Diego Lugano facts for kids
Lugano with Uruguay in 2014
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| Personal information | |||||||||||||
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| Date of birth | 2 November 1980 | ||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Canelones, Uruguay | ||||||||||||
| Height | 1.88 m | ||||||||||||
| Playing position | Centre back | ||||||||||||
| Youth career | |||||||||||||
| 1996–1999 | Nacional | ||||||||||||
| Senior career* | |||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† | ||||||||||
| 1999–2003 | Nacional | 13 | (0) | ||||||||||
| 2001–2002 | → Plaza Colonia (loan) | 46 | (4) | ||||||||||
| 2003–2006 | São Paulo | 95 | (7) | ||||||||||
| 2006–2011 | Fenerbahçe | 125 | (21) | ||||||||||
| 2011–2013 | Paris Saint-Germain | 12 | (0) | ||||||||||
| 2013 | → Málaga (loan) | 11 | (0) | ||||||||||
| 2013–2014 | West Bromwich Albion | 9 | (1) | ||||||||||
| 2015 | BK Häcken | 11 | (0) | ||||||||||
| 2015 | Cerro Porteño | 16 | (5) | ||||||||||
| 2016–2017 | São Paulo | 18 | (2) | ||||||||||
| Total | 356 | (40) | |||||||||||
| National team | |||||||||||||
| 2003–2014 | Uruguay | 95 | (9) | ||||||||||
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Honours
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Diego Alfredo Lugano Morena (born 2 November 1980) is a famous former football player from Uruguay. He was a strong central defender known for his leadership.
People called him Tota. He played for many football clubs in South America and Europe. Some of these clubs include Plaza Colonia, Nacional, São Paulo, Fenerbahçe, and Paris Saint-Germain. He even scored goals in different leagues like Uruguay, Brazil, and Turkey!
In 2015, a newspaper in Paraguay said he was one of the most valuable players from Uruguay. He was also named the most popular player in Paraguayan football. Lugano played 95 games for the Uruguay national football team. He was the captain for his country in two FIFA World Cups. He was even named the best captain at the 2010 FIFA World Cup. After his playing career, he started working as an administrator for the Brazilian club São Paulo.
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Club career
Starting out
Diego Lugano was born in Canelones, Uruguay. He started playing football for his hometown club, Club Atlético Libertad. He was just 18 when he helped his team win the league championship in 1998. In 1999, Lugano moved to Club Nacional de Football in Montevideo. A few years later, he played for Plaza Colonia on loan.
Playing for São Paulo
Lugano joined São Paulo FC in Brazil in 2003. At first, some people called him "President's Man" because the club president signed him without asking the coach. But after the coach left, Lugano started playing more often.
In 2005, he helped São Paulo win three big titles: the Campeonato Paulista, the Copa Libertadores, and the FIFA Club World Championship in Japan. He was even named South America's best defender that year! Fans loved him for his strong defense and leadership. He still has a great relationship with the club. In 2006, he helped his team reach the final of the Copa Libertadores again.
Time at Fenerbahçe
On August 21, 2006, Lugano moved to Fenerbahçe in Turkey. He signed a contract for three and a half years. He and another strong defender, Edu Dracena, helped Fenerbahçe win the league in 2007. This was a special win because it was the club's 100th anniversary!
Lugano was known for scoring goals with his head from free kicks and corners. He became a fan favorite because of his tough defense and exciting plays. He was even one of the team's captains. He signed a new four-year contract with Fenerbahçe in 2009.
Moving to Paris Saint-Germain
In August 2011, Lugano left Fenerbahçe to join Paris Saint-Germain in France. He signed for about €3 million. However, his first season in France was tough. He only played 12 games because of injuries and not being in his best form.
Loan to Málaga
On January 21, 2013, Lugano went on loan to Málaga CF in Spain until June 30. He wasn't playing much for Paris Saint-Germain, so this move allowed him to play more. He returned to Paris Saint-Germain in July 2013.
Playing for West Bromwich Albion
On August 2, 2013, Lugano joined West Bromwich Albion in the English Premier League. He signed a two-year contract. He scored his first goal for West Brom on January 20, 2014. It was a header that helped his team draw 1–1 against Everton. In May 2014, West Bromwich Albion decided to release him from the team.
Short time at BK Häcken
On March 26, 2015, Lugano signed a short contract with BK Häcken in Sweden. He became one of the most famous players to ever play in the Swedish top league.
Adventures at Cerro Porteño
On July 7, 2015, Lugano signed with Cerro Porteño in Paraguay. When he arrived, fans and club managers welcomed him at the airport. He signed a one-year contract. Lugano said he joined Cerro Porteño because he wanted to return to South America and be closer to his home country. He felt it was a big club that would challenge him to play his best.
In August 2015, Lugano played his first game for Cerro Porteño. He scored the first goal with a header in a 4–0 win. This was his first league goal since January 2014. He scored more goals for the team, showing his strong attacking skills as a defender. In December 2015, he was named the most popular player in Paraguayan football.
In January 2016, Lugano decided to leave Cerro Porteño. He thanked the club and its fans on his social media. He scored 5 goals in 16 games for Cerro Porteño.
Coming back to São Paulo
In January 2016, after almost 10 years, Lugano returned to São Paulo FC in Brazil. He was already a hero there from his earlier time with the club. Nearly 1000 fans welcomed him at the airport!
In January 2018, Lugano decided to stop playing football professionally. He accepted a new job as the director of institutional relations at São Paulo.
International career
Lugano played 95 games for the Uruguay national football team. His first game was in 2003 during a World Cup qualification match. He played for Uruguay in two FIFA World Cups, two Copa América tournaments, and one FIFA Confederations Cup. He was the captain of the team for eight years, starting in May 2006.
During the 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification, Lugano scored his first goal for his country. He scored four goals in total during the qualification games. At the 2010 FIFA World Cup, Lugano led Uruguay to a great fourth-place finish. He also captained Uruguay to victory at the 2011 Copa América, playing in all six games as they became champions.
On June 20, 2013, Lugano scored his ninth goal for Uruguay in a 2–1 win against Nigeria. This was during the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup in Brazil. He also played in the 2014 FIFA World Cup, captaining the team in their first game. However, a knee injury kept him from playing in the rest of the tournament.
After the 2014 World Cup, Lugano was not called up for the national team. He said he had not retired and was still ready to play if needed. However, he was not chosen for the 2015 Copa América squad.
Personal life
Diego Lugano is married to Karina Roncio. They have three children: Nicolás, Thiago, and Bianca. Thiago and Bianca were born in Istanbul, Turkey. Lugano has mentioned that his football heroes are other famous defenders, Hugo de León and Paolo Montero. There is a sports complex in Canelones, Uruguay, named after him, called the Complejo Diego Lugano.
Lugano has family roots from Italy and also holds an Italian passport.
Honours
Nacional
- Uruguayan Primera División: 2000, 2001
São Paulo
- Série A: 2006
- Campeonato Paulista: 2005
- Copa Libertadores: 2005
- FIFA Club World Cup: 2005
Fenerbahçe
- Süper Lig: 2006–07, 2010–11
- Turkish Super Cup: 2007, 2009
Uruguay
Individual
- Campeonato Brasileiro Série A Team of the Year: 2005
Images for kids
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Lugano with Uruguay in 2014
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Lugano playing for Fenerbahçe
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Lugano in action against Austria in 2014
See also
In Spanish: Diego Alfredo Lugano para niños
