In the Diaz household, football was not just a passion, but a way of life. Luis Manuel, the family patriarch, had played the game as an amateur and worked at youth development centres. Little wonder, then, that his son Luis was quick to follow in his footsteps.
“When Luis started crawling around at home, he’d pick up little stones and roll them with his foot," Diaz Sr told FIFA. "I looked after the pitches at the academy, and he would always cry, ‘I want to go, I want to go’.”
Fast forward several years, and the star is now gearing up to the Round of 32 at the .
Luis Manuel Diaz lights up when speaking about his son, the boy from La Guajira who has become Colombia’s biggest star. “Luis was a football-mad kid, who was disciplined, attentive and always willing to listen when people offered him advice,” he said.
For all his love of the game, Luis Manuel sometimes had to curb his son’s single-minded devotion to the sport, mindful that life stretched beyond the touchline. “He was very well-mannered, focused on his own things, always at home. Hanging around in the street wasn't his thing because he was all about football.
"He'd head down to the pitches for hours on end because he loved the game and always wanted to be there. He hated it when we picked him up. We tried to hold him back, but it didn’t work; now look where we are.”
Once that boy became a teenager, his father began to believe those gifted feet could take him to the top. “As he got older, once he was 10 or 12, you could really see the footballer in him. The touch, the skill, the way he moved the ball, he had it all. We realised he had the quality to turn professional, so we carried on working,” his father explained.
Diaz spent years flying under the radar. It took time for him to step into the spotlight, but once he did, there was no doubting his ability. “He didn’t get the chance to go through the youth ranks. When we took him to Barranquilla, he was already 16 going on 17. He hadn’t been involved in training camps, but once he was at Barranquilla Futbol Club he was picked for Colombia’s U-20 side and made his debut in the South American Championship. Even then, it was clear he was not far from making the leap to the senior team.”
Then came the moment: Diaz was called up by Colombia. “I don’t remember the exact date, but I do remember we were in La Guajira, while Luis was in Barranquilla. They were waiting, and so were we, for the squad list to come out. First, goalkeepers, defenders, midfielders... until finally the forwards were announced and there was the name of a winger: Luis Diaz. It was pure joy for the family and an unforgettable thrill to see Lucho Diaz called up for international duty. It was a source of pride and huge satisfaction for us,” he reminisced.
His father, a former footballer and coach, broke down the qualities that have helped turn his son into a global phenomenon. “He has never forgotten where he comes from. We come from humble beginnings, and humility has always shaped us. That is what makes him the way he is.
"Luis possesses remarkable technique, all poise and precision, bringing the ball down, killing it instantly and controlling it with any part of the body. His ball mastery is out of this world. He looked up to technically gifted players such as Ronaldinho and [Lionel] Messi, both of them artists with the ball at their feet.”
Luis Manuel has been watching on from the USA as Colombia light up the tournament. He expected them to make an impact, and he believes there is still much more to come. Asked about the future of his son’s side, he sees no ceiling to their ambition.
“I’m positive, and I believe we’re going to lift the trophy. I never settle for the quarter-finals or the semi-finals. I always want to reach the final because that is where the very best belong. Colombia will make it all the way.”
That national dream now lies partly at the feet of his son, the boy whose only wish was always to play football.
Sources: FIFA Official
