Daniel Díaz

For other people named Daniel Díaz, see Daniel Díaz (disambiguation).
Cata Díaz

Díaz with Boca Juniors in 2016
Personal information
Full name Daniel Alberto Díaz
Date of birth (1979-07-13) 13 July 1979
Place of birth San Fernando del Valle, Argentina
Height 1.82 m (6 ft 0 in)
Playing position Centre back
Club information
Current team
 Getafe
Number 6
Youth career
Juventud Catamarca
1997–1999 Rosario Central
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1999–2003 Rosario Central 97 (2)
2003–2004 Cruz Azul 46 (1)
2004–2005 Colón 35 (2)
2005–2007 Boca Juniors 67 (7)
2007–2012 Getafe 165 (3)
2012–2013 Atlético Madrid 9 (0)
2013–2016 Boca Juniors 77 (6)
2016– Getafe 3 (0)
National team
2003–2009 Argentina 12 (1)

* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 4 September 2016.


Daniel Alberto 'Cata' Díaz (born 13 March 1979) is an Argentine professional footballer who plays for Spanish club Getafe CF as a central defender.

After starting at Rosario Central he went on to spend most of his career in Spain, amassing La Liga totals of 174 games and three goals over the course of six seasons, mainly with Getafe. He also had two spells with Boca Juniors.

Díaz appeared for Argentina at the 2007 Copa América.

Club career

Díaz in action for Getafe in 2012.

Nicknamed Cata because of his origins from San Fernando del Valle de Catamarca, Díaz started playing at youth amateur local Juventud de Catamarca before moving in 1997 to Rosario Central, still as a junior. Three years later, he first appeared professionally with the latter team.

Díaz moved to Cruz Azul in 2003. After only one season with the Mexican club, he returned to Argentina to become Alfio Basile's captain in Colón de Santa Fe; he subsequently drew attention from Argentine giants Boca Juniors and Club Atlético River Plate, but as Basile was at that time the former's coach, the player decided to make the move for around US$3 million.

Cata made his debut for Boca in a 4–1 victory over Gimnasia y Esgrima de Jujuy, and was a big part in the side's 2005 Apertura-winning campaign, adding the South American Supercup (win over Once Caldas of Colombia) and the South American Cup (defeat of Mexico's Club Universidad Nacional).

In the summer of 2007, Díaz moved to Spain's Getafe CF for €4 million, being a defensive cornerstone from the very beginning as the Madrid outskirts team reached the quarter-finals of the UEFA Cup in 2007–08. During his spell at the Coliseum Alfonso Pérez he rarely missed one game when healthy – for instance, in his third season, he appeared in 30 matches (2,700 minutes of action) to help them finish sixth and qualify for the Europa League.[1][2]

On 15 June 2012, at nearly 33, Díaz signed with fellow La Liga side Atlético Madrid for two years and €1 million.[3][4] He was scarcely used during his only campaign by countryman Diego Simeone and, subsequently, returned to his homeland and Boca.

On 23 July 2016, Díaz returned to Getafe after agreeing to a one-year contract with the Segunda División club.[5]

International career

Díaz made his first appearance with the Argentina national team in 2003, and was called to the 2007 Copa América squad as the nation finished second in Venezuela. On 6 June 2009, in a 2010 FIFA World Cup qualifier against Colombia, he scored his first and only international goal, finding the net in the 57th minute for a 1–0 home win; he would be, however, overlooked for the final stages in South Africa.

Honours

Club

Boca Juniors
Atlético Madrid

Country

References

  1. ↑ Díaz, el "Ironman" de la Liga BBVA (Díaz, Liga BBVA's Ironman); ESPN Deportes, 18 February 2012 (Spanish)
  2. ↑ Ni un minuto sin El Cata (Not one minute without Cata); Marca, 2 March 2012 (Spanish)
  3. ↑ El Atletico de Madrid ficha al Cata Díaz (Atletico de Madrid signs Cata Díaz); Marca, 15 June 2012 (Spanish)
  4. ↑ Atletico Madrid signs Daniel Diaz from Getafe; Footballcracy, 18 June 2012
  5. ↑ Cata Díaz vuelve a su casa (Cata Díaz returns to his home); Getafe CF, 23 July 2016 (Spanish)
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