Diego Valdés (Chilean footballer) explained

Diego Alfonso Valdés Contreras (born 30 January 1994) is a Chilean professional footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder for Liga MX club América and the Chile national team.

Club career

Audax Italiano

He made his professional debut in 2012, in a match against Universidad Católica for the Chilean Primera División.

Morelia

Valdés joined Monarcas Morelia from Audax Italiano on June 14, 2016, on a two million dollar move.^[2] Valdés made his debut on July 15, 2016, against Club Tijuana losing 2–0.^[3]

America

Valdés joined Club America from Club Santos Laguna on January 1, 2022. On 30 August 2023, Valdés renewed his contract with America until 2026.^[4] Valdés won the Liga MX with America on 17 December 2023.

International career

Valdés was expected to play for the Chile national under-20 football team in the 2013 South American Youth Championship in Argentina. However, he was left out of the team at the last minute by manager Mario Salas.

The team's performance in Argentina qualified them for a place in the Turkey 2013 under-20 World Cup and when team member Diego Rojas was injured and unable to play, Valdés was selected to take his place.^[5]

He got his first call up to the senior Chile squad for a friendly against the United States in January 2015 and made his international debut in the match.^[6]

Career statistics

International

Appearances and goals by national team and year

National team	Year	Apps	Goals
Chile	2015	1	0
	2018	8	1
	2019	2	0
	2021	6	0
	2022	3	0
	2023	8	1
	2024	5	0
Total		35	2

International goals

Scores and results list Chile's goal tally first.^[7]

No.	Date	Venue	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition
1.	8 June 2018	Stadion Miejski, Poznań, Poland		align=center	1–2	align=center	2–2	Friendly
2.	12 October 2023	Estadio Monumental David Arellano, Santiago, Chile		align=center	1–0	align=center	2–0	2026 FIFA World Cup qualification

Racism controversy

On September 10, 2018, a day before a friendly match between Chile and South Korea, Valdés made a racist gesture, slanting his eyes with his hands at a fan publicity event.^[8] The gesture was reported internationally and created furor in Korea, resulting in Valdes posting an apology widely seen as inadequate.^{[9] [10] [11]} This was the second racist incident in Korea from a visiting South American team, following a similar incident in 2017 in which Colombian football player Edwin Cardona was banned for five games by FIFA after making a similar gesture.^{[12] [13]}

Honours

América

• Liga MX

Apertura 2023,^[14] Clausura 2024^[15]

• Campeón de Campeones

2024

• Campeones Cup

2024

Individual

• Liga MX Best XI: Apertura 2021, Clausura 2022
• Liga MX All-Star: 2021^[16]
• Liga MX Best Offensive Midfielder: 2022–23

Notes and References

1. Web site: FIFA U-20 World Cup Turkey 2013 List of Players: Chile . FIFA.com . PDF . 2 . Fédération Internationale de Football Association . 23 June 2013 . https://web.archive.org/web/20130627043508/http://www.fifadata.com/document/FWYC/2013/pdf/FWYC_2013_SquadLists.pdf . 27 June 2013 . dead.
2. Web site: Valdes to Morelia. Telemundo Deportes . telemundodeportes.com . 13 June 2016 . 29 September 2017.
3. Web site: Debut with Morelia. Serigo Ramirez. sinfoniadegol.com. 13 March 2016. 29 September 2017. 16 June 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190616203609/http://www.sinfoniadegol.cl/el-ingrato-debut-de-diego-valdes-en-morelia/. dead.
4. Web site: Diego Valdés renueva contrato con América hasta 2026. Si Boss . ESPN.com. 13 March 2023 . 29 September 2023.
5. http://www.emol.com/noticias/deportes/2013/06/11/603141/lesion-de-diego-rojas-lo-deja-fuera-del-mundial-de-turquia-y-diego-valdes-viaja-de-urgencia.html Otra baja por lesión para la Sub 20: Diego Rojas quedó descartado para el Mundial
6. News: Chile boss Jorge Sampaoli names home-based squad for USA friendly. 17 November 2015. ca2015.com. 21 January 2015. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20151119152010/http://www.ca2015.com/en/news/chile-boss-jorge-sampaoli-names-home-based-squad-for-usa-friendly/qmgxs5nhrgp61f0ov4inkjfz6. 19 November 2015.
7. Web site: Valdés, Diego. National Football Teams. 10 June 2018.
8. Web site: Chile international Valdes apologizes for derogatory gesture. https://web.archive.org/web/20180912021057/https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/dcunited/chile-international-valdes-apologizes-for-derogatory-gesture/2018/09/10/506279e4-b572-11e8-ae4f-2c1439c96d79_story.html . dead . 12 September 2018 . John Duerden . washingtonpost.com. 11 September 2018 . 12 September 2018.
9. Web site: Tottenham’s Heung-Min Son makes a fool of ‘racist’ Chilean midfielder Diego Valdes . 101greatgoals.com . 11 September 2018 . 12 September 2018 . 16 June 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190616203634/https://www.101greatgoals.com/news/social/tottenham-heung-min-son-diego-valdes/ . dead .
10. Web site: Chile footballer Diego Valdes apologises for ‘racist’ gesture posing with South Korean fan ahead of international friendly. scmp.com.com . 11 September 2018 . 12 September 2018.
11. Web site: Diego Valdes Makes Half-Assed Apology For Racist Gesture, But Justice Is Served By Son Heung-min. the18 . the18.com. 11 September 2018 . 12 September 2018.
12. Web site: Chile international Diego Valdes forced to apologise after making 'racist' gesture towards South Korea fan . Mirror . mirror.co.uk. 11 September 2018 . 12 September 2018.
13. Web site: Chile's Diego Valdes apologises for eye gesture ahead of South Korea match . ESPN . espn.com. 11 September 2018 . 12 September 2018.
14. Web site: Hernandez . Cesar . Club América extends Liga MX record to 14 titles after defeating Tigres . ESPN . 18 December 2023 . 19 December 2023.
15. Web site: Hernandez . Cesar . América secure back-to-back Liga MX titles with win over Cruz Azul . ESPN . 27 May 2024 . 28 May 2024.
16. Web site: Liga MX unveils its final roster for the 2021 All-Star game. 19 July 2021. AS.