Diego Fagúndez facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Diego Fagúndez

Fagúndez in 2012
Personal information
Full name	Diego Santiago Fagúndez Pepe
Date of birth	(1995-02-14) February 14, 1995 (age 30)
Place of birth	Montevideo, Uruguay
Height	1.73 m (5 ft 8 in)
Position(s)	Attacking midfielder, forward
Team information
Current team	LA Galaxy
Number	7
Youth career
2000–2007	Leominster Youth Soccer
2007–2009	Greater Boston Bolts
2009–2010	New England Revolution
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2011–2020	New England Revolution	261	(53)
2021–2023	Austin FC	89	(15)
2023–	LA Galaxy	68	(9)
International career
2012–2015	Uruguay U20	8	(0)
Medal record Men's football Representing  Uruguay South American U-20 Championship Third 2015 Uruguay
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 28 July 2025

Diego Fagúndez, born on February 14, 1995, is a professional football player from Uruguay. He plays as an attacking midfielder or forward for the LA Galaxy team in Major League Soccer (MLS).

Early Life and Youth Football

Diego was born in Montevideo, Uruguay. When he was five, Diego moved with his family to Leominster, Massachusetts, in the United States. He started playing football with Leominster Youth Soccer.

He then played for youth teams like FC United and FC Greater Boston Bolts. In 2009, he joined the New England Revolution's special youth academy. He won the State Cup with FC United in 2006. He also won the State Cup with FC Greater Boston Bolts in 2008 and 2009.

Diego was part of the Massachusetts Olympic Development Program (ODP) from 2006 to 2009. He was even captain from 2008 to 2009. In 2007–2008, he was named an Adidas Interregional All-Star. He led the Revolution's U-16 team to a great record, scoring 20 goals in 30 games.

In March 2011, Top Drawer Soccer, a website about youth football, named Diego the number one player in the country for his age group.

Professional Football Career

Playing for New England Revolution

Fagúndez playing for the Revolution against Chicago Fire FC in 2013.

On November 15, 2010, Diego Fagúndez signed a contract with the New England Revolution. This made him the first "homegrown player" the Revolution signed from their own youth academy. Even though he was on the main team, he kept training and playing with the academy squad.

He played his first professional game on April 26, 2011. This was in a Lamar Hunt US Open Cup match where the Revolution won 3–2 against D.C. United. His first league game was on August 6, 2011, against Chivas USA. In that game, he helped his team get a penalty kick and scored his first goal for New England.

Diego became a regular starter for the New England Revolution in 2013. He had a fantastic season, scoring 13 goals and helping with 7 assists. He quickly became known as one of the best young talents in MLS. He was even named "Player of the Week" in June 2013.

In October 2013, Diego got his U.S. green card. This meant he was considered a "domestic player" in MLS. He was also featured on a TV show called MLS 36 in August 2013. MLS ranked him number 5 on their "24 under 24" list of top young players for 2013.

In 2015, Diego made history by becoming the youngest player in MLS to play 100 games for his club. At the end of the 2017 MLS season, fans voted him the "Midnight Riders Man of the Year."

On October 28, 2018, Diego scored his 50th career MLS goal. He became the youngest player in MLS history to reach this milestone. The Revolution decided to keep him for the 2020 season.

In 2020, Diego played his 244th game for the Revolution. This tied him for fourth place in the club's all-time appearances. He ended the 2020 season just one game shy of breaking the Revolution's all-time appearance record.

In December 2020, the Revolution announced that Diego's contract was ending. He posted a farewell message to the team and fans, saying it was time for him to move on. He later shared that he wanted to stay but felt the contract offer was too low.

Moving to Austin FC

On January 5, 2021, Diego signed a one-year contract with Austin FC. On April 24, 2021, he made his first start for Austin FC. He scored the very first goal in the team's history in their 3–1 win against the Colorado Rapids. He scored again the next week, helping Austin FC win 1–0 against Minnesota United FC.

He was named "Man of the Match" for Austin's first-ever home game. He quickly became a favorite among the fans. In 2022, he scored an important goal in a 1–1 draw against Seattle Sounders FC. He also scored Austin's first goal in a national cup competition.

In February 2023, Diego signed a new three-year contract with Austin FC. At that time, he was the club's all-time leader in assists, with 20 assists.

Joining LA Galaxy

On August 1, 2023, Diego was traded to the LA Galaxy. This trade involved another player and some money. Many Austin FC fans were not happy about him leaving.

Diego scored his first goal for the Galaxy on September 21, 2023. It was a game-winning goal in the 82nd minute, helping the Galaxy win 4–3 against Minnesota United.

On April 13, 2024, Diego scored his first goal of the 2024 LA Galaxy season. With this goal, he became only the 10th player in MLS history to have at least 70 goals and 70 assists in regular-season games. He also tied for 20th all-time in MLS for regular-season games played, with 366 appearances. On October 26, 2024, Diego played his 400th career MLS game, including both regular season and playoff matches. This happened in the Galaxy's 5–0 win over the Colorado Rapids in the 2024 MLS Cup playoffs Round One.

Diego Fagúndez and the LA Galaxy won the MLS Cup in 2024.

International Football

Diego has played for Uruguay's youth national teams. He made his debut for the Uruguay U20 team in October 2012. He played two games against Peru that month.

In April 2013, he said he would be happy to play for either Uruguay or the United States in the 2013 FIFA U-20 World Cup. However, he was not called up by Uruguay. He also could not play for the U.S. at that time because he was not a citizen.

In August 2014, he was called up again for the Uruguay U20 national team. He played in two more games against Peru. In January 2015, Diego was part of the Uruguay team for the 2015 South American Youth Championship. He played in Uruguay's 1–0 victory over Colombia.

Personal Life

Diego's father, Washington Fagúndez, was also a professional football player in Uruguay. He played as a goalkeeper in the 1990s. Diego is named after his godfather, Diego Dorta, who was also a famous Uruguayan football player.

In October 2013, Diego received his U.S. green card. This allowed him to be considered a domestic player in MLS. On March 13, 2024, Diego announced on social media that he had become a U.S. citizen.

Career Statistics

Honours

LA Galaxy

• MLS Cup: 2024

See also

In Spanish: Diego Fagúndez para niños