknamed, appeared at an early age. As soon as he was a teenager he showed his first flashes of good football – worthy of those of his discoverer – and fe was recommended to be part of the ranks of Barranquilla FC, a team from the second coffee division and a subsidiary of Junior. There, he quickly began displaying all his virtuosity on the green grass, constantly becoming one of the sparring partners for the Colombian team when he had to play the South American Qualifying matches in the coastal city.
In the Colombian ascent it was going to last a long time. A young Díaz was permanently promoted to Junior. In Tiburón de Barranquilla he became the lord and master of the entire left strip: In three years there he showed a great level, won four tournaments and was runner-up in the 2018 Copa Sudamericana.
As expected, his jump to Europe was close. In 2019, Porto made his hiring official and signed a contract for five seasons where he would win a million in each of them being bought for seven million euros. With the Dragons of Portugal his soccer growth was increasing. In the Portuguese team he shone and is remembered for a tremendous goal that he scored against Manchester City, for the Champions League, and in the middle of the Etihad Stadium.
came the Copa America 2021 and with it a new opportunity for the skilled coffee attacker to shine again with his team. He didn’t waste it. He scored four goals, and nothing more than against Brazil, with a volley; against Argentina at pure speed and against Peru, for third place, with good definition and a powerful mid-distance shot.
His presence in the Portuguese league and being one of the most prominent in the South American competition kept him in the orbit of the big teams in Europe and he was the Liverpool who stayed with his services. This Saturday, after quickly becoming a cornerstone in the scheme of Jurgen Klopp, will jump onto the green Parisian lawn to dispute the Champions League finalnothing more and nothing less than before the king of said competition: the real Madrid.
Luis Díaz, the crack that River could not buy: the story behind his frustrated pass
Vertiginous on the left wing of the attack, with a long stride and indecipherable gambeta, Luis Díaz did his thing with the Junior de Barranquilla shirtback in 2018, and the millionaire DT had it between eyebrows. It was the imbalance and the offensive sacrifice that he wanted for the team.
His obsession with the promise born in La Guarija, who had just turned 22 at the time, increased considerably in early 2019 after Martínez left the United States league. River needed to replace him and Díaz was the great target for his football profile.
At Gallardo’s request, Rodolfo D’Onofrio’s leadership got down to work, carried out a silent negotiation and slipped the first offer in January to keep his services. They hardly saw the figures, Junior immediately gave him a thumbs down.
El Tiburón was not going to get rid of his young talent easily, despite the insistence of the Núñez club and his own Theophilus Gutierrezwith a past in the Millionaire, who advised Díaz to wear the red band. “He always talks to me about River, Gallardo and the fans”expressed at that time the skillful coffee player.
Ten million dollars for Diaz’s total or nothing. That was the answer of Anthony Charlie, who knew how to be the president of Junior until 2020. An impossible number for River’s economy, that he still did not have the income from advertising on the chest of his shirt (months later a Turkish airline would appear) and suffered from the increase in the dollar (that year the official rose 62%).
There was also the option to pay six million of the same US currency for 60% of the pass. The D’Onofrio Directive it was extended to five million for 70% of his record, but that final offer was rejected in Colombia and contacts ended.
Luis Díaz, champion with Liverpool and Porto on the same day
Diaz moved to Liverpool in the mid-season pass market: Porto received 60 million euros. That is why you feel part of the title obtained by the Portuguese team, and in what way: scored 14 goals and five assists in 18 games played in the Porto jersey during the second half of 2021 before leaving for the Reds.
After the celebrations with Liverpool, He joined the Porto team by video call. His friend and teammate of the Colombian National Team, Mateus Uribe, called him and made him be present in some way among the joy of his former teammates. It is that those led by Sérgio Conceição beat Estoril 2-0 by date 34 of the tournament and were crowned as the Portuguese champions. Yes, Luis Díaz can say that he was champion twice on the same day.
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