Alejandro Díaz (footballer) explained

Alejandro Díaz
Fullname:Alejandro Díaz Liceága
Birth Date:1996 1, df=yes
Birth Place:Mexico City, Mexico
Height:1.77m
Position:Forward
Currentclub:Vancouver FC
Clubnumber:9
Youthyears1:2005–2014
Youthclubs1:América
Years1:2014–2020
Clubs1:América
Caps1:22
Goals1:1
Years2:2016–2017
Clubs2:Necaxa (loan)
Caps2:12
Goals2:0
Years3:2018–2019
Clubs3:Atlas (loan)
Caps3:11
Goals3:0
Years4:2019
Clubs4:Zacatepec (loan)
Caps4:3
Goals4:0
Years5:2020–2022
Clubs5:Pacific FC
Caps5:55
Goals5:26
Years6:2022–
Clubs6:Sogndal
Caps6:18
Goals6:6
Years7:2023–
Clubs7:Vancouver FC (loan)
Caps7:16
Goals7:3
Club-Update:April 19, 2024
Nationalyears1:2013
Nationalteam1:Mexico U17
Nationalcaps1:12
Nationalgoals1:3
Nationalyears2:2015
Nationalteam2:Mexico U20
Nationalcaps2:7
Nationalgoals2:4
Nationalyears3:2016
Nationalteam3:Mexico U23
Nationalcaps3:3
Nationalgoals3:0
Nationalteam-Update:6 February 2020

Alejandro Díaz Liceága, also known as Wero Díaz (born 27 January 1996) is a Mexican professional footballer who plays as a forward for Canadian Premier League club Vancouver FC, on loan from Norwegian First Division club Sogndal.

Club career

América

Díaz was a fan of rivals Guadalajara. He played for an academy of Real Madrid based in Mexico and later moved to Club America's academy. A product of América's academy programme, Díaz made his debut for the club in Liga MX on 22 November 2014 as an 84th-minute substitute in a 2–1 loss to Atlas.[1] On 8 April 2015, he scored his first goal for the club in CONCACAF Champions League in a 6–0 win over Costa Rican side Herediano. That season, he made a total of three league appearances, one appearance in the Copa MX and two appearances in Champions League. The following season, he made one league appearance and one appearance in Champions League.

Loan to Necaxa

On 8 June 2016, Díaz was loaned to Necaxa until the end of the season.[2] He made twelve league appearances that season, one in the Liguilla Apertura and five in the Copa MX. His only goal for Necaxa came in a 5–1 Copa MX victory over Potros UAEM.

Return to América

Diaz returned to America for the 2017–2018 campaign, where he was finally promoted to América's first team on a regular basis.[3] He made eighteen league appearances that season, four in the Liguilla Apertura, five in the Copa MX and two in Champions League, scoring a goal in the league and another in Champions League against Panamanian side Tauro.

Loan to Atlas

In the 2018–19 season, Díaz was loaned to Atlas, where he made eleven league appearances and two Copa MX appearances, but failed to score.

Loan to Zacatepec

On 5 August 2019, Díaz was loaned to Ascenso MX side Zacatepec.[4] That season, he made three league appearances, three appearances in the Liguilla Apertura and three appearances in the Copa MX, but again failed to score.

Pacific FC

On 6 February 2020, Díaz signed with Canadian Premier League club Pacific FC.[5] He made his debut on August 15 against the HFX Wanderers.[6] He scored his first goal for the club on August 25, in a 2–0 victory over Valour FC.[7] On July 21, 2021, Díaz scored his first hat-trick with Pacific FC in a 4–2 win over Atlético Ottawa.[8] That season, he scored 10 goals and helped lead the club to their first ever league championship.[9] After the title-winning 2021 season, it was rumoured that Díaz would depart the club, but he returned for 2022. His 2022 with Pacific was very successful, as he scored 13 goals in 18 league matches, factoring into the golden boot race. As league champions, Pacific also got to participate in the 2022 Concacaf League, and in the second leg their first ever continental matchup Díaz scored a hat trick against Waterhouse, helping to ensure Pacific advanced.[10] When Díaz departed the club midseason, he was the leading scorer in the league, with 13.[11]

Sogndal

On 10 August 2022, Díaz signed with Norwegian First Division side Sogndal for a club-record fee, the second-largest transfer fee in Canadian Premier League history.[12] On 11 July 2023, he joined Vancouver FC in the Canadian Premier League on a one-year loan.[13] His loan was subsequently extended for another year until June 2025.[14]

International career

In 2013, Díaz played for the under-17 squad at the 2013 CONCACAF U-17 Championship, making five appearances and scoring one goal against Cuba as Mexico went on to win the tournament. At the 2013 FIFA U-17 World Cup he again featured heavily for Mexico, making seven appearances and scoring goals against Iraq and Italy on route to a finals run in which Mexico lost 3–0 to Nigeria.

