ABOUT DIEGO ›
TEAMS
 

TEAMS

SANTOS FC

Diego was promoted to professional group of Santos FC in 2001 (when he was 16 years-old) by the coach Celso Rott. In February 2002, the coach Émerson Leão continued the work with him. The new organization in the first team gave prestige to "gold players" and among these, the shiniest was the midfielder from Ribeirão Preto. As soon as he took part in his first championship as professional player, Diego won over the trophy as Brazilian Champion. In just 27 games, »the team leader scored 10 goals, including one goal that eliminated São Paulo FC, in Morumbi, in the quarter- finals. The boy that was raised in Belmiro Village was enchanting Brazil.
Next year, Santos shirt 10 would have new challenges and certainly would be asked for. All in all , he was only 17 years-old and was a national champion. Playing in Libertadores League, Diego had helped the from Belmiro to get to the final game. He scored 4 goals in 14 games, as well as giving many assists to his team mates which allowed him to win the prize of "the most creative player of the league".
Along with the Libertadores, the Brazilian Championship was also going on. After an shaky start in the competition, Santos was recovering from bad moments, supported by the shirt number 10. Although this, in the middle of competition, the second time to be champion was so difficult and Santos got to reduce the difference in relation to the leader point by point until to be with real chances to win again at the last rounds. Santos finished the competition in the second place. Diego, that moment, was a right presence in Brazilian adult squad list.
In 2004, Diego took part in another competition again in Libertadores League. He scored 4 goals in 9 games and helped Santos to the quarters. In the National Championship, unter the guidance of coach Vanderley Luxemburgo he was elevated to team`s captain. He played 9 games and scored 4 goals before August, when he was transferred to Porto, Portugal.		SV WERDER BREMEN

In his first season in Werder Bremen, Diego showed why he came. He was the champion of the Germany Cup, won the title of the best player of the first turn and the best player of the Bundesliga of season 2006/2007.
He scored 13 goals and assists 13 goals and became the main player of the German club, being part key in the plans of the coach Thomas Schaaf. The numbers of the Brazilian mid-fielder make an »impression. Diego played 33 of the 34 games disputed for the Werder in the German Championship, being titular absolute in all the games.
He is the brain of the team and the main plays almost always are born on his feet. In season 2007/2008, Diego continues being prominence in the lawns German and his name already figure in the lists of pretension of the main European clubs.
FC PORTO

When Diego arrived at Porto, they were the current National and European champions. Diego was received as the most anticipated transfer of the season as the young, talented and decisive midfielder was taking the place of Deco, Porto's former idol.In his first 6 games wearing the new shirt, Porto beat Benfica, its biggest rival, and won the Portugal Super Cup.Because of his good performance in the Portuguese Championship and Champions League, Diego was »awarded by Porto`s supporters with the Dragon trophy.
In 2004, Diego played in the Toyota Cup Finals, in Japan. Porto FC, European champion and Once Caldas, from Colombia, South America champion competed for the title. Porto won the championship. In the Portuguese Championship, Diego helped the team to second place in 2006. In this year, Santos paid tribute to Diego by naming one of two training fields at the new Meninos da Vila Training Centre after him.
In only two seasons with Porto, Diego scored seven times, becoming the target of interest of other European clubs. SV Werder Bremen, from Germany, made an irresistable offer and Diego transfered to the German team where he will play next season.		 JUVENTUS TURIN

»