Junior Diaz

Junior Enrique Diaz Campbell (born 12 September 1983) was a Costa Rican professional footballer who last played as a left-back for LD Alajuelense. He played for the Costa Rica national team. At a top speed of 33.8 km/h, he was deemed by FIFA as the fastest player of the 2014 FIFA World Cup.

Club Career

Born in Heredia, Costa Rica, Diaz started his career at local side Herediano before moving abroad to join Polish side Wisla Krakow in January 2008. He moved on to Belgian club Club Brugge in September 2010 and was snapped up by German Bundesliga outfit FSV Mainz in summer 2012.

In 2015, after three years in Mainz, Diaz joined Darmstadt 98, a newly promoted team for the 2015–16 season.

International Career

Junior Diaz made his Costa Rica national team debut in a friendly against China on 7 September 2003. Diaz made one appearance at Copa America 2004, entering as a second-half substitute against Chile. He appeared in all four matches as Costa Rica won the UNCAF Nations Cup 2005 tournament. Diaz also appeared in one match at the 2005 CONCACAF Gold Cup finals.

Diaz was a member of the Costa Rica national team at the 2004 Olympics in Athens. Ten years later, he became a member of the squad that reached the quarterfinals at the 2014 FIFA World Cup. He was crucial in the victory against Italy, as he served a cross to assist Bryan Ruiz's header for the lone goal of the match. In a note for La Nacion, Diaz reflected on the assist, stating that "I am sure that, once I retire, many will summarize my career in one single cross."

This page also has a version in other languages :  Хуниор Диас (russian)