In 2015, Díaz represented the under-20 side at the 2015 CONCACAF U-20 Championship, making five appearances as Mexico went on to win the tournament. He scored four goals, the first two coming in a 9–1 victory over Cuba, the third in a 3–0 win over Honduras and the fourth in a 3–1 win over El Salvador. At the 2015 FIFA U-20 World Cup, Díaz made appearances against Mali and Serbia as Mexico were knocked out in the group stage.

In 2016, Díaz represented the under-23 team at the 2016 Toulon Tournament, making three appearances.

Career statistics

Club statistics
ClubSeasonLeagueCup[15] Continental[16] Other[17] Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
América2014–15Liga MX30102161
2015–16Liga MX101020
2017–18Liga MX181502140292
2018–19Liga MX2020
Total221805240393
Necaxa (loan)2016–17Liga MX1205110181
Atlas (loan)2018–19Liga MX11020130
Zacatepec (loan)2019–20Ascenso MX30303090
Pacific FC2020Canadian Premier League103103
2021Canadian Premier League271032103112
2022Canadian Premier League181310232116
Total55264223106231
Sogndal Fotball2022Norwegian First Division116116
2023Norwegian First Division6060
Vancouver FC (loan)2023Canadian Premier League14200142
Career total13435223759019443

Honours

América

Apertura 2014

2014–15, 2015–16

Pacific FC

2021

Mexico Youth

2013

2015

Individual

Notes and References

  1. Web site: A. Díaz . Soccerway . 6 February 2020.
  2. Web site: Draft Apertura 2016. 9 June 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160610042515/http://deportes.televisa.com/mxm/futbol/draft/liga-mx-apertura-2016/america.html. 10 June 2016. dead.
  3. Web site: El 'Güero' Díaz acecha la fórmula de Jiménez. 10 July 2017.
  4. Web site: CLUB AMÉRICA: Alejandro Díaz pasa al Zacatepec . Superlider . 6 February 2020 . Spanish . 5 August 2019.
  5. Web site: Pacific FC Sign Mexican Forward Alejandro Diaz. February 6, 2020. 6 February 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200206170502/https://pacificfc.canpl.ca/article/pacific-fc-sign-mexican-forward-alejandro-diaz. 6 February 2020. dead.
  6. Web site: Canadian Premier League. August 14, 2018.
  7. Web site: 2020-08-26. Pacific FC shine on a night of many firsts at The Island Games. 2020-08-27. Canadian Premier League. en-CA.
  8. Web site: 2020-07-21. HIGHLIGHTS: Diaz hat-trick lifts Pacific to comeback victory over 10-men Atlético Ottawa. 2021-07-24. Canadian Premier League. en-CA.
  9. Web site: 2022-03-30 . Pacific FC: 2022 Canadian Premier League Season Preview . 2022-08-10 . Canadian Premier League.
  10. Web site: 2022-08-10 . CPL Golden Boot Leader Diaz Linked With Move To Norway . 2022-08-10 . Northern Tribune . en-US.
  11. Web site: Canadian Premier League . 2022-08-21 . Canadian Premier League.
  12. Web site: Diaz heads to Norway for club-record fee . . 10 August 2022 . 10 August 2022.
  13. Web site: Vancouver FC add 2022 Golden Boot winner Alejandro Díaz: 'I have a special bond with Canada' . Canadian Premier League . 13 July 2023 . 11 July 2023.
  14. Web site: Wero Díaz is staying in Vancouver. July 3, 2024. Vancouver FC.
  15. Includes Copa MX and Canadian Championship
  16. Includes CONCACAF Champions League and CONCACAF League
  17. Includes Liga MX Liguilla, Ascenso MX Liguilla and Canadian Premier League playoffs