Diego Espejo
{{short description|Spanish footballer (born 2002)}}
{{family name hatnote|Espejo|de la Concepción|lang=Spanish}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = Diego Espejo
| image =
| full_name = Diego Espejo de la Concepción
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|2002|8|18|df=y}}
| birth_place = San Cristóbal de La Laguna, Spain
| height = 1.88 m
| position = Defender
| currentclub = Osasuna B
| clubnumber = 18
| youthyears1 =
| youthclubs1 = Tenerife
| youthyears2 = 2016–2022
| youthclubs2 = Atlético Madrid
| years1 = 2022–2024
| clubs1 = Atlético Madrid B
| caps1 = 0
| goals1 = 0
| years2 = 2022–2023
| clubs2 = → Atlético Ottawa (loan)
| caps2 = 49
| goals2 = 2
| years3 = 2024
| clubs3 = → Orihuela (loan)
| caps3 = 13
| goals3 = 3
| years4 = 2024–
| clubs4 = Osasuna B
| caps4 = 24
| goals4 = 2
| nationalyears1 = 2018
| nationalteam1 = Spain U17
| nationalcaps1 = 2
| nationalgoals1 = 0
| club-update = 17 March 2025
| nationalteam-update = 18 April 2022
}}
Diego Espejo de la Concepción (born 18 August 2002) is a Spanish footballer currently playing as a defender for Osasuna B in the Primera Federación.
Early life
Born in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Espejo began playing youth football with local teams in Tranvía and Chincanayro.{{Cite web|url=https://radiomarcatenerife.com/?p=159050|title=Diego Espejo, el tinerfeño del Atlético de Madrid que triunfa en Canadá|date=28 March 2023|trans-title=Diego Espejo, the Atlético de Madrid native from Tenerife who triumphs in Canada|first=Tomás|last=Rodríguez|work=Radio Marca Tenerife}} his youth career with Tenerife.{{cite web|url=https://dabase.com.br/atletico-de-madrid-esp-empresta-jovem-zagueiro-ao-atletico-ottawa-can/|title=Atlético de Madrid-ESP empresta jovem zagueiro ao Atlético Ottawa-CAN|language=es|date=February 24, 2022|first=Vinicius|last=Fernandes|work=DaBase|trans-title=Atletico Madrid-ESP lends young defender to Atlético Ottawa-CAN}}{{Cite web|url=https://northerntribune.ca/atletico-ottawa-espejo-moragrega-loan/|title=Atletico Ottawa Reveals Two International Loans|date=February 22, 2022|work=Northern Tribune|first=John|last=Jacques}} In 2016, he joined the Atlético Madrid youth system.{{cite web|url=https://ottawasun.com/sports/soccer/mls/atletico-ottawa/atletico-ottawa-adds-two-players-on-season-long-loans-from-other-atletico-clubs|title=Atletico Ottawa adds two players on season-long loan from other Atletico clubs|date=February 22, 2022|first=Tim|last=Baines|work=Ottawa Sun}} In 2019, he scored a notable bicycle kick goal in a youth match against Leganés.{{cite web|url=https://www.abc.es/deportes/atletico-madrid/abci-monumental-chilena-diego-espejo-juvenil-atletico-201902141038_noticia.html|title=El monumental gol de chilena de Diego Espejo, juvenil del Atlético|language=es|trans-title=The monumental bicycle kick goal of Diego Espejo, Atlético youth|date=February 14, 2019|work=ABC}}
Club career
In July 2021, he joined Atlético Madrid B in the Tercera División RFEF,{{cite web|url=https://onesoccer.ca/a/atletico-ottawa-welcomes-espejo-loan-with-atleti-roots|title=Ottawa brings on Diego Espejo, Vladimir Moragrega on loan from Atléti family|date=22 February 2022|accessdate=18 April 2022|website=OneSoccer}} where he made a few bench appearances, but did not appear in a match.
