Diogo Dalot facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Diogo Dalot

Dalot playing for Manchester United in 2022
Personal information
Full name	José Diogo Dalot Teixeira
Date of birth	(1999-03-18) 18 March 1999 (age 26)
Place of birth	Braga, Portugal
Height	1.83 m (6 ft 0 in)
Position(s)	Full back
Team information
Current team	Manchester United
Number	2
Youth career
2008–2017	Porto
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2017–2018	Porto B	23	(2)
2017–2018	Porto	6	(0)
2018–	Manchester United	139	(3)
2020–2021	→ AC Milan (loan)	21	(1)
International career‡
2014	Portugal U15	2	(0)
2014–2015	Portugal U16	8	(0)
2015–2016	Portugal U17	19	(2)
2016–2017	Portugal U19	15	(0)
2017–2019	Portugal U20	12	(0)
2017–2021	Portugal U21	15	(0)
2021–	Portugal	29	(3)
Medal record Men's football Representing  Portugal UEFA Nations League Winner 2025 Germany UEFA European U21 Championship Runner-up 2021 Hungary–Slovenia UEFA European U19 Championship Runner-up 2017 Georgia UEFA European U17 Championship Winner 2016 Azerbaijan
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 07:47, 26 May 2025 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 23:59, 23 March 2025 (UTC)

José Diogo Dalot Teixeira (born on March 18, 1999) is a professional footballer from Portugal. He plays as a full back for the English club Manchester United. He also plays for the Portugal national team. A full back is a defender who plays on the side of the field. They help defend and also join in attacks.

Dalot started his football journey in the youth system of Porto. He made his first professional appearance for Porto's B team in January 2017. Later, in October 2017, he played his first game for Porto's main team. After playing eight games for Porto, he moved to Manchester United in June 2018. He also spent some time on loan at the Italian club Milan from October 2020 to June 2021.

Diogo Dalot played for Portugal's youth teams from under-15 to under-21 levels. He was part of the under-17 team that won the 2016 UEFA European Under-17 Championship. He made his first appearance for the senior Portugal national team at UEFA Euro 2020.

Club Career Highlights

Starting at Porto

Diogo Dalot was born in Braga, Portugal. He joined Porto's youth academy in 2008 when he was nine years old. On January 28, 2017, he played his first senior game for Porto's B team. He played the full 90 minutes in a match against Leixões.

Dalot played his first competitive game for Porto's main team on October 13, 2017. This was a Taça de Portugal match where Porto won 6–0. He then played his first game in the Primeira Liga (Portugal's top league) on February 18, 2018. He came on as a substitute in a 5–0 win against Rio Ave.

Joining Manchester United

First Seasons in Manchester (2018–2020)

Dalot joined Premier League club Manchester United on June 6, 2018. He signed a five-year contract. His transfer fee was about £19 million. When he arrived, his coach, José Mourinho, said that Dalot was one of the best young right-backs. He played his first game for Manchester United on September 19, 2018. This was a UEFA Champions League match against Young Boys. However, he faced some injuries which limited his playing time.

He made his Premier League debut on December 1, 2018, in a 2–2 draw against Southampton. Even after Mourinho left and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer became the new manager, Dalot was still an important player. He played 23 games that season. He had a memorable game in Paris against Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League. Manchester United made a great comeback in that game. Dalot scored his first goal for United in a 6–0 FA Cup win against Tranmere Rovers.

During his first years at the club, Dalot had several injuries. Also, with the arrival of Aaron Wan-Bissaka, his chances to play became fewer.

Loan to AC Milan (2020–2021)

Because he wasn't playing much at Manchester United, Dalot was loaned to the Italian club Milan for the 2020–21 season. He played his first game for Milan on October 22, starting in a 3–1 win against Celtic in the UEFA Europa League. Seven days later, Dalot scored his first goal for Milan. He also set up a goal for his teammate Rafael Leão in a 3–0 win against Sparta Prague.

He made his Serie A (Italy's top league) debut on November 1. On March 7, 2021, Dalot scored his first Serie A goal in a 2–0 win against Hellas Verona. During his time at Milan, Dalot could play as both a right back and a left back. This made him a key player for the team. Milan finished second in the league and qualified for the 2021–22 UEFA Champions League. He played 33 games, scored two goals, and made three assists. Dalot often said that playing in Italy helped him improve his defending skills.

Return and Breakthrough (2021–2023)

After his loan, Milan wanted to sign Dalot permanently. However, Dalot decided to stay at Manchester United. He impressed the coach, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, during pre-season training. He wanted to compete with Aaron Wan-Bissaka for a starting spot. On September 22, Dalot started his first game of the season. This was a 1–0 loss to West Ham United in the EFL Cup.

Dalot playing for Manchester United during the 2021–22 season

On December 2, Dalot started his first league game under interim manager Michael Carrick. He played very well and helped create the second goal in a 3–2 win against Arsenal. When Ralf Rangnick became interim manager, Dalot became a regular starter. His strong performances helped him keep his place. However, the team's form dropped later in the season. United finished sixth and qualified for the UEFA Europa League.

