Ángel Di María facts for kids

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Ángel Di María

Di María with Argentina at the 2018 FIFA World Cup
Personal information
Full name	Ángel Fabián Di María
Date of birth	(1988-02-14) 14 February 1988 (age 37)
Place of birth	Rosario, Argentina
Height	1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)
Position(s)	Winger, attacking midfielder
Team information
Current team	Rosario Central
Number	11
Youth career
1991–1992	Torito
1992–2005	Rosario Central
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2005–2007	Rosario Central	35	(6)
2007–2010	Benfica	76	(7)
2010–2014	Real Madrid	124	(22)
2014–2015	Manchester United	27	(3)
2015–2022	Paris Saint-Germain	197	(56)
2022–2023	Juventus	26	(4)
2023–2025	Benfica	53	(17)
2025–	Rosario Central	1	(1)
International career
2007	Argentina U20	11	(5)
2008	Argentina U23	6	(2)
2008–2024	Argentina	145	(31)
Medal record Men's football Representing  Argentina FIFA World Cup Winner 2022 Qatar Runner-up 2014 Brazil Copa América Winner 2021 Brazil Winner 2024 United States Runner-up 2015 Chile Runner-up 2016 United States Third 2019 Brazil CONMEBOL–UEFA Cup of Champions Winner 2022 England Olympic Games Gold 2008 Beijing Team FIFA U-20 World Cup Winner 2007 Canada
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 23:00, 12 July 2025 (UTC)

Ángel Fabián Di María (born 14 February 1988) is an Argentine professional footballer. He plays as a right winger for Argentine Primera División club Rosario Central. Many people think Di María is one of the best Argentine players ever. He is known for his amazing dribbling, quick speed, and ability to create goals for his team.

Di María started his career at Rosario Central in Argentina. He became well-known at Benfica in Portugal, joining them in 2007 when he was 19. He helped Benfica win their first league title in five years. In 2010, Di María moved to Real Madrid in Spain. There, he won a 2011–12 La Liga title and the 2013–14 UEFA Champions League.

In 2014, he joined Manchester United in England. A year later, he moved to Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) in France. At PSG, Di María won five league titles and many other cups. He also helped PSG reach their first Champions League final in 2020. He is one of PSG's top goal scorers and their all-time leader in assists. After PSG, he played for Juventus in Italy in 2022, then returned to Benfica in 2023. In July 2025, he made a special return to his first club, Rosario Central.

Di María first played for Argentina's national team in 2007 with the under-20 squad. He won the 2007 FIFA U-20 World Cup with them. In 2008, he scored the winning goal for Argentina's Olympic team to win a gold medal at the 2008 Summer Olympics. He joined the senior Argentina team in 2008. He played in four FIFA World Cups, helping Argentina reach the final in 2014 and win the World Cup in 2022. He scored a goal in the 2022 final. Di María also played in four Copa América finals, winning in 2021 and 2024. He scored the only goal in the 2021 final. He retired from the national team after winning the 2024 Copa América.

Early Life & Football Start

Ángel Di María was born on 14 February 1988 in Rosario, Argentina. He was a very active child. When he was three years old, a doctor suggested he start playing football.

He grew up helping his parents at a local coal yard with his two sisters. His family didn't earn much money, so it was hard for them to buy football boots for him. Di María always felt very close to his family. After he joined Benfica, he bought a house for his parents and sisters. He also asked his father to stop working.

Club Career Journey

Starting at Rosario Central

Di María joined Rosario Central when he was four years old. He had already promised to play for his local club, Torito. So, Rosario Central gave Torito 35 footballs as a thank you.

He played his first professional game on 14 December 2005. This was for Rosario Central in a 2–2 draw against Independiente. He scored his first goal on 24 November 2006. After playing in the 2007 FIFA U-20 World Cup, other big clubs like Boca Juniors and Arsenal wanted to sign him. However, a move to Arsenal didn't happen because of rules for players from outside the European Union.

Time at Benfica

Di María playing for Benfica in 2007

In July 2007, Di María moved to the Portuguese club Benfica. He played as a winger, replacing their captain Simão. Benfica paid Rosario Central €6 million for him.

