The 28-year-old from Colombia has adjusted to football in England like a duck to water. After impressing for Porto, he made the switch to Merseyside in January. Uncertainty clouded his arrival, with many unsure whether he would fit the Jurgen Klopp system, but he has since busted that narrative. Possessing a rare tenacity, he quickly takes on opponents and leaves everything out on the pitch. A trait that has made him a fan favourite in Liverpool.
Despite his recent successes, Luis Diaz’s path to stardom has been filled with determination and inspiration. At 18, Diaz wasn’t even registered with a football club. He grew up in one of Colombia’s most underdeveloped regions, a member of an indigenous community riddled with poverty and malnutrition. The chance of kickstarting a football career was deemed unthinkable.
However, in 2015, he was one of 3,000 young players who participated in an open trials event organized by Atletico Junior, a team in Colombia’s top division of professional football. Diaz stood out from the crowd, and Juan Cantillo, an Atletico Junior scout, explained how he was skinny but had ‘abnormal’ amounts of energy and stamina for a kid his age. Attributes that are still evident in the player you see today. As a result, Diaz was subsequently enrolled on the club’s youth teams after his uncle agreed to take him to and from training.
He continued to catch attention, rising quickly through the youth teams. But he was still underweight, weighing just under eight stone, significantly lower than your average footballer. He signed his first contract in 2016, allowing the club to offer more support to help his body develop. He was sent to the affiliate club Barranquilla FC to help ease Diaz’s way into first-team football in Colombia’s second division. He had access to better resources, including dietary supplements that helped him gain weight.
After this, Diaz developed quickly and was moved back to Atletico Junior. Now physically more assertive, he started to show real promise that he could operate at the highest level. His name began to be mentioned in the right conversations.
Up next was international football. As Diaz played more and more first-team football, the more he attracted the attention of the national team, and it wasn’t long before he was integrated into that squad too. His ability was said to be “too high” to leave him out. After impressing in the 2019 Copa America, he earned his first big move as he headed to Portugal to represent Porto after a £5.9m fee was agreed to acquire his services.
That is when he announced himself onto the world stage. Racking up goals and assists, with a highlight coming against Manchester City in the Champions League as he finished off a brilliant solo run to score at the Etihad. His success with Porto paved the way for his eventual transfer to Liverpool.
Since signing in January 2021, he has improved an already brilliant squad, a testament to just how unique Luis Diaz is. This man is the real deal. He is so vital to our current team and a player who, for me, can’t be dropped. This has been an inspirational journey that should prove to you that anything is possible in life with the aid of hard work.