In February 2022, he signed a contract extension with Atlético Madrid through, prior to being loaned out to their affiliate club, Atlético Ottawa in the Canadian Premier League for the 2022 season.{{cite web|url=https://www.atleticodemadrid.com/noticias/diego-espejo-renueva-hasta-2024-y-jugara-cedido-en-el-atletico-ottawa-durante-la-temporada-2022|title=Diego Espejo renueva hasta 2024 y jugará cedido en el Atlético Ottawa durante la temporada 2022|trans-title=Diego Espejo renews until 2024 and will play on loan at Atlético Ottawa during the 2022 season|date=22 February 2022|accessdate=18 April 2022|website=Atlético Madrid|language=es}} In 2022, he led the league in headed clearances with 80 and finished second in total clearances with 114.{{cite web|url=https://canpl.ca/article/hard-hard-hard-work-espejo-atletico-ottawa-channelling-parent-club-in-madrid-for-defensive-success|title=‘Hard, hard, hard work’: Espejo & Atlético Ottawa channelling parent club in Madrid for defensive success|date=October 13, 2022|work=Canadian Premier League|first=Charlie|last=O'Connor-Clarke}} After the season, his loan was extended for another year,{{Cite web|url=https://northerntribune.ca/atletico-ottawa-diego-espejo-2023/|title=Atletico Ottawa Extends Espejo Loan|date=December 22, 2022|work=Northern Tribune|first=John|last=Jacques}}{{cite web|url=https://atleticoottawa.canpl.ca/article/spanish-defender-diego-espejo-joins-atletico-ottawa-on-a-second-season-long-loan|title=Spanish defender Diego Espejo joins Atlético Ottawa on a second season-long loan|date=December 22, 2022|work=Atlético Ottawa}} with it also being announced that he would trial with Major League Soccer club Inter Miami CF in January, before joining Ottawa for pre-season.{{cite web|url=https://atleticoottawa.canpl.ca/article/atletico-ottawa-defender-diego-espejo-trains-with-inter-miami|title=Atlético Ottawa defender Diego Espejo trains with Inter Miami|date=January 10, 2023|work=Atlético Ottawa}} Espejo returned to Atlético Madrid B after his season-long loan expired in November 2023.{{Cite web |date=21 November 2023 |title=Atletico Ottawa End-of-Season Roster Update |url=https://atleticoottawa.canpl.ca/article/atletico-ottawa-end-of-season-roster-update|website=Atlético Ottawa}}
In January 2024, Espejo was loaned to Segunda Federación club Orihuela for the remainder of the season.{{cite web|url=https://alicanteplaza.es/el-defensa-diego-espejo-llega-al-orihuela-cedido-por-el-atletico-de-madrid|title=El defensa Diego Espejo llega al Orihuela cedido por el Atlético de Madrid|trans-title=Defender Diego Espejo arrives at Orihuela on loan from Atlético de Madrid|date=23 January 2024|language=es|work=Alicante Plaza}}{{cite web|url=https://www.ondacero.es/emisoras/comunidad-valenciana/vega-baja/audios-podcast/orihuela-llegado-acuerdo-atletico-madrid-cesion-diego-espejo-final-temporada_2024012465b0f5cad8aa250001d84642.html|title=El Orihuela CF ha llegado a un acuerdo con el Atlético de Madrid para la cesión de Diego Espejo hasta final de temporada|trans-title=Orihuela CF has reached an agreement with Atlético de Madrid for the loan of Diego Espejo until the end of the season|date=24 January 2024|work=Onda Cero|language=es}} On 4 February 2024, he scored a brace in a 2-1 victory over El Palo.{{cite web|url=https://activaorihuela.es/un-doblete-de-diego-espejo-da-la-victoria-al-orihuela-cf-en-los-arcos/|title=Un doblete de Diego Espejo da la victoria al Orihuela CF en Los Arcos|trans-title=A double from Diego Espejo gives the victory to Orihuela CF in Los Arcos|date=4 February 2024|work=Activa Orihuela|language=es}}