He really shined in the 2009–10 season. His coach, Jorge Jesus, trusted him a lot. In a Europa League match against Everton, he helped set up three goals in a 5–0 win. This was a big moment for him. He signed a new contract with Benfica, showing how important he was to the team. Diego Maradona, a famous Argentine player, even said Di María would be "Argentina's next superstar."

On 27 February 2010, Di María scored three goals in one game against Leixões. The next day, newspapers called him "Magic Tri María." He ended the season with 11 assists, helping Benfica win the league title. He also won the domestic League Cup and was named Player of the Month in April.

Playing for Real Madrid

On 28 June 2010, Di María joined Real Madrid in Spain. He signed a five-year contract. He played his first game for Real Madrid in a friendly match on 4 August 2010. He scored his first goal for the club in another friendly on 22 August.

Di María taking on Tottenham Hotspur defenders Michael Dawson and Benoît Assou-Ekotto in the Champions League in April 2011

His first league game was on 29 August. He scored his first league goal for Real Madrid on 18 September. Ten days later, he scored his first goal in the UEFA Champions League. He helped Real Madrid win the 2011 Copa del Rey Final against Barcelona in 2011. He was sent off in that game, but Real Madrid still won 1–0.

Winning La Liga and Champions League

In the 2011–12 season, Di María helped Real Madrid win their 32nd league title. He was a key player, often chosen over other famous players like Kaká and Mesut Özil.

Di María taking a corner against Barcelona in April 2011

He signed a new contract with Real Madrid in August 2012. In the 2013–14 season, his coach Carlo Ancelotti changed his position. Di María started playing as a central midfielder. He helped Real Madrid win the 2014 Copa del Rey Final by scoring the first goal. He also made the most assists in La Liga that season.

In the 2014 UEFA Champions League Final, Di María played a huge part in Real Madrid's 4–1 win against Atlético Madrid. He dribbled past players, and his shot led to Gareth Bale scoring a goal. UEFA named Di María the best player of the match.

Time at Manchester United

On 26 August 2014, Di María joined Manchester United in England. This was a very expensive transfer at the time. He wore the famous number 7 shirt, which was worn by club legends. However, he later said he never wanted to leave Real Madrid.

He played his first game for United on 30 August. He scored his first goal for them on 14 September from a free-kick. He also set up another goal in that game. He was named Manchester United's Player of the Month for September. His goal against Leicester City was voted Goal of the Month. However, he later struggled with injuries and his form dropped. He was sent off in an FA Cup match against Arsenal in March 2015.

Playing for Paris Saint-Germain

Di María with Paris Saint-Germain in 2015

On 6 August 2015, Di María moved to Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) in France. He signed a four-year contract. He made his debut on 30 August and quickly made an assist. On 15 September, he scored his first goal for PSG in the Champions League.

He had a great first season, setting a new league record with 18 assists in 2015–16. He also scored the winning goal in the 2016 Coupe de la Ligue Final.

Continued Success and European Final

Di María continued to be a key player for PSG. On 14 February 2017, he scored two goals against Barcelona in the Champions League. He helped PSG win many domestic trophies, including the Coupe de France and Coupe de la Ligue.

In the 2018–19 Champions League, he got injured against his old club Manchester United. But he kept playing and helped set up a goal. In the 2019–20 UEFA Champions League group stage, he scored two goals against Real Madrid. He also scored a goal and made two assists in the Champions League semi-final against RB Leipzig. PSG reached their first Champions League final in 2020, but they lost to Bayern Munich.

Assist Record and Leaving PSG

On 9 December 2020, Di María made two assists in a Champions League match. This made him the player with the third most assists in Champions League history. In March 2021, he extended his contract with PSG. He broke PSG's all-time assist record in the 2021 Coupe de France Final, making his 104th assist for the club.

In the 2021–22 season, Di María won his fifth league title with PSG. On 20 May 2022, it was announced he would leave the club. In his last game for PSG on 21 May, he scored a goal and made an assist. He received a big cheer from the fans. He left PSG with 92 goals and 112 assists in 295 games.

