Luis Díaz (Costa Rican footballer)
{{short description|Costa Rican football player (born 1998)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2024}}
{{family name hatnote|Díaz|Espinoza|lang=Spanish}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = Luis Díaz
| image = Diaz Luis Columbus Crew SC Meet the Team 2019.jpg
| caption = Diaz with Columbus Crew in 2019
| fullname = Luis Mario Díaz Espinoza
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1998|12|6|df=y}}
| birth_place = Nicoya, Costa Rica
| height = {{height|m=1.80}}
| position = Winger
| currentclub = New England Revolution
| clubnumber = 11
| youthyears1 = 2005–2016
| youthclubs1 = A.D. Guanacasteca
| youthyears2 = 2016
| youthclubs2 = Grecia
| years1 = 2016–2018
| clubs1 = Grecia
| caps1 = 45
| goals1 = 2
| years2 = 2019
| clubs2 = Herediano
| caps2 = 19
| goals2 = 1
| years3 = 2019–2023
| clubs3 = Columbus Crew
| caps3 = 88
| goals3 = 6
| years4 = 2023
| clubs4 = Columbus Crew 2
| caps4 = 2
| goals4 = 0
| years5 = 2023
| clubs5 = Colorado Rapids
| caps5 = 3
| goals5 = 0
| clubs6 = Deportivo Saprissa
| caps6 = 17
| goals6 = 1
| years6 = 2024–2025
| clubs7 = New England Revolution
| caps7 = 0
| goals7 = 0
| years7 = 2025–
| nationalyears1 = 2017–2018
| nationalteam1 = Costa Rica U20
| nationalcaps1 =
| nationalgoals1 =
| nationalyears2 = 2021
| nationalteam2 = Costa Rica U23
| nationalcaps2 = 3
| nationalgoals2 = 0
| nationalyears3 = 2019–
| nationalteam3 = Costa Rica
| nationalcaps3 = 8
| nationalgoals3 = 0
| medaltemplates =
| club-update = 20:26, 2 January 2025 (UTC)
| nationalteam-update = 00:39, 29 November 2022 (UTC)
}}
Luis Mario Díaz Espinoza (born 6 December 1998) is a Costa Rican professional footballer who plays as a winger for New England Revolution of Major League Soccer and the Costa Rica national team.{{cite web | title=New England Revolution sign winger Luis Díaz | website=mlssoccer | date=January 2, 2025 | url=https://www.mlssoccer.com/news/new-england-revolution-sign-winger-luis-diaz | access-date=January 2, 2025}}
Career
Díaz started his career in the academy of his local team, A.D. Guanacasteca at the age of five, remaining with the academy until he was 17. In 2016, he attended a tournament with Guanacasteca in which he was noticed by Municipal Grecia, where he was subsequently signed.{{Cite web |title=Los tres jugadores que el Saprissa llamó, pero estaban firmados por Herediano |url=https://www.nacion.com/puro-deporte/futbol-nacional/los-tres-jugadores-que-el-saprissa-llamo-pero/BSW4QFDQ7BEVVBADZAZY52QEVI/story/ |access-date=2022-11-29 |website=La Nación |date=26 April 2018 |language=es}} In the 2016–17 season, he and Grecia earned promotion to Liga FPD, the first division of Costa Rican football.{{Cite web|url=http://everardoherrera.com/index.php/73-futbol-costa-rica/31410-el-municipal-grecia-es-campeon-y-asciende-a-la-primera-division|title=VIDEOS: El Municipal Grecia es campeón y asciende a la primera división|website=everardoherrera.com|access-date=5 July 2019}} Over the summer of 2018, Díaz was the subject of transfer rumors from Herediano;{{cite web|last=Ramirez|first=Wender|url=http://www.mariosegura.com/luis-diaz-deja-grecia-para-iniciar-su-aventura-en-herediano/|title=Luis Díaz deja Grecia para iniciar su aventura en Herediano|website=MarioSegura.com|access-date=22 July 2019|date=23 November 2018|language=Spanish|trans-title=Luis Díaz leaves Grecia to begin his adventure in Herediano}} he would officially join Herediano for the 2019 Clausura.{{cite web |date=2 January 2019 |title=Luis Díaz formará parte del Club Sport Herediano |url=http://herediano.com/luis-diaz-formara-parte-del-club-sport-herediano/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201214225622/https://herediano.com/luis-diaz-formara-parte-del-club-sport-herediano/ |archive-date=2020-12-14 |access-date=5 July 2019 |website=Club Sport Herediano |language=es}} On July 2, 2019, it was announced that Díaz had been transferred to Major League Soccer club Columbus Crew SC for $1 million, and would join the club as a Young Designated Player.{{Cite web|url=https://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2019/07/02/columbus-crew-sign-costa-rican-midfielder-luis-diaz-young-dp-deal|title=Crew Sign Luis Diaz|website=Major League Soccer|date=2 July 2019}}{{Cite web|last=Myers|first=Jacob|title=Columbus Crew signs Costa Rica winger Luis Diaz on $1 million transfer fee|url=https://www.dispatch.com/sports/20190702/columbus-crew-signs-costa-rica-winger-luis-diaz-on-1-million-transfer-fee|access-date=2021-08-05|website=The Columbus Dispatch|language=en}}
