Ángel Di María

Ángel Fabián Di María, born 14 February 1988 in Rosario, is an Argentine professional footballer who plays as a right winger or attacking midfielder and captains Rosario Central in the Argentine Primera División. His dribbling and playmaking skills have earned him a reputation as one of the finest players of his generation and among Argentina's all-time greats. He holds the record as the top Argentine assist provider in UEFA Champions League history, with 41 assists (second overall in the competition), and is Paris Saint-Germain’s all-time leader in assists with 112.

He also belongs to the exclusive group of players who have made more than 1,000 senior appearances. Di María started his professional career at Rosario Central, but his first major breakthrough came after joining Benfica in 2007 at age 19. With Benfica, he won the Primeira Liga—the club’s first league title in five years—along with two Taça da Liga trophies. In 2010, he moved to Real Madrid for €25 million, where he claimed the 2011–12 La Liga title and the 2013–14 Champions League, among other honors.

That year, he was named to the FIFPRO Men’s World 11 and the UEFA Team of the Year. After a falling-out with Real Madrid’s board, he signed for Manchester United in 2014 for a then-British record £59.7 million (€75.6 million) and took the iconic number 7 shirt. He spent only one season in England before joining PSG in 2015. In his debut campaign, he scored the winning goal in the 2016 Coupe de la Ligue final and set a Ligue 1 record with 18 assists in a season, as PSG completed a domestic treble and he won the first of five French league titles.

During the 2017–18 season, he was the top scorer in the Coupe de France as PSG won that cup. In 2019–20, he played a key role in PSG’s Ligue 1 title win and their run to a first Champions League final, finishing as the top assist provider in both Ligue 1 and the Champions League. He scored 92 goals for PSG, making him one of the club’s top scorers. After leaving PSG in 2022, he played for Juventus, rejoined Benfica in 2023, and returned to Rosario Central in 2025, winning the Primera División in his first season back.

Internationally, Di María debuted for Argentina in 2008. At the 2008 Olympic Games, he scored the winning goal in the final against Nigeria, securing Argentina’s second consecutive Olympic gold in football. He has earned 145 caps and appeared in ten major tournaments, including four FIFA World Cups. He helped Argentina reach the 2014 World Cup final and win the 2022 World Cup, scoring the second goal in that final.

He was also part of Argentina squads that reached four Copa América finals—in 2015, 2016, 2021, and 2024—winning the latter two. In the 2021 final, he scored the only goal, giving Argentina its first trophy in 28 years. He retired from the national team after winning the 2024 Copa América final. Di María was born in Rosario, the third of three children of Miguel di María and Diana Hernandez, and grew up in Perdriel.

As a baby, he was unusually active, and on a doctor’s advice, he started playing football at age three. He helped his parents at their local coal yard alongside his two sisters, Vanesa and Evelyn. His family’s low income made it hard to buy football boots and support his hobby. He describes himself as a “family man” and has used much of his salary to support his family. After his transfer to Benfica, he asked his father to stop working and bought a house for his parents and sisters.

At age four, Di María joined Rosario Central. Because he had already committed to playing for his local club, Torito, 35 footballs were given as compensation. He made his professional debut on 14 December 2005 in Rosario’s final Apertura match, a 2–2 draw away to Independiente, replacing Emiliano Vecchio. He scored his first goal on 24 November 2006 in the following season’s Apertura, a 4–2 home win over Quilmes, a minute after coming on for Leonardo Borzani at half-time.

After the 2007 FIFA U-20 World Cup in Canada, Boca Juniors bid US$6.5 million for him. Arsenal also approached him, but the move fell through because of the UK’s strict work permit rules for non-EU players. Benfica Di María joined Benfica in July 2007 as a winger, signed to replace the departing captain Simão, who had moved to Atlético Madrid. Benfica paid Rosario Central €6 million for 80% of his sports rights and 50% of Andrés Díaz’s rights. In August 2008, they paid an extra €2 million for the remaining 20%, but then sold 10% to GestiFute.

His breakthrough came in the 2009–10 season under manager Jorge Jesus. On 22 October, in a Europa League group match against Everton, he provided a hat-trick of assists in a 5–0 win at the Estádio da Luz—the heaviest defeat of an English side in a European competition. That month, he signed a new contract with Benfica, extending it until 30 June 2015 with a minimum release fee of €40 million. Diego Maradona later called him “Argentina’s next superstar.” He scored a brace in a 2–1 home win over AEK Athens to secure Benfica’s qualification as group winners.