Playing for Juventus

On 8 July 2022, Di María joined Juventus in Italy for free. He played his first game on 15 August, scoring a goal and assisting another in a 3–0 win. On 15 September, he played his 100th Champions League game. On 5 October, he made three assists in a Champions League match, becoming the third highest assist provider in the competition's history.

On 23 February 2023, he scored three goals in a Europa League game against Nantes. He scored another goal in the Europa League on 9 March. Despite some injuries, he played well for Juventus. On 6 June, he confirmed he would leave Juventus when his contract ended.

Return to Benfica

On 6 July 2023, Di María signed a one-year contract to return to Benfica. He was welcomed by 2,500 fans at the stadium.

On 9 August, he played his first game back for Benfica, scoring the first goal in a 2–0 win against Porto. This helped him win his first trophy since returning. He continued to play well, scoring and assisting goals. On 29 September, he scored the only goal in a win against Porto in the league. In December, he scored his first Champions League goal for Benfica from a corner kick. He also scored two penalties in the Europa League knockout rounds.

On 23 November 2024, Di María scored three goals in just 16 minutes in a Portuguese Cup match. Two months later, on 11 January, he helped Benfica win the 2025 Taça da Liga final in a penalty shootout. He scored four penalties in the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup, marking the end of his European club career.

Second Return to Rosario Central

On 29 May 2025, his childhood club Rosario Central announced that Di María would return to them for free. On 12 July, he played his first game back, scoring a penalty in a 1–1 draw.

International Career for Argentina

Youth Team Success

In 2007, Di María was chosen to play for the Argentina under-20 team. He played in the 2007 South American U-20 Championship. Later that year, he played in the 2007 FIFA U-20 World Cup in Canada, where Argentina won the tournament. Di María scored three goals.

On 28 January 2008, Di María joined the Argentina Olympic football team for the 2008 Beijing Olympics. He scored the winning goal in extra time against the Netherlands in the quarter-finals. On 23 August, Di María scored the winning goal against Nigeria in the final. This helped Argentina win their second straight Olympic gold medal in football.

Senior Team Debut and World Cup

Di María (left) and Raul Meireles (right) battle for the ball during a friendly match between Argentina and Portugal in February 2011.

Di María played his first game for the Argentina senior team on 6 September 2008.

In May 2010, he was chosen for Argentina's squad for the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa. He scored his first international goal in a friendly match against Canada on 24 May. At the World Cup, he played in all five of Argentina's matches as they reached the quarter-finals. After the World Cup, he scored the first goal ever at Dublin's new Aviva Stadium in a friendly game.

He played in the 2011 Copa América, scoring one goal against Costa Rica.

World Cup Final and Injuries

Di María played in 12 games during the 2014 World Cup qualification. He was part of the Argentina team for the tournament finals. In the round of 16 match against Switzerland, Di María scored the only goal of the game in extra time. This goal came from a pass by Lionel Messi.

In the quarter-final against Belgium, Di María got a muscle injury. He had to leave the field and missed the rest of the tournament. Argentina reached the final but lost to Germany. Di María was named on the shortlist for the Golden Ball award for the tournament's best player.

In September 2014, in a friendly game against Germany, Di María helped create all four of Argentina's goals, assisting three and scoring one.

Copa América Finals

In May 2015, Di María was part of the Argentina team for the 2015 Copa América. He captained the team in a warm-up match and scored twice. In the tournament, he scored two goals and assisted another as Argentina beat Paraguay 6–1 to reach the final. However, he got injured early in the final against Chile. Argentina lost the final in a penalty shootout.

In the Copa América Centenario in 2016, Di María scored the first goal against Chile in their opening match. He dedicated the goal to his grandmother. He also made an assist in the next game but got injured again. He missed the rest of the tournament. Argentina reached the final again but lost to Chile on penalties.

World Cup and Copa América Triumphs

Di María (second in the lower row from right to left) in the starting XI for the Argentina vs Nigeria 2018 World Cup match

Di María played in the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. On 30 June, he scored a long-range goal against France in a 4–3 loss, which saw Argentina leave the World Cup.

