Damián Díaz

Damián Díaz
	Díaz in 2017
Personal information
Full name	Damián Rodrigo Díaz Montero
Date of birth	1 May 1986 (age 38)
Place of birth	Rosario, Argentina
Height	1.71 m (5 ft 7 in)
Position(s)	Attacking midfielder
Team information
Current team	Barcelona SC
Number	10
Youth career
1998–2003	Juan XXIII
2003–2006	Rosario Central
Senior career*
Years	Team
2007–2008	Rosario Central
2008–2009	Boca Juniors
2009–2010	Universidad Católica
2010–2011	Colón
2011–2013	Barcelona SC
2013–2015	Al Wahda
2016–	Barcelona SC
International career‡
2021–	Ecuador
	*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 11 March 2015; ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 28 June 2021

Damián Rodrigo Díaz Montero (Spanish pronunciation: [daˈmjan roˈðriɣo ˈðiaθ], born 1 May 1986) is a professional footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder for Barcelona SC. Born in Argentina, he represents the Ecuador national team.

Club career

Rosario Central

Díaz began his career at hometown Juan XXIII for then joined the Rosario Central youth ranks. However, after having success at the football academy he signed his first professional contract with The Canallas as a 20-year-old, to finally in 2007, being promoted to the first adult team by then coach Carlos Ischia, who saw in him a lot of talent.

On 8 April, Díaz made his league debut with Rosario in a 2–1 away loss against

Nueva Chicago at Gigante de Arroyito

, scoring the second goal of his team on 58th minute.

After a successful 2007–08 season completing 4 goals in 25 games, Díaz was transferred to Boca Juniors, following his coach Carlos Ischia footsteps, who also left the club for Buenos Aires-based team.

Boca Juniors

After being appointed Boca, Díaz made his official debut in a 4–0

Torneo Apertura (being that his first professional title), which he failed to play it, because he was under the "shadow" of Juan Román Riquelme

as the team's playmaker into Ischia's scheme.

In January 2009, he refused go on loan to Greek side

Nico Gaitán. However, he began to lose importance with Ischia in the team and didn't have a well season again, playing a total of nine games during the year's first half between the league tournament, Copa Libertadores

and friendlies (four, two and three games respectively).

Universidad Católica

On 3 July 2009,

Universidad Católica signed Díaz on loan was awarded the number 15 shirt. Díaz arrived as part of Gary Medel

's transfer operation to his former club Boca Juniors in a loan barter without purchase option.

2009 season

Díaz made his

Milovan Mirosevic. The team reached the final against Colo-Colo

, but lost 6–4 on aggregate. Following his debut season in the Chilean Primera División, Díaz emerged as one of the league's finest playmakers.

2010 season

Díaz began the 2010 season in fine form, scoring the first goal in Católica's 4–0 thrashing of

Colón de Santa Fe showed interest on him and also came up the possibility of return to Boca Juniors, one of the big teams of Argentina and South America. Despite of the possibility of play in Argentina, one of the best leagues in the world, Díaz was consistent and extended his scoring streak against Ñublense

in a game that was won by Católica 4–2, and he was named the man of the match.

Finally, during the break of the league (because it was a long tournament of one year and was played the 2010 FIFA World Cup at South Africa) everything seemed be that Diaz would remain at Católica, but then the player reached an agreement with the club that attempted to sign him Colón and left the club.

Colón

On 11 June 2010,

Colón de Santa Fe

signed him for one year, on loan from Boca Juniors.

Barcelona Sporting Club

2011 season

On 11 June 2011, Díaz signed with the Ecuadorian

Barcelona

. His debut came on 23 July 2011 in a 2–2 away draw against Espoli. In just his third match for Barcelona, Díaz scored his first goal for the club, the only winning goal, in a home win against

Independiente Jose Teran

. His final goal of the season came in Ecuador's Super Clasico, in a 2–0 home win over Emelec on 19 November. He finished the league having played 20 matches, scoring 6 goals and assisted 3 more.