Júnior Díaz Explained

Júnior Díaz
Fullname:Júnior Enrique Díaz Campbell
Birth Date:12 September 1983
Birth Place:Heredia, Costa Rica
Height:1.85 m
Position:Left-back
Years1:2003–2007
Caps1:129
Goals1:10
Years2:2008–2010
Clubs2:Wisła Kraków
Caps2:66
Goals2:5
Years3:2010–2012
Caps3:13
Goals3:0
Years4:2011–2012
Clubs4:Wisła Kraków (loan)
Caps4:20
Goals4:1
Years5:2012–2015
Caps5:57
Goals5:2
Years6:2015–2016
Caps6:12
Goals6:0
Years7:2016–2017
Clubs7:Würzburger Kickers
Caps7:24
Goals7:0
Years8:2017–2019
Caps8:49
Goals8:2
Years9:2019–2021
Caps9:58
Goals9:2
Nationalyears1:2002
Nationalcaps1:6
Nationalgoals1:0
Nationalyears2:2003–2004
Nationalcaps2:17
Nationalgoals2:4
Nationalyears3:2003–2016
Nationalteam3:Costa Rica
Nationalcaps3:81
Nationalgoals3:1
Club-Update:19:30, 5 April 2021 (UTC)

Júnior Enrique Díaz Campbell (born 12 September 1983) is a Costa Rican former professional footballer who played as a left-back.[1] He played for the Costa Rica national team. At a top speed of 33.8 km/h, he was deemed by FIFA as the fastest player of the 2014 FIFA World Cup.[2]

Club career

Born in Heredia, Costa Rica,[3] Díaz started his career at local side Herediano before moving abroad to join Polish side Wisła Kraków in January 2008.[4] He moved on to Belgian club Club Brugge in September 2010[5] and was snapped up by German Bundesliga outfit FSV Mainz in summer 2012.[6]

In 2015, after three years in Mainz, Díaz joined Darmstadt 98, a newly promoted team for the 2015–16 season.[7]

International career

Júnior Díaz made his Costa Rica national team debut in a friendly against China on 7 September 2003.[8] Díaz made one appearance at Copa América 2004, entering as a second-half substitute against Chile.[9] He appeared in all four matches as Costa Rica won the UNCAF Nations Cup 2005 tournament.[10] Díaz also appeared in one match at the 2005 CONCACAF Gold Cup finals.[11]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Junior Diaz . de . kicker.de . 30 July 2017.
  2. Web site: Archived copy . es.fifa.com . 13 January 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140623135513/http://es.fifa.com/worldcup/statistics/players/distance.html . 23 June 2014 . dead.
  3. http://www.nacion.com/deportes/futbol-internacional/Junior-Diaz-madurez-marco-conviccion-Los_Mundialistas-Mundial_Brasil_2014_0_1416058428.html Junior Díaz: la madurez marcó el rumbo de un niño con convicción
  4. http://wvw.nacion.com/ln_ee/2008/enero/29/deportes1404577.html Junior jugará en Polonia
  5. http://www.nacion.com/deportes/futbol-internacional/Junior-Diaz-jugara-liga-belga_0_1144285594.html Junior Díaz jugará en la liga belga
  6. http://www.nacion.com/deportes/futbol-internacional/Diaz-abre-paso-Bundesliga-alemana_0_1279272281.html Díaz se abre paso en la Bundesliga alemana
  7. Web site: Costa-ricanischer Nationalspieler Júnior Díaz unterschreibt bei den Lilien. https://archive.today/20150729173949/http://www.sv98.de/home/lilien/aktuelles/nachrichten-ansicht/news/costa-ricanischer-nationalspieler-junior-diaz-unterschreibt-bei-den-lilien/?tx_news_pi1%5Bcontroller%5D=News&tx_news_pi1%5Baction%5D=detail&cHash=facee984d6b1734ceb6270f5803f49c7. dead. 29 July 2015. Darmstadt 98. de. 29 July 2015.
  8. Web site: 2003 Matches Intercontinental . Jean-Michel . Cazal . 2 February 2005 . 8 July 2013 . live . . https://web.archive.org/web/20130620013826/http://www.rsssf.com/intldetails/2003ic.html . 20 June 2013 .
  9. Web site: Copa América 2004 . Martín . Tabeira . 6 December 2012 . 8 July 2013 . live . . https://web.archive.org/web/20081022185106/http://rsssf.com/tables/2004safull.html . 22 October 2008 .
  10. Web site: Qualifying Tournament for Gold Cup 2005 - Details. Barrie . Courtney . 2 March 2005 . 8 July 2013 . live . RSSSF. https://web.archive.org/web/20090402133826/http://rsssf.com/tablesg/gold-cam05det.html . 2 April 2009 .
  11. News: Díaz . Júnior . Goldberg . David . Júnior Díaz . "Mucho más que un centro", escrito por Junior Díaz, mundialista de Brasil 2014 . 23 February 2021 . . 13 September 2019 . es-LA.
  12. Does not include these matches:
    22 February 2004 Herediano – Guanacasteca 2–0
    29 February 2004 Herediano – Saprissa 1–2
    28 April 2004 Herediano – Alajuelense 2–0
  13. Web site: CONCACAF Championship, Gold Cup 2005 - Full Details |url=https://www.rsssf.org/tables/05gc-full.html |first1=Barrie |last1=Courtney |first2=Hamdan |last2=Saaid |date=30 July 2005 |access-date=8 July 2013 |url-status=live |website=RSSSF |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081024022300/http://www.rsssf.com/tables/05gc-full.html |archive-date=24 October 2008 }}

    Díaz was a member of the Costa Rica national team at the 2004 Olympics in Athens. Ten years later, he became a member of the squad that reached the quarterfinals at the 2014 FIFA World Cup. He was crucial in the victory against Italy, as he served a cross to assist Bryan Ruiz's header for the lone goal of the match. In a note for La Nación, Díaz reflected on the assist, stating that "I am sure that, once I retire, many will summarize my career in one single cross."[11]

    Personal life

    He is a son of former Costa Rica international footballer Enrique Díaz and Yamileth Campbell, who divorced when he was 12. He has two brothers, Jefferson and Reydel.

    Career statistics

    Club

    Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
    ClubSeasonDomestic LeagueDomestic CupsContinental CupsTotal
    DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
    Herediano2003–04Primera División36[12] 1361
    2004–0516140201
    2005–06263263
    2006–07332332
    Apertura 2007183183
    Total129104013310
    Wisła Kraków2007–08Ekstraklasa7190161
    2008–092825251385
    2009–102725120343
    2010–1140003171
    Total6651931029510
    Club Brugge2010–11Pro League1300040170
    Wisła Kraków (loan)2011–12Ekstraklasa20140120361
    Mainz 052012–13Bundesliga18130211
    2013–1420000200
    2014–1519110201
    Total57240612
    Career total2851827330234223

    International

    Scores and results list Costa Rica's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Díaz goal.

    Honours

    Wisła Kraków

    Alajuelense

    International

    External links

    .