Welcomes, Di María!

BTV BROADCAST

The new addition to the team led by Roger Schmidt, Di María, was officially presented this Thursday, July 6, in the Centenarium Square at Estádio da Luz, where he was received in an atmosphere of great euphoria by the Benfiquista Family. Here's all about the return of the Argentine forward...

PHOTO GALLERY

Thousands of Benfiquistas flocked to the Cathedral to greet the latest addition to the team led by Roger Schmidt. Cheered by the public when he appeared on the balcony of Gate 18 after signing his contract until 2024 alongside President Rui Costa, an emotional Di María thanked them for the cheers of support and expressed his happiness at returning home.

"I am back home, because I feel Benfica as my home, it is something unique", said the Argentinean international, in one of the moments of the speech that drew loud applause from the audience.

THE CAREER OF BENFICA'S NEW NUMBER 11

Signed from Argentinian Rosario Central, Di María was presented to Benfica in July 2007 and made his debut on August 29, 2007, where he was a starter in the 1-0 win at FC Copenhagen, in the second leg of the third qualifying round for the Champions League. The Argentinean, then aged 19, lined up alongside Rui Costa and the two would end up playing 36 games together in the 2007/08 season, marked by the farewell of the current Benfica President. In his first season with the eagle on his chest, Di María played 45 games, amassing one goal and six assists. In 2008/09, the winger was used in 35 matches, registering four goals and three assists, and won his first trophy for the Club, participating in all five matches of the victorious campaign in the League Cup.

The 2009/10 season was the stage for the "explosion" of Benfica's (then) number 20 jersey. Used in 44 matches, the player scored ten goals and made 17 assists, contributing decisively to the victorious campaigns in the Championship and in the League Cup. His brilliant performances in Benfica caught the attention of Real Madrid, who signed him for the 2010/11 season for 33 million euros, making the Argentinean the Club's biggest sale up to that moment. 

In the Spanish capital, Di María won a League, two Spanish Cups, a Spanish Super Cup and a Champions League, amassing 190 appearances in four seasons for the merengues, where he scored 35 goals and made 66 assists. Established as one of the great talents of world football, the Argentine international moved to Manchester United in the summer of 2014 for 75 million euros. Heir to the famous red Devils No. 7 jersey, the winger made just 32 appearances (four goals and 11 assists) before heading to PSG at the start of the 2015/16 season. In his six years in Paris, Di María was used in 295 games and scored 92 goals and provided 112 assists, figures that illustrate his importance in the five Leagues, five French Cups, four Super Cups and four League Cups won by the Parisian club during that period. In the summer of 2022, after his contract with PSG expired, El Fideo decided to continue his career in Italy.

Unveiled at Juventus on July 8, 2022, Di María made his debut for the Vecchia Signora with a goal and an assist in the victory over Sassuolo (3-0) on August 15, 2022, on matchday 1 of Serie A. Last season (2022/2023), the bianconero new signing played 40 games, scored eight goals and made seven assists, and met Benfica for the first time at the official level: he came on in the 58' of the defeat of the Italians (1-2), on matchday 2 of the Champions League group stage.

In between, the player was among those called up by Lionel Scaloni to represent Argentina in the World Cup'2022. Starting in the three group matches, the winger played only 8' in the knockout rounds before appearing as a starter in the final of the competition, held in Qatar. On the left side of the attack, the Argentina No. 11 put in a great performance during his 64 minutes on the pitch and proved to be instrumental in Argentina's third world title, which they won against France in the penalty shootout.