Marcelo Díaz facts for kids
Díaz in 2023
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| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||
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| Full name | Marcelo Alfonso Díaz Rojas | |||||||||||||||
| Date of birth | 30 December 1986 | |||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Santiago, Chile | |||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.65 m (5 ft 5 in) | |||||||||||||||
| Position(s) | Central midfielder | |||||||||||||||
| Team information | ||||||||||||||||
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Current team
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Universidad de Chile | |||||||||||||||
| Number | 21 | |||||||||||||||
| Youth career | ||||||||||||||||
| 2002–2005 | Universidad de Chile | |||||||||||||||
| Senior career* | ||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | |||||||||||||
| 2005–2012 | Universidad de Chile | 164 | (4) | |||||||||||||
| 2010 | → Deportes La Serena (loan) | 13 | (5) | |||||||||||||
| 2012–2015 | Basel | 58 | (7) | |||||||||||||
| 2015 | Hamburger SV | 19 | (1) | |||||||||||||
| 2016–2017 | Celta Vigo | 40 | (1) | |||||||||||||
| 2017–2018 | Pumas UNAM | 31 | (5) | |||||||||||||
| 2018–2021 | Racing Club | 36 | (1) | |||||||||||||
| 2021–2022 | Libertad | 21 | (0) | |||||||||||||
| 2023 | Audax Italiano | 21 | (0) | |||||||||||||
| 2024– | Universidad de Chile | 43 | (0) | |||||||||||||
| International career‡ | ||||||||||||||||
| 2005 | Chile U20 | 7 | (0) | |||||||||||||
| 2011–2025 | Chile | 62 | (1) | |||||||||||||
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Medal record
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| *Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 12 July 2025 ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 8 February 2025 |
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Marcelo Alfonso Díaz Rojas (born on December 30, 1986) is a Chilean professional footballer. He plays as a central midfielder for Chilean Primera División team Universidad de Chile.
Díaz grew up in the Universidad de Chile youth academy. He joined the main team in 2004 when he was 18. He played over 150 games for the club. He helped them win five titles, including three national championships in a row. He also helped them win the 2011 Copa Sudamericana, which was the club's first international title. In 2012, he moved to the Swiss team Basel. There, he won two league titles in a row. Later, he joined Hamburger SV in 2015.
Díaz has played over 60 games for the Chile national team since 2011. He played for Chile in the 2014 FIFA World Cup. He also played in the 2015 Copa América, which Chile won. He was even named in the "Team of the Tournament" for that event.
People sometimes call Díaz "South American Xavi". This is because both players are very good at controlling the ball and passing it. In June 2015, he scored a goal from a free-kick in the 91st minute. This goal helped Hamburger SV avoid being moved down to a lower league. Many people think it was one of the most important goals in the club's long history.
Contents
Club Career
Starting Out at Universidad de Chile
Díaz started his football journey at the Universidad de Chile youth academy. He was quickly accepted by the coach, Jorge Cabrera. Díaz felt lucky to join the club because he was a quiet player. He moved up through all the youth teams, mostly playing as a playmaker.
He joined the main team in 2004 when he was 18. He played his first professional game in 2005. In 2008, he scored his first goal for Universidad de Chile. He played many games that year. Later, a new coach, Sergio Markarián, used him as a left back instead of an attacking midfielder.
In 2009, he won his first title with the club, the Apertura Tournament. The team won by beating Unión Española in the final. In 2010, he was loaned to Deportes La Serena. There, he played as an attacking midfielder again and scored five goals.
Becoming a Key Player
In 2011, Díaz returned to Universidad de Chile. The new coach, Jorge Sampaoli, wanted him on the team. Díaz started as a substitute but soon became a regular player. He scored a great free-kick goal in a big 7–1 win.
After a teammate left, Díaz took over his position as a central midfielder with a more defensive role. He played very well in both the local league and the 2011 Copa Sudamericana. His strong performances caught the attention of the national team coach.
In the Copa Sudamericana, Universidad de Chile made history by beating Flamengo 4–0 away from home. Díaz scored the only goal in the return game, helping his team win. He was often named "man of the match" in important games.
His team reached the Copa Sudamericana final against LDU Quito. Díaz played a big part in their 3–0 win, helping them become champions. Many people compared Universidad de Chile to Barcelona and Díaz to Xavi. That year, Universidad de Chile won three titles, and Díaz was one of their most important players.
In 2012, Díaz decided to stay with Universidad de Chile to play in the 2012 Copa Libertadores. He continued to play well, scoring goals and making assists. On May 9, 2012, it was announced that he would join Swiss Super League team Basel.
