Angel Di Maria

Ángel Fabián Di María (born 14 February 1988) is an Argentine professional footballer who plays for Paris Saint-Germain and the Argentina national team. He can play as either a winger or attacking midfielder. After beginning his career with Rosario Central, Di María moved to Europe in 2007 to play for Benfica, earning a EUR25 million move to Real Madrid three years later. He played a major role in the club's 2011-12 La Liga triumph. After winning the UEFA Champions League with Real Madrid, he signed for Manchester United in 2014 for a British record £59.7 million, but joined PSG a year later for around £44 million. A full international for Argentina since 2008, Di María has earned over 90 caps for his country. He scored the goal that won the country gold at the 2008 Olympics, and has also represented them at three FIFA World Cups and four Copa América tournaments, reaching the final of the 2014 World Cup, the 2015 Copa América, and the Copa América Centenario. Di María was born on 14 February 1988 in Rosario, Argentina, as one of three children of Miguel and Diana, and grew up in Perdriel. As an infant, he was unusually active, and on recommendation of a doctor was signed up for football at age three. He also helped his parents with their work at a local coal yard along with his two sisters, Vanesa and Evelyn. Due to the low income his family earned, purchasing football boots and keeping up with Di María's hobby was difficult for his parents. He considers himself to be a "family man" and has used a significant amount of his salary to "give back" to his family. After being transferred to Benfica, he asked his father not to work anymore and purchased a house for his parents and sisters. Di María was transferred to Portuguese side Benfica in July 2007, where he played as a winger. Benfica paid Rosario Central EUR6 million for 80% of his sports rights and 50% of sports right of Andrés Díaz. Later, in August 2008, the Portuguese club paid an extra EUR2 million for the remaining 20%, but re-sold 10% to GestiFute. Di María was signed as a replacement for Benfica's departing captain, Simão, who joined Atlético Madrid earlier that summer. Di María signed a new deal with Benfica in October 2009, adding three more years to his current deal, which was to last until 30 June 2015 with his release fee set at a minimum of EUR40 million. Later that month, he was backed by Diego Maradona to become "Argentina's next superstar". On 27 February 2010, Di María scored his first hat-trick in a classic 4-0 win against Leixões. The next day, he made the headlines as "Magic Tri María" in all sports newspapers in Portugal. On 28 June 2010, Real Madrid posted on their website that they had come to terms with Benfica for the transfer of Di María. He signed a five-year contract for EUR25 million, plus EUR11 million in incentives, as announced one day later by the Portuguese Stock Exchange regulating entity. On 7 July 2010, Di María arrived to Madrid directly from Buenos Aires, and passed the medical test on 8 July. He made his debut on 4 August 2010 in a friendly match against Mexican side América, which Real Madrid won 3-2. On 22 August, Di María scored his first goal in another friendly away against Hércules, which Real Madrid won 1-3. In the last match of the pre-season, on 24 August, after an individual play described as a "magic moment", he opened the score of the 2-0 win against Peñarol for the Trofeo Santiago Bernabéu. His league debut came on 29 August in a 0-0 draw against Mallorca. On 18 September, Di María scored his first league goal for Real Madrid in their 1-2 away win over Real Sociedad. Ten days later, he scored his first goal in the UEFA Champions League against Auxerre in a 0-1 victory. He scored a controversial first goal against Sevilla on 19 December. Days later, Di María assisted Karim Benzema's two goals and Cristiano Ronaldo's goal in an astonishing 8-0 drubbing of Levante on 22 December. In the second leg of the Champions League round of 16 against Lyon, he scored the third and final goal in a 3-0 win to send Real Madrid through to the quarter-finals for the first time in seven years. Di María scored Real Madrid's third goal during their first-leg Champions League quarter-final victory over Tottenham Hotspur on 5 April 2011. On 20 April, he was sent off in the 31st minute of extra time in the Copa del Rey final against rivals Barcelona. Real Madrid won the match 1-0, the lone goal of the match (in the 13th minute of extra time) being a header from Cristiano Ronaldo, which came from his cross, thus obtaining his first honour with Real Madrid. On 26 August 2014, Di María signed a five-year deal with Manchester United for a transfer fee of £59.7 million, one of the most expensive transfers of all time and the highest fee ever paid by a British club at the time. He inherited the number 7 shirt at United, which was previously worn by club legends such as George Best, Bryan Robson, Eric Cantona, David Beckham and Cristiano Ronaldo. On 2 August, it was reported Di María would undergo a medical ahead of a move to Paris Saint-Germain, and four days later, Manchester United confirmed he had been sold to the French champions for an undisclosed fee, believed to be around £44 million, signing a four-year contract.