Diego Polenta
{{short description|Uruguayan footballer (born 1992)}}
{{family name hatnote|Polenta|Musetti|lang=Spanish}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2024}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = Diego Polenta
| image = CINvLAG 2019-06-22 - Diego Polenta (51167238302) (cropped).jpg
| caption = Polenta with LA Galaxy in 2019
| fullname = Diego Fabián Polenta Musetti
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1992|2|6|df=y}}
| birth_place = Montevideo, Uruguay
| height = 1.85 m
| position = Centre-back
| youthyears1 = | youthclubs1 = Danubio
| youthyears2 = 2008–2011 | youthclubs2 = Genoa
| years1 = 2011–2015 | clubs1 = Genoa | caps1 = 1 | goals1 = 0
| years2 = 2011–2014 | clubs2 = → Bari (loan) | caps2 = 86 | goals2 = 5
| years3 = 2014–2015 | clubs3 = → Nacional (loan) | caps3 = 28 | goals3 = 0
| years4 = 2015–2018 | clubs4 = Nacional | caps4 = 108 | goals4 = 7
| years5 = 2019–2020 | clubs5 = LA Galaxy | caps5 = 32 | goals5 = 1
| years6 = 2020–2021 | clubs6 = Olimpia | caps6 = 25 | goals6 = 1
| years7 = 2021–2022 | clubs7 = Nacional | caps7 = 14 | goals7 = 0
| years8 = 2022–2023 | clubs8 = Cerro Largo | caps8 = 0 | goals8 = 0
| years9 = 2022 | clubs9 = → Unión (loan) | caps9 = 38 | goals9 = 2
| years10 = 2023–2025 | clubs10 = Nacional | caps10 = 28 | goals10 = 2
| nationalyears1 = 2007
| nationalteam1 = Uruguay U15
| nationalcaps1 = 12
| nationalgoals1 = 3
| nationalyears2 = 2008–2009
| nationalteam2 = Uruguay U17
| nationalcaps2 = 20
| nationalgoals2 = 0
| nationalyears3 = 2011
| nationalteam3 = Uruguay U20
| nationalcaps3 = 16
| nationalgoals3 = 3
| nationalyears4 = 2012
| nationalteam4 = Uruguay Olympic
| nationalcaps4 = 1
| nationalgoals4 = 0
| pcupdate = 16 October 2023
| ntupdate =
}}
Diego Fabián Polenta Musetti ({{IPA|es|ˈdjeɣo poˈlenta}}; born 6 February 1992) is a Uruguayan former professional footballer who played as a centre-back.{{cite web|title=D. POLENTA|url=https://us.soccerway.com/players/diego-polenta/103071/|access-date=2 June 2019}}
Polenta has been named in Uruguay's senior team several times, but remained uncapped.{{cite web |url=http://www.goal.com/en-ie/match/uruguay-vs-peru/2161452|title=Uruguay 1-0 Peru|publisher=goal.com |date=30 March 2016 |access-date=11 July 2016}}{{cite web |url=https://www.auf.org.uy/3-diego-polenta/|title=3 - DIEGO POLENTA|publisher=auf.org.uy|date=25 July 2012|access-date=16 July 2019}}
Club career
=Early career=
Born in Montevideo, Uruguay, Polenta started his career on hometown's club Danubio, in youth categories. His abilities impressed the Italian club Genoa, and he was moved to the club in July 2008.
=Genoa C.F.C.=
He spent the whole 2009-10 season with the Primavera team. In the 2010-11 season he was included on the first team squad, with the 35 jersey.
On 30 April 2011, he made his first team debut, against Napoli, after came off the bench to replace Giandomenico Mesto.[https://int.soccerway.com/matches/2011/04/30/italy/serie-a/ssc-napoli/genoa-cfc/990295/ Napoli vs. Genoa 1-0]
=A.S. Bari=
On 29 August 2011, he signed a season-long loan deal with the Serie B club Bari in order to gain first team football experience.{{cite news |url=http://www.ovaciondigital.com.uy/110829/futinter-589830/futbolinternacional/Diego-Polenta-arreglo-con-el-Bari/ |publisher=ovaciondigital.com.uy |title=Diego Polenta arregló con el Bari |access-date=29 August 2011 |date=29 August 2011 |language=es |archive-date=16 March 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130316040304/http://www.ovaciondigital.com.uy/110829/futinter-589830/futbolinternacional/Diego-Polenta-arreglo-con-el-Bari/ |url-status=dead }} After a successful stay that loan deal was extended by one year on 21 August 2012. He stayed with Bari until 2014.
