Hugo Díaz (footballer, born 1997)

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Hugo Díaz

| image =

| image_size =

| alt =

| caption = Diaz with Leeds United in 2018

| full_name = Hugo Díaz Rodríguez{{Cite web |title=Club list of registered players: As at 19th May 2018: Leeds United |url=https://www.efl.com/siteassets/efl-documents/efl-professional-retain-list--free-transfers---2017-18.pdf |access-date=17 June 2018 |publisher=English Football League |page=21 }}

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1997|2|09|df=y}}

| birth_place = A Coruña, Spain

| height = 1.84 m

| position = Centre-back, defensive midfielder

| currentclub = Gimnástica Segoviana

| clubnumber = 8

| youthyears1 = {{0|0000}}–2016

| youthclubs1 = Deportivo La Coruña

| youthyears2 = 2017–2018

| youthclubs2 = Leeds United

| years1 = 2015–2017

| clubs1 = Deportivo B

| caps1 = 8

| goals1 = 1

| years2 = 2017

| clubs2 = → Silva (loan)

| caps2 = 14

| goals2 = 1

| years3 = 2017–2019

| clubs3 = Leeds United

| caps3 = 1

| goals3 = 0

| years4 = 2019–2020

| clubs4 = Getafe B

| caps4 = 26

| goals4 = 2

| years5 = 2020–2021

| clubs5 = Korona Kielce

| caps5 = 10

| goals5 = 0

| years6 = 2021–2022

| clubs6 = Salamanca

| caps6 = 12

| goals6 = 0

| years7 = 2022

| clubs7 = Bergantiños

| caps7 = 14

| goals7 = 0

| years8 = 2022–

| clubs8 = Gimnástica Segoviana

| caps8 = 72

| goals8 = 14

| medaltemplates =

| club-update = 18 March 2025

| nationalteam-update =

}}

Hugo Díaz Rodríguez{{family name footnote|lang=Spanish|Díaz|Rodríguez}} (born 9 February 1997), known as Hugo Díaz ({{IPA|es|ˈuɣo ˈði.aθ}}{{efn|In isolation, Díaz is pronounced {{IPA|es|ˈdi.aθ|}}.}}), is a Spanish professional footballer who plays a centre back for Gimnástica Segoviana. He can also play as a defensive midfielder.

Club career

=Early career=

Díaz started his career at Deportivo La Coruña youth academy,[https://www.lavozdegalicia.es/noticia/torremarathon/2019/08/15/hugo-diaz-sueno-nino-jugar-depor-riazor/00031565899754007117207.htm Hugo Díaz: «Mi sueño desde niño es jugar con el Dépor en Riazor»] lavozdegalicia.es graduating to Depor Juvenil A and then the Deportivo de La Coruña B team, in January 2017 he then had a loan spell at A Coruña based team Silva SD.{{Cite news |date=31 January 2018 |title=new player of Silva 16-17 |work=Silva SD Official Site |url=https://translate.google.co.uk/translate?hl=en&sl=es&u=http://clubsilva.com/hugo-diaz-nuevo-jugador-del-silva1617/&prev=search}}

=Leeds United=

On 18 August 2017, he joined Leeds United from Deportivo,{{Cite web |date=1 September 2017 |title=U23s boosted by summer signing |url=https://www.leedsunited.com/news/team-news/22269/u23s-boosted-by-summer-signings |access-date=11 January 2018 |publisher=Leeds United F.C.}} initially linking up with the Leeds Under 23s squad.{{Cite news |date=20 August 2017 |title=Preston North End 3–1 Leeds United |work=Ninety Minutes Online |url=https://ninetyminutesonline.com/leeds-add-another-spaniard-ranks-player-confirms-social-media/ }}{{Dead link|date=August 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} In the Under 23s he formed a central defence partnership with Paudie O'Connor.{{citation needed|date=April 2022}}

On 10 April 2018, after an injury crisis to Leeds' first team defenders, Díaz was promoted to Leeds' first team and named as a substitute in their EFL Championship game against Preston North End.{{Cite news |date=10 April 2018 |title=Preston North End 3–1 Leeds United |publisher=Sky Sports |url=http://www.skysports.com/football/preston-vs-leeds/report/375118}} Díaz made his debut for Leeds in the same game coming on early in the second half for injured centre back Pontus Jansson, partnering his usual Under 23 teammate Paudie O'Connor for the first team in a 1–3 loss.{{Cite web |date=10 April 2018 |title=Preston North End 3–1 Leeds United |url=https://www.leedsunited.com/news/team-news/23251/report-preston-north-end-3-1-leeds-united |publisher=Leeds United F.C.}} On 8 May, he was named in Leeds' first team squad by Head Coach Paul Heckingbottom for their post season friendlies tour to Myanmar.{{Cite web |last=Hay |first=Phil |date=8 May 2018 |title=Saiz features but academy players make up the numbers in Leeds United's Myanmar squad |url=https://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/sport/football/leeds-united/saiz-features-but-academy-players-make-up-the-numbers-in-leeds-united-s-myanmar-squad-1-9153612 |website=Yorkshire Evening Post |language=English}}

