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Diego Ribas Da CunhaBrazilian footballer
Date of Birth: 28.02.1985
Country:  Brazil |
Content:
Early Life and Career
Diego Ribas da Cunha, known simply as Diego, was born on February 28, 1985, in Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, Brazil. His paternal grandfather came to Brazil from Italy, giving Diego dual citizenship. At the age of 12, he joined the esteemed Santos Futebol Clube in São Paulo. He made his professional debut for the club at the age of 16, winning the Campeonato Brasileiro Série A in his first season.
European Stint
In 2004, Diego was signed by FC Porto in Portugal as a replacement for Deco, who had left for FC Barcelona. He quickly became a regular starter and a key player for Porto. However, in the 2005-2006 season, he found himself relegated to the bench, prompting him to leave Portugal.
In May 2006, Diego signed a four-year contract with SV Werder Bremen in Germany for a transfer fee of €6 million. He made an immediate impact, scoring a goal and contributing to two others in his debut match against Hannover 96. Diego was named Bundesliga Player of the Month for August after making two assists in the following match against Bayer Leverkusen.
Bremen Success
Throughout the 2006-2007 season, Diego continued to impress, becoming one of the most valuable players in the league alongside his teammate Torsten Frings. He was named Player of the Month for October and December and was voted the Best Player of the First Half of the Season. His performances earned him a call-up to the Brazilian national team in November 2006.
Werder Bremen finished third in their Champions League group that season and progressed to the UEFA Cup, where they reached the semi-finals, thanks in large part to Diego's creativity. He scored a stunning 62.5-meter goal against Alemannia Aachen on April 20, which was later voted Goal of the Season.
At the end of the season, Diego was named Bundesliga Player of the Season, receiving over 50 percent of the votes. However, Werder Bremen finished third in the league behind Stuttgart and Schalke 04.
Later Career
Diego continued to excel in the following seasons, scoring two penalties in the first match of the 2007-2008 season against Dinamo Zagreb. He signed a new contract with Werder Bremen until 2011. In the 2008-2009 season, Bremen achieved a historic 8-1 victory over Arminia Bielefeld, with Diego contributing three assists and a goal.
Diego left Werder Bremen in 2009, joining Juventus F.C. in Italy. He later played for VfL Wolfsburg, Atlético Madrid, and Fenerbahçe S.K. before returning to Brazil in 2019 to play for CR Flamengo.
