Júnior Díaz (footballer, born 1983) facts for kids
Díaz before a match against Mexico at the 2015 CONCACAF Gold Cup
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Júnior Enrique Díaz Campbell | ||
| Date of birth | 12 September 1983 | ||
| Place of birth | Heredia, Costa Rica | ||
| Height | 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in) | ||
| Position(s) | Left-back | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2003–2007 | Herediano | 129 | (10) |
| 2008–2010 | Wisła Kraków | 66 | (5) |
| 2010–2012 | Club Brugge | 13 | (0) |
| 2011–2012 | → Wisła Kraków (loan) | 20 | (1) |
| 2012–2015 | Mainz 05 | 57 | (2) |
| 2015–2016 | Darmstadt 98 | 12 | (0) |
| 2016–2017 | Würzburger Kickers | 24 | (0) |
| 2017–2019 | Herediano | 49 | (2) |
| 2019–2021 | LD Alajuelense | 58 | (2) |
| International career | |||
| 2002 | Costa Rica U20 | 6 | (0) |
| 2003–2004 | Costa Rica U23 | 17 | (4) |
| 2003–2016 | Costa Rica | 81 | (1) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Júnior Enrique Díaz Campbell is a former professional footballer from Costa Rica. He was born on September 12, 1983. Júnior played as a left-back, which is a defensive position on the left side of the field. He was also a key player for the Costa Rica national team. At the 2014 FIFA World Cup, FIFA, the world's football governing body, named him the fastest player. He reached an amazing top speed of 33.8 kilometers per hour!
Contents
Playing for Clubs
Júnior Díaz began his football journey in his hometown of Heredia, Costa Rica. He started playing for a local team called Herediano. In January 2008, he moved to Europe to join a Polish team, Wisła Kraków.
Later, in September 2010, Júnior moved to a Belgian club called Club Brugge. After that, in the summer of 2012, he joined a German team, FSV Mainz, which plays in the top German league, the Bundesliga.
In 2015, after three years with Mainz, Díaz joined Darmstadt 98. This team had just been promoted to the Bundesliga for the 2015–16 season.
Playing for His Country
Júnior Díaz first played for the Costa Rica national team in a friendly match against China. This happened on September 7, 2003. He also played in the Copa América 2004 tournament.
In 2005, Díaz played in all four matches when Costa Rica won the UNCAF Nations Cup 2005 tournament. He also appeared in one match at the 2005 CONCACAF Gold Cup finals.
Júnior was part of the Costa Rica team that went to the 2004 Olympics in Athens. Ten years later, he was a member of the squad that made it to the quarterfinals at the 2014 FIFA World Cup. This was a huge achievement for Costa Rica!
He played a very important role in the team's victory against Italy. He sent a perfect cross, which is a pass across the field, to Bryan Ruiz. Bryan then scored the only goal of the match with a header. Júnior later said that he was sure many people would remember his career for that one important cross.
About His Family
Júnior Díaz's father, Enrique Díaz, was also a famous international footballer for Costa Rica. His mother is Yamileth Campbell. His parents divorced when Júnior was 12 years old. He has two brothers named Jefferson and Reydel.
International Goals
Here are the goals Júnior Díaz scored for the Costa Rica national team:
| No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 15 October 2008 | Estadio Ricardo Saprissa, San José, Costa Rica |  Haiti |
1–0 | 2–0 | 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification |
Awards and Achievements
With Wisła Kraków
- Ekstraklasa (Polish League): 2007–08, 2008–09, 2010–11
With Alajuelense
- Liga FPD (Costa Rican League): Apertura 2020
- CONCACAF League: 2018, 2020
With Costa Rica National Team
- UNCAF Nations Cup: 2005
See also
In Spanish: Júnior Díaz para niños
