(foto: Getty Images)
Diego Diaz, who played in Argentina’s fifth division in February, scored a stoppage-time winner against Cruzeiro in the Copa Sudamericana for Union Santa Fe.
Diego Armando Diaz is living a real-life football fairytale. Just two months ago, he was competing in Argentina’s fifth division. Now, the 23-year-old striker has scored a last-minute winner in the Copa Sudamericana against Brazilian giants Cruzeiro, sealing a historic 1-0 win for Union Santa Fe.
The modest Argentine club, who haven’t lifted a major trophy since the 1965/66 season, stunned South America with their victory on Thursday night—and it was the little-known Diaz who made the difference in stoppage time.
Union Santa Fe spotted Diaz earlier this year while he was playing for Las Parejas, a team competing in the fifth tier of Argentine football. Despite the low level, something about Diaz caught their eye. They took a chance, signing him on loan in February. It’s already looking like a brilliant decision.
Although he’s still largely used as a substitute, Diaz is making every minute count. In total, he’s played just 86 minutes in the domestic league but already has a goal to his name. In the Copa Sudamericana, it took him only 16 minutes on the pitch to score his debut goal—and what a moment it was.
Diaz’s journey from the dusty pitches of Los Frentones to scoring in a continental competition is remarkable. With little media coverage or online presence, he’s gone from total obscurity to becoming a cult hero at Union.
If he keeps this up, Diaz won’t just earn a permanent deal—he might soon find himself on the radar of bigger clubs across South America.