In the summer, Dalot took his chance to become the main right-back. His attacking play and involvement in the final part of the field impressed new manager Erik ten Hag. Many people praised Dalot as Manchester United's most improved player during the 2022–23 season. On December 20, 2022, the club extended Dalot's contract by one year.

On February 26, 2023, Dalot started in the 2023 EFL Cup final. Manchester United beat Newcastle United 2–0 at Wembley Stadium. This was his first trophy with the club. On April 16, he scored his first Premier League goal in a 2–0 win against Nottingham Forest. On May 31, Dalot signed a new contract with the club until June 30, 2028.

United Players' Player of the Year and FA Cup (2023–2024)

On December 17, 2023, Dalot received his first red card in his career. This happened during a game against Liverpool. He was sent off for arguing with the referee. Despite this, his team managed to draw the game. Throughout the 2023–24 season, Dalot became a very important right-back. He helped both in defense and attack. Because some of his teammates, like Luke Shaw, were injured, he also played as a left-back. He performed very well, especially in the last few months of the season. This led to him being named the club's Players' Player of the Year.

Upcoming Season (2025–2026)

Dalot will wear the number 2 jersey starting from the 2025–26 season. This number was previously worn by Victor Lindelöf.

International Career

Youth Teams

Dalot helped Portugal win the 2016 UEFA European Under-17 Championship. He scored two goals in five games, including one in the final against Spain. In the same year, he helped the under-19 team reach the quarter-finals of their competition.

With the under-19s, Dalot played in the 2017 UEFA European Under-19 Championship. Portugal finished as runner-up, losing to England in the final. Because of his great performances, he was named in the "Team of the Tournament." Dalot also played for Portugal at the 2017 FIFA U-20 World Cup. He started in all matches until the team was knocked out in the quarter-finals.

On November 10, 2017, he played his first game for the Portugal under-21s. This was a 1–1 draw against Romania. In March 2021, Dalot took part in the 2021 UEFA European Under-21 Championship. Portugal finished as runners-up after losing 1–0 to Germany in the final on June 6, 2021.

Senior National Team

On June 13, 2021, Dalot was added to Portugal's squad for UEFA Euro 2020. He replaced João Cancelo, who had to withdraw. He made his debut ten days later in a group game against France, which ended in a 2–2 draw. On June 27, Dalot started his first game for the senior national team. This was a 1–0 loss to Belgium in the round of 16.

In October 2021, he was called up again by Portugal. On October 9, he provided two assists in a 3–0 win against Qatar. One of his assists led to a goal by Cristiano Ronaldo. On September 24, 2022, Dalot scored his first two goals for Portugal. This happened in a 4–0 win against the Czech Republic during the 2022–23 UEFA Nations League.

Dalot was part of Portugal's squad for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar. He started the tournament on the bench. However, he was chosen to start the third group match against South Korea. He assisted Ricardo Horta's opening goal in that game. Dalot also started in the round of 16 game against Switzerland, which Portugal won 6–1. He started again in the quarter-finals against Morocco. Portugal lost 1–0 and was eliminated from the tournament.

On May 21, 2024, Dalot was named in Portugal's squad for UEFA Euro 2024 in Germany. He started the team's first match against Czech Republic. He also played the full 90 minutes in the final group game against Georgia. Portugal lost that match 2–0. Portugal was eliminated in the quarter-finals after losing to France in a penalty shootout.

How Diogo Dalot Plays

Dalot is a strong defender known for his speed and good technique. He is also good at attacking. He can play as a full back or a winger on either side of the field. However, he usually plays on the right side. He is often used as a wing-back on the right. When he plays as a left-back, people praise his hard work and how well he understands defense. He is great at dribbling the ball. He is also known for joining in counter-attacks by making crosses or long passes. His physical strength helps him win aerial duels (when players jump to head the ball).

Career Statistics

Club Appearances and Goals

International Appearances and Goals

Scores and results list Portugal's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Dalot goal.

List of international goals scored by Diogo Dalot

No.	Date	Venue	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition
1	24 September 2022	Fortuna Arena, Prague, Czech Republic	Czech Republic	1–0	4–0	2022–23 UEFA Nations League A
2				3–0
3	5 September 2024	Estádio da Luz, Lisbon, Portugal	Croatia	1–0	2–1	2024–25 UEFA Nations League A

Honours and Awards

Porto

• Primeira Liga: 2017–18 (Portuguese League Champion)

Manchester United

• FA Cup: 2023–24
• EFL Cup: 2022–23
• UEFA Europa League runner-up: 2024–25 (Finished second)

Portugal U17

• UEFA European Under-17 Championship: 2016 (European Champion)

Portugal U19

• UEFA European Under-19 Championship runner-up: 2017 (Finished second)

Portugal U21

• UEFA European Under-21 Championship runner-up: 2021 (Finished second)

Portugal

• UEFA Nations League: 2024–25 (Nations League Champion)

Individual Awards

• UEFA European Under-17 Championship Team of the Tournament: 2016 (Chosen as one of the best players)
• UEFA European Under-19 Championship Team of the Tournament: 2017 (Chosen as one of the best players)
• Manchester United Players' Player of the Year: 2023–24 (Voted best player by his teammates)

See also

In Spanish: Diogo Dalot para niños