Sergio Díaz (footballer, born 1998)

Sergio Ismael Díaz Velázquez (born 5 March 1998) is a Paraguayan footballer who plays as a forward for Club América, on loan from Real Madrid, as well as the Paraguay national team.

For other people named Sergio Díaz, see Sergio Díaz (disambiguation).
In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Díaz and the second or maternal family name is Velázquez.
Sergio Díaz
Díaz (right) playing for Real Madrid B in 2016
Personal information
Full name Sergio Ismael Díaz Velázquez
Date of birth (1998-03-05) 5 March 1998
Place of birth Itauguá, Paraguay
Height 1.70 m (5 ft 7 in)
Position(s) Forward
Club information
Current team
 América
(on loan from Real Madrid)
Number 6
Youth career
2006–2008 Tacuary
2008–2014 Cerro Porteño
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2014–2016 Cerro Porteño 62 (15)
2016– Real Madrid B 36 (5)
2017–2018 → Lugo (loan) 8 (0)
2018–2019 → Corinthians (loan) 1 (0)
2019–2020 → Cerro Porteño (loan) 18 (3)
2020– → América (loan) 7 (0)
National team‡
2015 Paraguay U17 11 (3)
2015 Paraguay U20 7 (2)
2016-2020 Paraguay U23 4 (2)
2017– Paraguay 1 (0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 3:07 pm, 29 July 2020 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 27 August 2020

Díaz ranked number one in a list of the most expensive players in Paraguayan football for 2015 published by Diario Extra.[1]

Career

Youth and early career

Díaz played at Club Tacuary School of Football for 1 year, before moving to Cerro Porteño.[2] Díaz arrives at Cerro Porteño aged 10, at the club's school of football.[3] He scored approximately 30 goals in the Cerro Porteño U15 team and was then moved to the reserves team. He was coached by Diego Gavilán in the U15 team.[4] In 2013, he was referred to as the Sergio Aguero of Cerro Porteño as the reserves joined in on a practice session with the first-team.[5]

2014 season

Diaz debuted as a 15-year-old in the Primera División Paraguaya, on 27 June 2014, in a 2–1 home victory against Club General Díaz. He entered the field in the 84th minute for Guillermo Beltrán.[6] Díaz then scored against Nacional Asunción in September, handing Cerro Porteño the victory.[7] The player scored a double in a 2–0 home victory against 3 de Febrero on 8 October 2014.[8] Against Boca Juniors in the Copa Sudamericana, Diaz wore the #22 jersey.[9]

During his performances at the 2015 South American Youth Football Championship in January 2015, it was reported that both Liverpool F.C. and Manchester United F.C. were chasing his signing.[10]

2015 season

In Diaz's debut for Cerro Porteño in the 2015 Primera División Paraguaya season, he scored one goal in his side's 3–0 away victory against Sportivo Luqueño on 14 February 2015.[11] He signed his first professional contract after turning 18 years old and renewed his contract with Club Cerro Porteño until 2021.

Real Madrid

Sergio Diaz is the second Paraguayan to play in Real Madrid preceding Javier Acuña.

He played with Real Madrid B at the beginning of the 2016 season.[12]

Diaz was included in Real Madrid U19 squad for UEFA Youth League, making his debut against Sporting Club de Portugal. Diaz scored the opener for Los Blancos, but Sporting eventually equalized.[13]

Loan to CD Lugo

On 10 August 2017, Díaz was loaned to Segunda División club CD Lugo for one year.[14] He suffered a knee injury on 16 November 2017, which kept him out for the rest of the season.[15]

Loan to Corinthians

A year later, on 30 July 2018, he was loaned to Brazilian club Corinthians, for one and a half-year.[16]

Loan to Cerro Porteño

Díaz returned to Cerro Porteño on loan for the 2019–2020 Paraguayan Primera División season.[17]

Loan to Club América

On 29 July 2020, Díaz joined Liga MX side América on loan with an option to buy.[18]

International career

In January 2015, Díaz was selected to represent Paraguay U20 at the 2015 South American Youth Football Championship.[19][20]

The player scored one goal in his debut at the 2016 Toulon Tournament for Paraguay U23.[21]

Díaz held representative honours with the Paraguay national under-23 squad at the 2020 CONMEBOL Pre-Olympic Tournament.