Díaz made his Columbus debut on July 17 against the Chicago Fire.{{Cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/soccer/lineups?gameId=533161|title=Chicago Fire vs. Columbus Crew SC – Football Match Line-Ups – July 17, 2019 – ESPN|website=ESPN.com|language=en|access-date=18 July 2019}} Coming on in the 65th minute for Eduardo Sosa, Díaz assisted fellow debutant Romario Williams in scoring a 90th-minute equalizer as part of a 2–2 draw. He was named to the team of the week for his efforts in a 3–1 victory against Atlanta United.{{Cite web |last=Rodriguez |first=Alicia |date=2019-09-16 |title=Team of the Week presented by Audi: Carles Gil hustles to the top in Week 28 |url=https://www.mlssoccer.com/news/team-week-presented-audi-carles-gil-hustles-top-week-28 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230626063513/https://www.mlssoccer.com/news/team-week-presented-audi-carles-gil-hustles-top-week-28 |archive-date=2023-06-26 |access-date=2023-06-26 |website=mlssoccer |language=en}} He went on to finish the 2019 season making 13 appearances along with two goals and four assists.{{Cite web|title=Costa Rica – L. Díaz – Profile with news, career statistics and history – Soccerway|url=https://int.soccerway.com/players/luis-mario-diaz-espinoza/507369/|access-date=16 December 2020|website=int.soccerway.com}} During the 2020 season, Diaz was part of the Columbus team that won the 2020 MLS Cup, making a total of 25 appearances for the club.{{Cite magazine|last=Straus|first=Brian|title=Resilient at Their Core, Crew Are Fitting MLS Cup Champions in 2020|url=https://www.si.com/soccer/2020/12/13/columbus-crew-mls-cup-resilience-zelarayan-porter-seattle|access-date=16 December 2020|magazine=Sports Illustrated|date=13 December 2020 |language=en-us}} Though Díaz was in and out of the starting lineup throughout the season, he started three out of four of the club's playoff games, including the final in which Columbus beat Seattle Sounders FC 3–0.
During the 2021 season, Díaz had a promising start, featuring in all of the first eleven games, starting ten, including in the CONCACAF Champions League. He scored his first goal in the new season against Toronto FC on 29 May, his first for the club since September 2019.{{Cite web |last=Myers |first=Jacob |date=2021-05-29 |title=Columbus Crew rides two early goals from Diaz and Zardes to 2–1 win against Toronto FC |url=https://www.dispatch.com/story/sports/2021/05/29/early-goals-diaz-and-zardes-carry-crew-win-against-toronto-fc/5264775001/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230626073245/https://www.dispatch.com/story/sports/2021/05/29/early-goals-diaz-and-zardes-carry-crew-win-against-toronto-fc/5264775001/ |archive-date=2023-06-26 |access-date=2023-06-26 |website=The Columbus Dispatch |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |title=Luis Díaz 2019 Match Logs |url=https://fbref.com/en/players/1c9838aa/matchlogs/2019/Luis-Diaz-Match-Logs |access-date=2023-06-26 |website=FBref.com |language=en}} However, an injury on national team duty led to his withdrawal from the squad,{{Cite web |last=Escobar |first=Gina |date=2021-06-02 |title=Díaz y Sequeira son bajas en la Tricolor |url=https://www.fcrf.cr/2021/06/02/diaz-y-sequeira-son-bajas-en-la-tricolor/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230626072648/https://www.fedefutbol.com/2021/06/02/diaz-y-sequeira-son-bajas-en-la-tricolor/ |archive-date=2023-06-26 |access-date=2023-06-26 |website=fedefutbol.com |language=es}} and caused him to miss three straight games for Columbus.