He featured in Leeds' first team during the 2018/19 pre season under new head coach Marcelo Bielsa. He made his first appearance for Leeds' first team of pre-season in the friendly match 1–1 draw against York City on 20 July 2018{{Cite web |date=20 July 2018 |title=Ronaldo Vieira: Everyone is feeling fit |url=https://www.leedsunited.com/news/team-news/23543/ronaldo-vieira-everyone-is-feeling-fit |publisher=Leeds United F.C.}}{{Cite web |date=19 July 2018 |title=Report: York City 1–1 Leeds United |url=https://www.leedsunited.com/news/team-news/23540/report-york-city |publisher=Leeds United F.C.}}

He was named in the first team squad again on 6 January 2019, when he was an unused subsistute during a 2–1 defeat to Queens Park Rangers in the third round of the FA Cup.{{Cite web |date=6 January 2019 |title=QPR 2–1 Leeds United |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/46713169 |access-date=6 January 2019 |publisher=BBC Sport}}

Díaz captained the Leeds United 23s side over the course of the 2018/19 season,{{Cite news |date=12 March 2019 |title='True leader' – Leeds under-23 captain Hugo Diaz impresses the fans once again |publisher=The Boot Room |url=https://tbrfootball.com/true-leader-leeds-under-23-captain-hugo-diaz-impresses-the-fans-once-again/ |access-date=1 June 2019}} that won the PDL Northern League 2018/19 Season by winning the league, they then became the national Professional Development League Champions by beating Birmingham City in the final.{{Cite news |date=7 May 2019 |title=Carlos Corberan on what the future can hold for Leeds United's PDL champions |work=Yorkshire Evening Post |url=https://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/sport/football/leeds-united/leeds-united-latest/carlos-corberan-on-what-the-future-can-hold-for-leeds-united-s-pdl-champions-1-9754577 |access-date=15 May 2019}}

On 22 June 2019, Díaz announced on his Twitter page that the club had released him.{{Cite news |date=22 June 2019 |title=Hugo Diaz confirms Leeds United departure with heartfelt message |work=Yorkshire Evening Post |url=https://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/sport/football/leeds-united/leeds-united-latest/hugo-diaz-confirms-leeds-united-departure-with-heartfelt-message-1-9833195 |access-date=3 July 2019}}

=Getafe=

On 25 July 2019, Díaz joined La Liga side Getafe CF on a free transfer from Leeds United,{{Cite news |date=25 July 2019 |title=Hugo Diaz seals move to Spanish Europa League contenders following Leeds United release |work=Yorkshire Evening Post |url=https://www.leeds-live.co.uk/sport/leeds-united/leeds-united-transfer-hugo-diaz-16645500 |access-date=25 July 2019}} being assigned to the B-team in Segunda División B. Diaz was released by Getafe CF in July 2020{{Cite web|url=https://tbrfootball.com/where-are-they-now-the-20-players-victor-orta-signed-in-his-first-leeds-united-transfer-window/|title = Where are they now? The 20 players Victor Orta signed in his first Leeds United transfer window|date = 12 November 2020}}

=Korona Kielce=

On 13 November 2020, Díaz was signed by I liga side Korona Kielce{{Cite web|url=https://www.hitc.com/en-gb/2020/11/13/club-confirm-arrival-of-youngster-bielsa-let-go-joins-two-leeds-teammates/|title = Club confirm arrival of youngster Bielsa let go; joins two Leeds teammates|date = 13 November 2020}}

Career statistics

rowspan="2"\|Club !rowspan="2"\|Season !colspan="3"\|League !colspan="2"\|National cup !colspan="2"\|League cup !colspan="2"\|Other !colspan="2"\|Total
class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" \|+ Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Division	Apps	Goals !Apps	Goals !Apps	Goals !Apps	Goals !Apps	Goals
Leeds United \|2017–18{{soccerbase season\|111639\|2018\|Hugo Diaz\|accessdate=17 June 2018}} \|Championship \|1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	0
Korona Kielce \|2020–21 \|I liga \|10	0	colspan=2\|—	colspan=2\|—	colspan=2\|—	10	0
colspan="3"\|Career total !11	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	11	0