Playing in Europe: FC Basel
After winning another title with Universidad de Chile, Díaz moved to Basel in Switzerland in the summer of 2012. He signed a four-year contract. He played his first game for Basel on July 17, 2012, in a Champions League qualifying match. He scored his first goal for Basel from a free-kick a few days later.
At the end of the 2012–13 season, he helped Basel win the league championship. They also reached the final of the 2012–13 Swiss Cup, but lost. In European competitions, Basel did well, reaching the semi-finals of the 2012–13 UEFA Europa League.
In the 2013–14 season, Díaz won his second league championship with Basel. They also reached the final of the Swiss Cup again but lost.
The 2014–15 season was not as good for Díaz. Even though Basel won the championship and played in the Champions League, Díaz did not play as much. Because of this, he left the club in February 2015. He played 118 games for Basel and scored 15 goals.
Hamburger SV
On February 2, 2015, Díaz joined the German club Hamburger SV. On June 1, 2015, he scored his first goal for the club. This goal was in a special play-off game to avoid being moved down to a lower league. His free-kick goal in the 91st minute helped save Hamburg from being relegated for the first time ever. Many fans remember this as one of the most important goals in the club's history.
Celta de Vigo
In January 2016, Díaz moved to the Spanish team Celta de Vigo. He scored his first goal for them on April 16, 2017. He left Celta de Vigo in August 2017.
Later Career
After leaving Celta de Vigo, Díaz signed with Liga MX team Pumas UNAM in Mexico. He then moved to Racing Club in Argentina in 2018, where he won the Superliga Argentina in 2019. In June 2021, he joined Libertad in Paraguay, winning the Paraguayan Primera División Apertura in 2022. In 2023, he played for Audax Italiano before returning to his first club, Universidad de Chile, in 2024.
International Career
Youth Team
In January 2005, when he was 19, Díaz was chosen to play for the Chile U20 team in the 2005 South American Youth Championship. He also made the squad for the 2005 FIFA World Youth Championship, but he did not play in that tournament.
Senior National Team
Six years later, in September 2011, Díaz was called up to the Chile senior team. He made his official debut for Chile on November 11, 2011. He continued to play well in World Cup qualifying games, helping Chile win.
Winning the Copa América
Díaz played in all six matches of the 2015 Copa América. He helped Chile win their first major international trophy by beating Argentina in a penalty shootout. Because of his great performances, he was chosen for the "Team of the Tournament". He also helped Chile win the 2016 Copa América the following year.
Personal Life
Marcelo Díaz studied to become a football manager. He graduated from the National Institute of Football, Sports and Physical Activity of Chile in December 2024.
Career Statistics
Club Summary
| Club | Years | Appearances | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Universidad de Chile | 2005–2012, 2024– | 224 | 8 |
| Deportes La Serena (loan) | 2010 | 13 | 5 |
| Basel | 2012–2015 | 99 | 9 |
| Hamburger SV | 2015–2016 | 20 | 1 |
| Celta Vigo | 2016–2017 | 55 | 2 |
| Pumas UNAM | 2017–2018 | 33 | 4 |
| Racing Club | 2018–2021 | 46 | 1 |
| Libertad | 2021–2022 | 25 | 0 |
| Audax Italiano | 2023 | 30 | 0 |
| Career total | 553 | 32 | |
International Summary
| National team | Years | Appearances | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chile | 2011–2025 | 62 | 1 |
- Scores and results list Chile's goal tally first.
| # | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 30 May 2014 | Estadio Nacional Julio Martínez Prádanos, Santiago, Chile |  Egypt |
1–2 | 3–2 | Friendly |
Honours
Universidad de Chile
- Chilean Primera División: 2009 Apertura, 2011 Apertura, 2011 Clausura, 2012 Apertura
- Copa Sudamericana: 2011
Basel
- Swiss Super League: 2012–13, 2013–14
- Swiss Cup runner-up: 2012–13, 2013–14
Racing Club
- Superliga Argentina: 2018–19
- Trofeo de Campeones: 2019
Libertad
- Paraguayan Primera División: 2022 Apertura
Chile
- Copa América: 2015, 2016
- FIFA Confederations Cup runner-up: 2017
- Copa del Pacífico [es]: 2012 [es]
Individual
- Primera División de Chile Team of the Season : 2011
- Copa América Team of the Tournament: 2015.
Images for kids
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Díaz in 2023
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Díaz playing for Universidad de Chile in 2012.
See also
In Spanish: Marcelo Díaz (futbolista) para niños