{{Cite web |date=2023-06-26 |title=Luis Díaz 2021 Match Logs |url=https://fbref.com/en/players/1c9838aa/matchlogs/2021/Luis-Diaz-Match-Logs |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230626073512/https://fbref.com/en/players/1c9838aa/matchlogs/2021/Luis-Diaz-Match-Logs |archive-date=2023-06-26 |access-date=2023-06-26 |website=FBref.com |language=en}}{{Cite web |last= |title=Luis Díaz {{!}} Columbus Crew |url=https://www.columbuscrew.com/players/luis-diaz/match-log/ |access-date=2023-06-26 |website=ColumbusCrew.com |language=en}} After returning in time for the unveiling of Columbus' new stadium, Díaz participated in the Gold Cup with Costa Rica, resulting in his absence from the following four league games. Upon his return from the national team, he struggled to secure a regular starting position, making a total of twelve appearances to wrap up the season, with only four starts. Notably, he made a substitute appearance in the 64th minute to help his team secure a 2–0 victory against Cruz Azul in the 2021 Campeones Cup.{{Cite web |date=2021-09-29 |title=CLBvsCRZ 09-29-2021 {{!}} 2022 MLS Match Recap |url=https://www.mlssoccer.com/competitions/campeones-cup/2021/matches/clbvscrz-09-29-2021/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230626081911/https://www.mlssoccer.com/competitions/campeones-cup/2021/matches/clbvscrz-09-29-2021/ |archive-date=2023-06-26 |access-date=2023-06-26 |website=mlssoccer |language=en}} His team would fail to make the end of season playoffs after winning the championship the previous year.{{Cite web |date=2023-06-26 |title=Conference Standings |url=https://www.mlssoccer.com/standings/2021/conference |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230626222849/https://www.mlssoccer.com/standings/2021/conference |archive-date=2023-06-26 |access-date=2023-06-26 |website=mlssoccer |language=en}}
The beginning of 2022 saw Diaz relegated to the bench to start out the season, however, in the first game of the new season, he would come on as a substitute to score the third goal in a 4–0 drubbing to Vancouver Whitecaps FC.{{Cite web |date=2022-02-26 |title=Recap: Columbus Crew 4, Vancouver Whitecaps FC 0 |url=https://www.mlssoccer.com/news/recap-columbus-crew-4-vancouver-whitecaps-fc-0 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230626220803/https://www.mlssoccer.com/news/recap-columbus-crew-4-vancouver-whitecaps-fc-0 |archive-date=2023-06-26 |access-date=2023-06-26 |website=mlssoccer |language=en}} Despite initially being a substitute with occasional starts, lackluster play from his teammates, combined with his impressive two-assist game against the Chicago Fire, earned him a starting position for the rest of the year.{{Cite web |title=Luis Díaz 2022 Match Logs |url=https://fbref.com/en/players/1c9838aa/matchlogs/2022/Luis-Diaz-Match-Logs |access-date=2023-06-26 |website=FBref.com |language=en}} He would go on to score the only goal in a 1–0 victory against Inter Miami CF. At the end of the year, the Crew would fail to make the playoffs for a second consecutive season.{{Cite web |date=2023-06-26 |title=Conference Standings |url=https://www.mlssoccer.com/standings/2022/conference |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230626223035/https://www.mlssoccer.com/standings/2022/conference |archive-date=2023-06-26 |access-date=2023-06-26 |website=mlssoccer |language=en}}
On 5 September 2023, Díaz was waived by Columbus.{{Cite web|url=https://www.mlssoccer.com/news/columbus-crew-waive-midfielder-luis-diaz|title=Columbus Crew waive midfielder Luis Díaz | MLSSoccer.com|website=mlssoccer}}
On January 2, 2025, Diaz signed with the New England Revolution of Major League Soccer as a free agent. Diaz made his Revolution debut, and recorded his first start for the Revolution, in the 2025 season opener, a 0-0 draw against Nashville SC on 22 February.{{cite web | title=Revolution battle Nashville SC to 0-0 draw in 2025 MLS season opener | website=revolutionsoccer.net | date=February 23, 2025 | url=https://www.revolutionsoccer.net/news/recap-revolution-battle-nashville-sc-to-0-0-draw-in-2025-mls-season-opener#:~:text=NASHVILLE%2C%20Tenn.,in%20the%20MLS%20season%20opener. | access-date=February 24, 2025}}
International career
