Diogo Luís Santo

Diogo Luis Santo, simply known as Diogo (born 26 May 1987), is a Brazilian professional footballer who plays for Palmeiras as a striker.

Club career

Brazil

Born in São Paulo, Diogo started his football career at Associação Portuguesa de Desportos. He quickly made an impressive name for himself at the club, breaking into the first-team in 2007–08, and largely contributing to the second division side's promotion, scoring 18 goals in 28 games – season's best – and being voted the competition's best player.

It was this form which initially prompted Brazilian under-20 coach Nélson Rodrigues to include Diogo in his team (he had already played in previous national youth teams). In the 2008 season, Diogo had his first taste of top-flight football with Portuguesa, and showed early good form with six goals in 13 games.^[1] Early in the same year, club president Manuel da Lupa said he was as good as if not better than A.C. Milan’s teenage sensation Alexandre Pato; he added that Diogo had only shown 50% of his capability due to consistent injuries.^[2]

In July 2008, several teams had been attracted to Diogo's talents. The player had revealed his desire to play his trade in Europe, after longtime admirers Arsenal were joined by ACF Fiorentina in bidding for his services. He had been monitored by Arsenal's scouting department for more than two years, and the London club tried three times to sign him, failing on all occasions – this included a £9,000,000 offer, promptly rejected by Portuguesa.^[3] Arsenal manager Arsène Wenger also publicly stated that he had tried to sign Diogo once, as a 16-year old.^[4]

Olympiakos

Greek side Olympiacos F.C. also became interested and, in a widely-documented and somewhat controversial period of negotiation, Diogo finally signed for the club in August 2008, for €9 million and 70% of the player's rights.^[5] Arriving in Athens on the 19th he passed his medical the following day and, on 21 August, signed a five-year contract.

Diogo made his first appearance in the season's opener, against Asteras Tripoli F.C. on 30 August 2008. On 6 September he scored from the penalty spot against Ionikos FC, in a friendly match.

In the second round, Diogo netted the game's only goal at Skoda Xanthi FC. During his first campaign he also showcased his good heading ability, scoring many of his goals from headers. At one point, he was the player with more goals with that specific body part, at four.

In the 2008–09 UEFA Cup Diogo scored twice in the 5–0 home triumph against FC Nordsjælland on 2 October, adding two more in the club's 5–1 home win against S.L. Benfica in the following month, also in the group stage.^[6] Hence, heightened rumours of a big-money transfer to Europe's elite – and again to England – surfaced, whilst the player was ranked 7th (out of 50) in The Daily Telegraph's list of Footballers Transfer Target List;^[7] eventually, the Piraeus outfit won the double.

In October 2008 further interest arose, now from three other Premier League outfits, Middlesbrough, Chelsea and Liverpool.^[8] The latter's coach, Rafael Benítez, again declared interest in the player in March of the following year, preparing to offer £12 million to acquire his services.^[9] Anfield scouts had been said to have checked on the 21-year-old, seeing him as a perfect replacement for departed Robbie Keane; Benítez then loaned Argentine Sebastián Leto to Olympiacos, further fueling rumours that the player would be included in a swap deal, but nothing came to fruition, with Leto instead moving to rivals Panathinaikos FC.^[10]

Diogo's second season at Olympiacos was disastrous for both him and the team, suffering several injuries which limited to just slightly more than half of the games, scoring just two goals and losing his place in the starting lineup to Kostantinos Mitroglou. He started 2010–11 by netting twice against Besa Kavajë of Albania in a 5–0 away win (11–1 on aggregate) for the UEFA Europa League; however, in the competition's next round, against Maccabi Tel Aviv FC, he was sent off after punching opposing goalkeeper Liran Strauber, in a 0–1 away loss that also meant the Greeks' elimination on the away goals rule.^[11]

Back to Brazil

On 18 August 2010 Diogo returned to Brazil, being loaned to Clube de Regatas do Flamengo. Six months later he joined Santos FC in the same predicament, failing to perform overall and returning to Olympiakos in January 2012, being excluded from the first team late into that year.

On 6 March 2013, Diogo returned to his first club Portuguesa.^[12]

International career

Diogo represented the Brazilian national team at youth levels. He was set to be picked for Brazil's 2008 Olympic football squad, but an injury forced him out.^[13]

Honours

Olympiacos

• Greek League: 2008–09, 2011–12, 2012–13
• Greek Cup: 2008–09, 2011–12

Santos

• São Paulo State League: 2011
• Libertadores Cup: 2011

Club statistics

(correct as of 25 September 2013)

References

External links

• Transfermarkt profile
• Scoresway Profile
• Stats and profile at Zerozero