Diogo (footballer, born 1987)

Diogo

Personal information
Full name	Diogo Luis Santo
Height	1.82 m (5 ft 11+1⁄2 in)
Position(s)	Striker
Team information
Current team	Santos (on loan from Olympiacos)
Youth career
	Atlético Mineiro
0000–2005	Portuguesa
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2005–2008	Portuguesa	41	(24)
2008–	Olympiacos	66	(20)
2010	→ Flamengo (loan)	17	(1)
2011–	→ Santos (loan)	10	(0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of January 20, 2011 ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of January 20, 2011

Diogo Luis Santo, or simply Diogo (born May 26, 1987 in São Paulo), is a Brazilian striker currently playing for Santos, on loan from Olympiacos.

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. 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.

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 long-term 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. Arsenal manager Arsène Wenger also publicly stated that he had tried to sign Diogo once, as a 16-year old.

Olympiakos

Greek giants 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 €9,000,000 and 70% of the player's rights. Arriving in Athens on the 19th, he passed his medical the following day and, on August 21, signed a five-year contract, which earned him a reported 1.2 million annually. His purchase represented a major coup for Olympiakos, with Diogo rated as one of Brazil's best prospects. "I am happy that I have come to play for a major club like Olympiakos. I will do my best to satisfy the club's administration and supporters", he further added.

Diogo made his first appearance for Olympiacos in the season's opener, against Asteras Tripolis, on 30 August 2008. On 6 September, he found the net from the penalty spot against Ionikos FC, in a friendly match.

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

In the 2008–09 UEFA Cup, Diogo scored twice goals 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. 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. Eventually, Olympiakos won the double.

In October 2008, further interest arose, now from three other Premier League outfits, Middlesbrough, Chelsea and Liverpool. 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. 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 midfielder Sebastián Leto to Olympiakos, 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.

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 starting job to Kostantinos Mitroglou.

In 2010–11, he started by scoring 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 Olympiacos' elimination, on the away goals rule.
That was his final mistake, as Olympiacos gave him on loan in Flamengo for 6 months. Either this team was satisfied from his appearances, so he continued his career in Santos for 1 year, still on loan from Olympiacos.

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.

Honours

• Greek League: 2008–09
• Greek Cup: 2008–09

Club statistics

(Statistics correct as of November 28, 2010)

Club	Season	Brazilian League			Copa do Brasil		State League		South America		—		Total
		App	Goals	Assists	App	Goals	App	Goals	App	Goals	App	Goals	App	Goals
Santos	2011	–	–	–	—	—	1	0	-	—	—	—	1	0
	Subtotal	-	–	–	—	—	1	0	—	—	—	—	1	0
Club	Season	Brazilian League			Copa do Brasil		State League		South America		—		Total
		App	Goals	Assists	App	Goals	App	Goals	App	Goals	App	Goals	App	Goals
Flamengo	2010	17	1	1	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	17	1
	Subtotal	17	1	1	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	17	1
Club	Season	Greek League			Greek Cup		—		Europe		Other		Total
		App	Goals	Assists	App	Goals	App	Goals	App	Goals	App	Goals	App	Goals
Olympiacos	2010–11	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	2	2	0	0	2	2
	2009–10	17	2	1	0	0	0	0	5	1	–	–	22	3
	2008–09	28	6	8	7	5	0	0	8	5	–	–	42	16
	Subtotal	45	8	9	7	5	0	0	15	8	0	0	66	21
Club	Season	Brazilian League			Copa do Brasil		State League		South America		—		Total
		App	Goals	Assists	App	Goals	App	Goals	App	Goals	App	Goals	App	Goals
Portuguesa	2008	13	6	—	2	0	—	—	—	—	—	—	15	6
	2007	28	18	—	3	0	—	—	—	—	—	—	31	18
	Subtotal	41	24	—	5	0	—	—	—	—	—	—	46	24

External links

• Olympiacos official profile
• Stats and profile at Zerozero
• Unnoficial fansite Template:Gr icon