Argentine Footballer Ángel di María

Ángel Di María is arguably one of the world's top footballers today. An Argentine player, Ángel Di María is well able to play with the best as he has the talent to match them. He has participated in two World Cups and although the 2010 World Cup was not kind to his national team, Argentina, 2014's World Cup has seen the team reach to the finals and they will play Germany for the coveted trophy on Sunday 13th July, 2014.

Born in 1988, in the town of Rosario, Santa Fe, to parents Miguel and Diana, the left-winger showed his ability in his debut match as a Madridista in the Bernabéu when he played against Peñarol and he was named Man of the Match and in the most recent tournament played by Real Madrid, the 2014 UEFA Champions League Final.

He settled right in at Real, unlike other players who tend to take a little time before they find their groove, and quickly became one of the fan favorites at the Santiago Bernabéu. Perhaps it is because he had his fellow Argentine teammates, Gonzalo Higuain and Gago , or maybe it was because Di María is truly a team player and it was easy to act humbly and focus on the best for the team. I think it is a bit of both...

No doubt about it, Di María has skill and he is continuing to show it for the benefit of Real Madrid and Argentina.

Growing up in the humble neighborhood of Pedriel, Di María has said that life was hard but it was good. His best friends all hail from his neighborhood and it was there that his life in football began. He was a very hyper child and he has said that his mother was advised to let him take up a sport to expend all of that energy. The choice was football and now every one can see that continuous energy being expended on the field.

At seven years old, he would be purchased by Rosario Central club for the price of 35 balls from the club Torito and he would either walk to training or go on bicycle ( it took 30 minutes to ride there) with his mother. Whether it was raining or not, the little family would diligently go to practice in this manner for seven years.

His father, Miguel, played football as well but only made it as far as a reserve for River Plate because of a knee injury. No doubt, Di María inherited his passion for the sport and it took him from Rosario Central to Benefica and then to one of the top clubs in the world, Real Madrid.

As a child he would assist his parents, Miguel and Diana at work, in a coal-yard. His father would work there for 16 long years and Di María would be his assistant for five years. He has said that his parents were hardworking parents as were all the families in his neighborhood. This work ethic, although tough, instilled in Di María a discipline that takes years to acquire.

It is no surprise that when Di María was sold to Benefica one of the first things he did was tell his father that he wanted him to stop working and enjoy life. He had seen his mother and father work hard to provide for their children and he was glad to be able to say that he could thank them for their sacrifice.

In July of 2011, Ángel Di María married his girlfriend of two years, Jorgelina Cardoso. She is six years his senior and also hails from Rosario, Argentina. She is reputed to be Ángel's biggest fan and has been known to defend all of his actions on social media.

In April, 2013, the happy couple welcomed their daughter Mia and although she was born with a few health problems, she recovered and the family often shares photos of their time together.

The next big club that Ángel Di María signed with was Manchester United. After the negotiations ( a £59 million pound deal ) Di María will be making Old Trafford his home. Di María had said that although he would have liked to stay at Real Madrid he did know that he might have been sold and Manchester United was reported to be willing to pay the player £150,000 a week. Instead, Manchester United has agreed to pay the talented player £280,000 a week! He wears the number 7 jersey, a number that Cristiano Ronaldo used while playing for the team.

The past season at Real Madrid was a success for Di María who scored 13 goals and had 27 assists. Any football club in the world would be pleased to have him and Manchester United and its fans eagerly wait to see what Di Maria can do for the club.

• His closest friend on Real Madrid is Fernando Gago (no surprise there as previously mentioned they are both from Argentina)

• He has a tattoo that is common to his six closest friends in his neighborhood. They all got the tattoo when Di Maria was 18 to remind them that wherever they are in the world they will remain close friends.

• Real Madrid signed him for $40 million Euros

• He is 26

• He has an Italian passport

• He is 5ft 11in

• His sisters' names are Vanessa and Evelyn

• His mother and his wife bless him before every game and light candles to the Holy Spirit for him to receive strength.

• His mother believed that he would be a professional footballer and told him so at a very young age.

• To show he appreciated her sacrifices, he bought his mother a house.

• He missed the semi-final of the 2014 World Cup due to a thigh injury and had to sit out the final match in which Argentina lost to Germany.

• Manchester United signed him for £59 million

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