He made his Costa Rica national team debut on 6 September 2019 in a friendly against Uruguay, when he replaced Joel Campbell in the 68th minute and was cautioned in the remaining minutes.{{cite web|publisher=ESPN|url=https://www.espn.com/soccer/match?gameId=557331|title=Costa Rica v Uruguay game report|date=6 September 2019}}
Personal life
Díaz used part of his salary in Major League Soccer to buy his family a new house in Costa Rica.{{Cite web |last=Gomez Munoz |first=Keish |date=2020-05-26 |title=Con su primer sueldo, Luis Díaz compró un lote para construirle una nueva a casa a su familia |url=https://www.espn.co.cr/futbol/costa-rica/nota/_/id/6982253/luis-diaz-columbus-crew-que-hizo-con-primer-sueldo-herediano-costa-rica |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230626070321/https://www.espn.co.cr/futbol/costa-rica/nota/_/id/6982253/luis-diaz-columbus-crew-que-hizo-con-primer-sueldo-herediano-costa-rica |archive-date=2023-06-26 |access-date=2023-06-26 |website=ESPN.co.cr |language=es}}
Career statistics
=Club=
{{updated|28 November 2022|{{Soccerway|luis-mario-diaz-espinoza/507369|access-date=22 July 2019}}{{MLS player|luis-diaz}}}}
| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;" | ||||||||||
| rowspan=2|Club
!rowspan=2|Season !colspan=3|League !colspan=2|Cup !colspan=2|ContinentalAll appearances in the CONCACAF Champions League !colspan=2|Other{{efn|Appearances in the Liga FPD playoffs and the Major League Soccer Playoffs}} !colspan=2|Total | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| rowspan=4|Grecia
|2016–17 |{{0}} | {{0}} | colspan=2|– | colspan=2|– | 2{{efn|Appearances in the Segunda División promotion playoffs}} | 0 | 2 | 0 | |||
| 2017–18
| rowspan="2" |Liga FPD |27 | 2 | colspan=2|– | colspan=2|– | colspan=2|– | 27 | 2 | ||||
| 2018–19
|18 | 0 | colspan=2|– | colspan=2|– | colspan=2|– | 18 | 0 | ||||
| colspan=2|Total
!45 | 2 | colspan=2|– | colspan=2|– | 2 | 0 | 47 | 2 | |||
| Herediano
|Liga FPD |19 | 1 | colspan=2|– | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 23 | 1 | ||
| rowspan="6" |Columbus Crew
|2019 | rowspan="5" |MLS |13 | 2 | colspan=2|– | colspan=2|– | colspan=2|– | 13 | 2 | ||||
| 2020
|26 | 0 | 1{{efn|Appearance in the MLS is Back Tournament}} | 0 | colspan="2"|– | 4 | 0 | 31 | 0 | ||
| 2021
|19 | 1 | 1{{efn|Appearance in the Campeones Cup}} | 0 | 4 | 0 | colspan="2"|– | 24 | 1 | ||
| 2022
|26 | 3 | colspan="2"|– | colspan="2"|– | colspan="2"|– | 26 | 3 | ||||
| 2023
|4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | colspan="2"|– | colspan="2"|– | 4 | 0 | |||
| colspan="2"|Total
!88 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 98 | 6 | |
| Columbus Crew 2 (loan)
|2023 |2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | |
| Colorado Rapids
|2023 |MLS |3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | |
| colspan="3" |Career total
!157 | 9 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 173 | 9 |
{{notelist}}
=International=
{{updated|15 May 2022|{{NFT player|id=75403|access-date=16 September 2019}}}}
| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;" | ||
| colspan="3"|Costa Rica | ||
|---|---|---|
| Year
!Apps !Goals | ||
| 2019 | 2 | 0 |
| 2020 | 2 | 0 |
| 2021 | 4 | 0 |
| Total | 8 | 0 |
Honours
Columbus Crew
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{Soccerway|luis-mario-diaz-espinoza/507369}}
- {{NFT player|75403}}
{{New England Revolution squad}}
{{Costa Rica squad 2021 CONCACAF Gold Cup}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Diaz, Luis}}
Category:Costa Rican men's footballers
Category:21st-century Costa Rican sportsmen
Category:Footballers from Guanacaste Province
Category:Men's association football midfielders
Category:Municipal Grecia players
Category:C.S. Herediano footballers
Category:Columbus Crew players
Category:Colorado Rapids players
Category:Deportivo Saprissa players
Category:New England Revolution players
Category:Major League Soccer players
Category:Costa Rica men's under-20 international footballers
Category:Costa Rica men's international footballers
Category:Designated Players (MLS)
Category:Costa Rican expatriate men's footballers
Category:Expatriate men's soccer players in the United States
Category:Costa Rican expatriate sportspeople in the United States