=Nacional=
In 2014 he joined Uruguayan side Nacional originally on loan, winning the Uruguayan Primera División during 2014–15. Where he won Defensive Player Of The Year award for the Uruguayan Primera División. He won his second title in 2016, with the Nacional winning the 2016 Uruguayan Primera División.{{cite web|title=Polenta went inside and the defense settled|url=http://www.referi.uy/polenta-entro-y-se-acomodo-la-defensa-n661684|access-date=19 July 2018|language=es|date=20 July 2016}}
He subsequently became the Captain of Nacional. In July 2017 he won the Torneo Intermedio Final.{{cite web|title=Uruguay's Nacional captain Diego Polenta kisses the trophy|url=https://www.gettyimages.co.uk/detail/news-photo/uruguays-nacional-captain-diego-polenta-kisses-the-trophy-news-photo/815704516#/uruguays-nacional-captain-diego-polenta-kisses-the-trophy-after-the-picture-id815704516|access-date=19 July 2018|language=en|date=16 July 2017}}
In July 2018, with Polenta's contract expiring at Nacional at the end of June 2018, Spanish Newspaper El País, reported that Polenta had received contract offers from Mexican side Club Atlas, Saudi Arabian side Al-Ittihad and English side Leeds United, with the player taking time to consider the proposals.{{cite web|title=Leeds United approach for Diego Polenta detailed, club have 'tried to bet heavily' on the player|url=http://sportwitness.co.uk/leeds-united-approach-diego-polenta-detailed-club-tried-bet-heavily-player/|access-date=21 July 2018|language=en|date=19 July 2017}}
=LA Galaxy=
On 7 February 2019, Polenta joined MLS club LA Galaxy. On April 19 he scored his first goal for the club, a late winner against Houston Dynamo.{{cite web|title=LA Galaxy sign defender Diego Polenta|url=https://www.lagalaxy.com/post/2019/02/07/la-galaxy-sign-defender-diego-polenta|access-date=7 February 2019|language=en|date=7 February 2019}}
On 4 March 2025, Polenta officially announced his retirement from professional football.
International career
He has been capped by the Uruguay national under-17 football team for the 2009 FIFA U-17 World Cup and by the Uruguay national under-20 football team for the 2011 South American Youth Championship and for the 2011 FIFA U-20 World Cup, he captained Uruguay at youth level, he was also named by Manager Óscar Tabárez in the Uruguay U23's for the Uruguay Olympic football team at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, where he played in one game.{{FIFA player|313117}}
He was called up to the Uruguay squad for friendlies against Republic of Ireland and Estonia.{{cite web |url=http://greenscene.me/2011/03/uruguay-squad-for-ireland-friendly-named/|title=Uruguay squad for Ireland friendly named|publisher=Green Scene |date=11 March 2011 |access-date=19 July 2016}} Polenta was named in Uruguay's senior squad for a 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifier against Peru in March 2016.{{cite web |url=http://www.goal.com/en-ie/match/uruguay-vs-peru/2161452|title=Uruguay 1-0 Peru|publisher=goal.com |date=30 March 2016 |access-date=11 July 2016}}
Style Of Play
Mainly a centre back, he can also operate as a left back.
=U20 International goals=
{{International goals header}}
|- bgcolor=#DFE7FF
| 1. || 16 January 2011 || Estadio Monumental Virgen de Chapi, Arequipa, Peru || {{fbu|20|ARG}} || 0–1 || 2–1 || 2011 South American Youth Championship
|- bgcolor=#DFE7FF
| 2. || 22 January 2011 || Estadio Monumental Virgen de Chapi, Arequipa, Peru || {{fbu|20|CHI}} || 0–4 || 0–4 || 2011 South American Youth Championship
|- bgcolor=#DFE7FF
| 3. || 13 July 2011 || Estadio Juan Antonio Lavalleja, Flores, Uruguay || {{fbu|20|GUA}} || 2–0 || 2–0 || Friendly
|}
Honours
;Nacional
Club
Individual
- 2014–15 Uruguayan Primera División season: Defensive Player Of The Year Award
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{Webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110725200404/http://www.genoacfc.it/index.php?option=com_campionato&task=giocatore&giocatore=20110 |title=Profile at Genoa's official website {{in lang|it}} }}
- {{Soccerway|diego-polenta/103071}}
{{Club Nacional de Football squad}}
{{Uruguay Squad 2012 Summer Olympics}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Polenta, Diego}}
Category:Footballers from Montevideo
Category:Uruguayan men's footballers
Category:Uruguayan expatriate men's footballers
Category:Uruguay men's youth international footballers
Category:Uruguay men's under-20 international footballers
Category:Uruguay men's international footballers
Category:Footballers at the 2012 Summer Olympics
Category:Olympic footballers for Uruguay
Category:Men's association football defenders
Category:Club Nacional de Football players
Category:Unión de Santa Fe footballers
Category:Club Olimpia footballers
Category:Uruguayan Primera División players
Category:Paraguayan Primera División players
Category:Argentine Primera División players
Category:Major League Soccer players
Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Italy
Category:Expatriate men's soccer players in the United States
Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Paraguay
Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Argentina
Category:Uruguayan expatriate sportspeople in Italy
Category:Uruguayan expatriate sportspeople in the United States
Category:Uruguayan expatriate sportspeople in Paraguay