In June 2021, Di María was in the Argentina squad for the 2021 Copa América in Brazil. In the final against Brazil on 10 July, he scored the only goal of the match. This gave Argentina their first international title since 1993. He chipped the ball over the goalkeeper to score.

On 1 June 2022, Di María scored Argentina's second goal in a 3–0 win over Italy in the 2022 Finalissima.

In November 2022, Di María was named in the squad for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar. On 18 December, he scored Argentina's second goal against France in the final. Argentina won the World Cup after a penalty shootout, their first in 36 years.

Final Copa América and Retirement

In October 2023, Di María announced he would retire from the national team after the 2024 Copa América. In Argentina's final group match, he set up a goal in a 2–0 win. In the final against Colombia, he wore the captain's armband after Messi got injured. Argentina won the match 1–0, winning their second straight Copa América. This was Di María's last game for Argentina, ending his international career as a champion.

Di María is joint-third in Argentina's all-time appearance list with 145 games. He is also joint-sixth for most goals with 31. On 5 September 2024, he was honored by the national team. His teammates wore special shirts with his number 11. Messi, who was injured, sent a video tribute. Di María said he would now be "just another fan, cheering the team on."

How He Plays

Di María on the ball with Paris Saint-Germain in 2015

Di María is a fast, strong, and skillful winger. He can play on either side of the field or as a central attacking midfielder. He is mostly left-footed. He is known for his excellent dribbling and ball control. He also has great speed, energy, and quickness, which helps him get past defenders.

He has excellent vision, can deliver great set-pieces, and is good at crossing the ball. This makes him a great playmaker who provides many assists. He can also score goals himself and is good at free kicks. Even though he isn't very big, he works very hard on the field. He also improved his defensive skills under coach José Mourinho. Di María is often praised for playing well in important matches. However, he has had some injuries during his career.

Personal Life

Di María is nicknamed "Fideo", which means "noodle" in Spanish. This is because of his slim build. He has an Italian passport because of his Italian family background. He is Roman Catholic.

He married Jorgelina Cardoso in 2011. They have two daughters, Mia and Pia. Mia was born three months early but survived after getting special care in a hospital.

In January 2015, there was an attempted burglary at Di María's home in England. In March 2021, his home was robbed while his family was there. His PSG teammate Marquinhos' parents' home was also robbed in a similar way.

Career Statistics

Club

International

Scores and results list Argentina's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Di María goal.

