Luis Diaz is one of the biggest names in soccer. The Colombian arrived at Liverpool in January 2022, but the story that connects him to soccer is unique. Luchito grew up in a camp settlement in La Guajira, Colombia. He was part of an indigenous Wayuu family and played for the local soccer team led by his father.
Carlos Alberto Valderrama, who was the coach of the indigenous communities' national team, discovered Diaz’s ability. Luchito participated in the 2015 Indigenous America Cup held in Chile, he played all the matches, scored two goals, and was the team’s captain.
His ability helped him to get a place in Barranquilla FC. In 2017, the Colombian signed his first professional contract with Junior, and after a few months, he was already a starter in the team. There he showed a great level, won four tournaments, and was runner-up in the 2018 Copa Sudamericana.
His great level continued, and in 2018 he was called up to the Colombian National Team. In 2019 Porto bought Diaz for €7 million, but his best performance was in the 2021 Conmebol Copa América. Luchito was the best player of his National Team and end the tournament as the top scorer with four goals.
His current form in the Portuguese league and being one of the most outstanding players in South American competition made Liverpool set its eyes on him. In 2022 he joined Liverpool after two-and-a-half seasons with FC Porto, where he made 125 appearances and scored 41 goals.
How old is Luis Diaz?
Luis Diaz was born in Guajira, Colombia, on January 13, 1997. Right now, Luchito is 25 years old. His mother, Mrs. Marulanda, always supported Diaz in his career, but his father Luis Manuel Díaz, a children's coach, was the one who taught him everything related to soccer.
How much money does Luis Diaz earn?
As reported by Portuguese publication SIC back in January, Luis Diaz put pen to paper on a deal with Liverpool that would see him earn 3.5m euros per year, which is around 67,000 euros per week. To put it in perspective, backup players such as Konstantinos Tsimikas, Adrian, and Divock Origi are earning more than the Colombia international.
Which is the market value of Luis Diaz?
According to Transfermarkt, Luis Diaz has a market value of 45,000,000 euros. Luchito is the most expensive Colombian player on the market. The Liverpool player is well ahead of his compatriot Duvan Zapata, who has a market value of 30,000,000 euros.
In which position does Luis Diaz play?
The main position of Luis Diaz is Left Winger, that was why people thought that he was going to be Sadio Mane's substitute, but Jürgen Klopp surprised everybody and changed Liverpool’s formation. Mane now plays as a forward. Although, Klopp’s idea is to position Diaz in other places on the field. "As he played at Porto, on the wing or as a second striker, you can see he has the potential to start running”, said the German.
In addition, Kloop seems to be very satisfied with the signing of Luis Diaz: “He is a top player in the world. It's a joy for me to work with Luis every day, and I'm more than happy that I decided to sign him in January. Luis has been brilliant. His impact has been great, and outstanding. He's everything we could wish for. His adaptation has been surprisingly quick”, he expressed.