Personal life

Sergio is a self-proclaimed fan of the English football club Arsenal, which he in May 2015 described as his dream destination in the future.[22]

Honours
Corinthians

References
  1. "Los jugadores más caros del fútbol paraguayo". Extra.com.py (in Spanish). 19 July 2015. Retrieved 25 February 2018.
  2. Color, ABC. ""Díaz irá quemando etapas", según Arce – Edicion Impresa – ABC Color" (in Spanish). Retrieved 25 February 2018.
  3. "Kun Díaz: "No imaginé jugar este partido"" (in Spanish). Retrieved 25 February 2018.
  4. "Sergio Díaz, El Kun Agüero de Cerro Porteño | Cerro Porteño". d10 (in Spanish). Retrieved 25 February 2018.
  5. "Sergio Díaz, El Kun Agüero de Cerro Porteño | Cerro Porteño". d10 (in Spanish). Retrieved 25 February 2018.
  6. "Cerro Porteño vs. General Díaz – 28 June 2014". Soccerway. Retrieved 25 February 2018.
  7. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 14 October 2014. Retrieved 10 October 2014.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  8. "Cerro Porteño vs. 3 de Febrero – 9 October 2014". Soccerway. Retrieved 25 February 2018.
  9. "Cerro Porteño vs. Boca Juniors – 6 November 2014". Soccerway. Retrieved 25 February 2018.
  10. "Liverpool, Man Utd in Cerro Porteno talks for superkid Sergio Diaz – Tribal Football". Retrieved 25 February 2018.
  11. "Division Profesional – Sportivo Luqueño vs Cerro Porteño – 0–3". Soccerway. Retrieved 3 February 2020.
  12. AS, Diario (2 July 2016). "Real Madrid land Paraguayan forward Sergio Díaz for 5M euros". AS.com. Retrieved 25 February 2018.
  13. 1–1: Under-19s denied win by last-minute equaliser
  14. "Sergio Díaz, nuevo delantero del Club Deportivo Lugo" [Sergio Díaz, new forward of Club Deportivo Lugo] (in Spanish). CD Lugo. 10 August 2017. Retrieved 10 August 2017.
  15. "Sergio Díaz se pierde lo que queda de temporada". Marca (in Spanish). Spain. 16 November 2017. Retrieved 16 November 2017.
  16. "Atacante Sergio Díaz reforça o Corinthians" (in Spanish). corinthians.com.br. 5 August 2018. Retrieved 5 August 2018.
  17. "En Paraguay afirman que Sergio Díaz no sigue en Cerro Porteño y su próximo destino sería el América" (in Spanish). americamonumental.bolavip.com. 5 August 2019. Retrieved 5 August 2019.
  18. "Nuevo refuerzo del Club América: Sergio Díaz" (in Spanish). Club América. 29 July 2020. Retrieved 30 July 2020.
  19. "Paraguay: los 'albirrojos' convocados para el Sudamericano Sub-20 | CONMEBOL". www.conmebol.com (in Spanish). Retrieved 25 February 2018.
  20. Radio, Caracol. "Paraguay definió los 23 jugadores que estarán en el Sudamericano Sub 20". Caracol Radio (in Spanish). Retrieved 25 February 2018.
  21. "::: Festival International Espoirs ::: Les rencontres du Festival". festival-foot-espoirs.com. Retrieved 25 February 2018.
  22. McKnight, Gareth. "Sergio Diaz: Arsenal are my dream club, but I'm signing for Roma". Here Is The City. Retrieved 25 February 2018.
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