List of international goals scored by Ángel Di María

No.	Date	Venue	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition
1	24 May 2010	Estadio Antonio Vespucio Liberti, Buenos Aires, Argentina	Canada	3–0	5–0	Friendly
2	11 August 2010	Aviva Stadium, Dublin, Ireland	Republic of Ireland	1–0	1–0
3	9 February 2011	Stade de Genève, Carouge, Switzerland	Portugal	1–0	2–1
4	11 July 2011	Estadio Mario Alberto Kempes, Córdoba, Argentina	Costa Rica	3–0	3–0	2011 Copa América
5	6 September 2011	Bangabandhu National Stadium, Dhaka, Bangladesh	Nigeria	2–0	3–1	Friendly
6	2 June 2012	Estadio Antonio Vespucio Liberti, Buenos Aires, Argentina	Ecuador	4–0	4–0	2014 FIFA World Cup qualification
7	15 August 2012	Commerzbank-Arena, Frankfurt am Main, Germany	Germany	3–0	3–1	Friendly
8	7 September 2012	Estadio Mario Alberto Kempes, Córdoba, Argentina	Paraguay	1–0	3–1	2014 FIFA World Cup qualification
9	10 September 2013	Estadio Defensores del Chaco, Asunción, Paraguay	Paraguay	1–0	5–2
10	1 July 2014	Arena Corinthians, São Paulo, Brazil	Switzerland	1–0	1–0	2014 FIFA World Cup
11	3 September 2014	Esprit Arena, Düsseldorf, Germany	Germany	4–0	4–2	Friendly
12	6 June 2015	Estadio San Juan del Bicentenario, San Juan, Argentina	Bolivia	1–0	5–0
13				5–0
14	30 June 2015	Estadio Municipal de Concepción, Concepción, Chile	Paraguay	3–1	6–1	2015 Copa América
15				4–1
16	24 March 2016	Estadio Nacional Julio Martínez Prádanos, Santiago, Chile	Chile	1–1	2–1	2018 FIFA World Cup qualification
17	6 June 2016	Levi's Stadium, Santa Clara, United States	Chile	1–0	2–1	Copa América Centenario
18	15 November 2016	Estadio San Juan del Bicentenario, San Juan, Argentina	Colombia	3–0	3–0	2018 FIFA World Cup qualification
19	13 June 2017	National Stadium, Kallang, Singapore	Singapore	6–0	6–0	Friendly
20	30 June 2018	Kazan Arena, Kazan, Russia	France	1–1	3–4	2018 FIFA World Cup
21	10 July 2021	Estádio do Maracanã, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil	Brazil	1–0	1–0	2021 Copa América
22	12 November 2021	Estadio Campeón del Siglo, Montevideo, Uruguay	Uruguay	1–0	1–0	2022 FIFA World Cup qualification
23	27 January 2022	Estadio Zorros del Desierto, Calama, Chile	Chile	1–0	2–1
24	25 March 2022	La Bombonera, Buenos Aires, Argentina	Venezuela	2–0	3–0
25	1 June 2022	Wembley Stadium, London, England	Italy	2–0	3–0	2022 Finalissima
26	16 November 2022	Mohammed bin Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates	United Arab Emirates	2–0	5–0	Friendly
27				3–0
28	18 December 2022	Lusail Iconic Stadium, Lusail, Qatar	France	2–0	3–3 (aet) (4–2 p)	2022 FIFA World Cup
29	28 March 2023	Estadio Único Madre de Ciudades, Santiago del Estero, Argentina	Curaçao	6–0	7–0	Friendly
30	26 March 2024	Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, Los Angeles, United States	Costa Rica	1–1	3–1
31	9 June 2024	Soldier Field, Chicago, United States	Ecuador	1–0	1–0

Honours and Awards

Benfica

• Primeira Liga: 2009–10
• Taça da Liga: 2008–09, 2009–10, 2024–25
• Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira: 2023

Real Madrid

• La Liga: 2011–12
• Copa del Rey: 2010–11, 2013–14
• Supercopa de España: 2012
• UEFA Champions League: 2013–14
• UEFA Super Cup: 2014

Paris Saint-Germain

• Ligue 1: 2015–16, 2017–18, 2018–19, 2019–20, 2021–22
• Coupe de France: 2015–16, 2016–17, 2017–18, 2019–20, 2020–21; runner-up: 2018–19
• Coupe de la Ligue: 2015–16, 2016–17, 2017–18, 2019–20
• Trophée des Champions: 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020
• UEFA Champions League runner-up: 2019–20

Argentina U20

• FIFA U-20 World Cup: 2007

Argentina Olympic

• Olympic Games: 2008

Argentina

• FIFA World Cup: 2022
• Copa América: 2021, 2024
• CONMEBOL–UEFA Cup of Champions: 2022

Individual

• Argentine Footballer of the Year: 2014
• FIFA FIFPro World11: 2014
• FIFA World Cup Dream Team: 2014
• IFFHS CONMEBOL Team of the Decade 2011–2020
• UEFA Team of the Year: 2014
• ESM Team of the Year: 2015–16, 2019–20
• UEFA Champions League Squad of the Season: 2013–14
• UEFA Champions League top assist provider: 2019–20
• UEFA Europa League top assist provider: 2009–10 (Shared with Mesut Özil)
• Primeira Liga top assist provider: 2009–10
• La Liga top assist provider: 2013–14
• Ligue 1 top assist provider: 2015–16, 2019–20
• SJPF Player of the Month: April 2010
• UNFP Ligue 1 Player of the Month: December 2015
• UNFP Ligue 1 Team of the Year: 2015–16, 2018–19
• Primeira Liga Player of the Month: November 2024

See also

In Spanish: Ángel Di María para niños