In August 2024, Espejo joined Osasuna B in the Primera Federación through June 2026, with an option to extend for an additional two seasons.{{cite web|url=https://www.noticiasdenavarra.com/osasuna/2024/08/15/diego-espejo-refuerza-defensa-osasuna-8589235.html|title=Diego Espejo refuerza la defensa de Osasuna Promesas|trans-title=Diego Espejo reinforces Osasuna's defense Promesas|language=es|date=August 15, 2024|work=Diario de Noticias de Navarra}}{{cite web|url=https://northerntribune.ca/espejo-completes-move-from-atletico-madrid-to-osasuna/|title=Espejo Completes Move from Atletico Madrid To Osasuna|date=August 15, 2024|work=Northern Tribune|first=John|last=Jacques}}
International career
In 2016, he was named to the Canary Islands regional U16 team.{{Cite web|url=https://www.infonortedigital.com/portada/deportes/item/52916-la-seleccion-canaria-sub-16-vence-al-cd-tenerife-a-diez-dias-del-campeonato|title=La Selección Canaria Sub-16 vence al CD Tenerife a diez días del Campeonato|date=December 15, 2016|work=Info Norte Digital|language=es|trans-title=The Canarian U-16 National Team beats CD Tenerife ten days before the Championship|first=Mario|last=García de la Santa}} In 2018, he was called up to the Spain U17 team, where he earned two caps.{{cite web|url=https://atleticoottawa.canpl.ca/article/atletico-ottawa-welcomes-espejo-loan-with-atleti-roots|title=Atlético Ottawa welcomes Espejo, loan with Atleti roots|date=22 February 2022|accessdate=18 April 2022|website=Atlético Ottawa}}
Honours
Atlético Ottawa
- Canadian Premier League Regular season: 2022
Career statistics
{{updated|1 June 2024}}{{Soccerway|diergo-espejo-de-la-concepcion/783249}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.lapreferente.com/J275096C13180/atletico-de-madrid-b/espejo.html|title=Diego Espejo Statistics|work=La Preferente}}
| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center" | ||||||||||
| rowspan="2"|Club
!rowspan="2"|Season !colspan="3"|League !colspan="2"|Playoffs !colspan="2"|Domestic Cup !colspan="2"|Other !colspan="2"|Total | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| Atlético Madrid B
|0 | 0 | colspan="2"|– | colspan="2"|– | colspan="2"|– | 0 | 0 | ||||
| rowspan=3|Atlético Ottawa (loan)
|2022 |rowspan=2|Canadian Premier League |25 | 0 | 2Appearance(s) in the CPL playoffs | 0 | 1 | 0 | colspan="2"|– | 28 | 0 | ||
| 2023
|19 | 1 | colspan="2"|– | 2 | 1 | colspan="2"|– | 21 | 2 | |||
| colspan="2" |Total
!44 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 49 | 2 | |
| Orihuela (loan)
|13 | 3 | colspan="2"|– | 0 | 0 | 4Appearance(s) in the Segunda Federación promotion playoffs | 0 | 17 | 3 | ||
| colspan="3" |Career total
!57 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 66 | 5 |
;Notes
{{notelist}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [https://www.lapreferente.com/J275096C13180/atletico-de-madrid-b/espejo.html Diego Espejo] at La Preferente (in Spanish)
- {{Soccerway|diergo-espejo-de-la-concepcion/783249}}
{{CA Osasuna B squad}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Espejo, Diego}}
Category:Footballers from Santa Cruz de Tenerife
Category:Spanish men's footballers
Category:Spain men's youth international footballers
Category:Men's association football defenders
Category:Canadian Premier League players
Category:Atlético Madrid footballers
Category:Atlético Ottawa players
Category:Spanish expatriate men's footballers
Category:Spanish expatriate sportspeople in Canada
Category:Expatriate men's soccer players in Canada