Luis Díaz Espinoza

Luis Mario Díaz Espinoza (born 6 December 1998) is a Costa Rican professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Major League Soccer club Columbus Crew SC.[1]

This article uses Spanish naming customs: the first or paternal family name is Díaz and the second or maternal family name is Espinoza.

Luis Díaz

Diaz with Columbus Crew SC in 2019
Personal information
Full name	Luis Mario Díaz Espinoza
Date of birth	(1998-12-06) 6 December 1998
Place of birth	Nicoya, Costa Rica
Height	1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)
Playing position(s)	Midfielder
Club information
Current team	Columbus Crew SC
Number	12
Youth career
	AD Guanacasteca
0000–2016	Grecia
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2016–2018	Grecia	44+	(2+)
2019	Herediano	19	(1)
2019–	Columbus Crew SC	18	(2)
National team^‡
2017–2018	Costa Rica U20
2019–	Costa Rica	2	(0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 6 October 2019 ‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 1 February 2020

Career

Díaz started his career in the Segunda División de Costa Rica with Municipal Grecia. In the 2016–17 season, he and Grecia earned promotion to Liga FPD, the first division of Costa Rican football.[2] Over the summer of 2018, Díaz was the subject of transfer rumors from Herediano;[3] he would officially join Herediano for the 2019 Clausura.[4] On July 2, 2019, it was announced that Díaz had moved to Major League Soccer club Columbus Crew SC on a Young Designated Player deal.[5]

Díaz made his Columbus debut against the Chicago Fire.[6] Coming on in the 65th minute for Eduardo Sosa, Diaz assisted fellow debutant Romario Williams in scoring a 90th minute equalizer as part of a 2–2 draw.[6] He went on to finish the 2019 season with two goals and four assists.

International

He made his Costa Rica national football team debut on 6 September 2019 in a friendly against Uruguay, when he replaced Joel Campbell in the 68th minute and was cautioned in the remaining minutes.[7]

Career statistics

Club

As of 6 October 2019[8][9]

Club	Season	League			Cup		Continental[lower-alpha 1]		Other		Total
		Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Grecia	2016–17	Segunda División	0	0	–		–		2+[lower-alpha 2]	0+	2+	0+
	2017–18	Liga FPD	27	2	–		–		–		27	2
	2018–19	Liga FPD	17	0	–		–		–		17	0
	Total		44+	2+	0	0	0	0	2+	0+	46+	2+
Herediano	2018–19	Liga FPD	19	1	–		2	0	2[lower-alpha 3]	0	23	1
Columbus Crew SC	2019	MLS	13	2	0	0	–		–		13	2
	2020		5	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	5	0
Career total			81+	5+	0	0	2	0	4+	0+	87+	5+

1. All appearances in the CONCACAF Champions League
2. Appearances in the Segunda División promotion playoffs
3. Appearances in the Liga FPD playoffs

International

As of 6 September 2019[10]

Costa Rica
Year	Apps	Goals
2019	1	0
Total	1	0

References

1. "Luis Díaz formará parte del Club Sport Herediano". January 2, 2019.
2. "VIDEOS: El Municipal Grecia es campeón y asciende a la primera división". everardoherrera.com. Retrieved 2019-07-05.
3. Ramirez, Wender (23 November 2018). "Luis Díaz deja Grecia para iniciar su aventura en Herediano" [Luis Díaz leaves Grecia to begin his adventure in Herediano]. MarioSegura.com (in Spanish). MarioSegura.com. Retrieved 22 July 2019.
4. "Luis Díaz formará parte del Club Sport Herediano". Club Sport Herediano (in Spanish). 2019-01-02. Retrieved 2019-07-05.
5. "Crew Sign Luis Diaz". Major League Soccer.
6. "Chicago Fire vs. Columbus Crew SC - Football Match Line-Ups - July 17, 2019 - ESPN". ESPN.com. Retrieved 2019-07-18.
7. "Costa Rica v Uruguay game report". ESPN. 6 September 2019.
8. Luis Díaz Espinoza at Soccerway. Retrieved 22 July 2019.
9. Luis Díaz Espinoza at Major League Soccer
10. "Luis Díaz Espinoza". National Football Teams. Benjamin Strack-Zimmerman. Retrieved 16 September 2019.

External links

• Luis Díaz Espinoza at Soccerway
• Luis Díaz Espinoza at National-Football-Teams.com