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Biography
Diego Roberto Godín Leal ([ˈdjeɣo ɣoˈðin]; born 16 February 1986) is a Uruguayan professional footballer who plays as a central defender for Italian club Inter Milan and the Uruguay national team.
Commonly cited as one of the best defenders in the world, he started his professional career with Cerro and three years later was transferred to Primera División side Nacional. He since spent most of his professional career in Spain, representing Villarreal and Atlético Madrid and winning eight titles with the latter club, including the La Liga title in the 2013–14 season.
A Uruguay international since 2005, Godín appeared for the country at three World Cups and five Copa América tournaments, winning the 2011 edition of the latter competition.
Early life
Godín was born in Rosario. Aged 4, during a family gathering, he nearly drowned after trying to catch fish in a river, but eventually swam to shore without the help of anybody.
Club career
Uruguay / Villarreal
Godín started his professional career with C.A. Cerro at the age of 17. After his good performances, he was transferred to Primera División powerhouse Club Nacional de Football, where he quickly became captain due to his maturity and professionalism.
In August 2007, Godín signed a five-year deal with La Liga side Villarreal CF, scoring in just his second game, a 2–3 away loss against CA Osasuna on 7 October, and participating with 24 matches in their best league placement ever (second). He consolidated his starting position in the subsequent seasons, mostly partnering Argentine Gonzalo Rodríguez in the heart of the back four.
Atlético Madrid
On 4 August 2010, after experiencing his best season at Villarreal – 36 games, three goals – Godín joined fellow league team Atlético Madrid on a five-year contract, after the two clubs agreed an initial fee believed to be around €8 million or £6.6 million. He made his official debut for the Colchoneros on the 27th, playing the entire 2–0 win against Inter Milan for the UEFA Super Cup.
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Godín signed a new contract with Atlético on 1 November 2013, keeping him at the club until 2018. "I'm delighted to prolong my stay with the club. This is my home", he said. He scored four league goals during the campaign, including one on the last matchday on 17 May 2014 against FC Barcelona which equalised the game at 1–1 to earn his team its first league title in 18 years. A week later, again through a header, he repeated the feat in the final of the UEFA Champions League to put his team ahead, but Real Madrid eventually won 4–1.
In 2015, Godín rejected a transfer to Manchester City, managed by his former Villarreal boss Manuel Pellegrini. On 28 October 2017 he became the foreign player with most appearances for the club, surpassing fellow stopper Luis Perea after his 315th against Villarreal; he was nominated for the 2016 and 2018 Ballon d'Or awards.
On 20 February 2019, Godín scored the second goal in 2–0 home victory over Juventus F.C. in the Champions League round of 16. On 7 May, the 33-year-old announced he would be departing the club after a nine-year tenure and, on 1 June, he symbolically handed over the captain armband to Koke in the 1–1 draw against Sevilla FC.
Inter Milan
On 1 July 2019, Inter Milan announced they had signed Godín for free on a three-year deal. It was reported that he had already agreed to a pre-contract the previous January. He made his debut in Serie A on 1 September, coming on for Antonio Candreva for the final 11 minutes of a 2–1 win at Cagliari Calcio.
International career
In 2005, at the age of 19, Godín made his debut for Uruguay in a friendly defeat against Mexico in Guadalajara. His first international goal came in another exhibition game, with Serbia and Montenegro in May 2006; he represented the nation at the 2007 Copa América, playing in the opening 0–3 defeat to Peru before losing his place to Andrés Scotti in La Celeste's run to fourth place.
Godín was selected for the squad at the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa. He started in the opening match against France (0–0) in Cape Town, and played in a further four matches for the eventual semi-finalists.
In 2011, Godín featured in Uruguay's successful 2011 Copa América campaign, making one appearance as a late substitute in a 3–0 defeat of Paraguay in the final after being bedridden for several days with a virus. He also participated in the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup, partnering Diego Lugano in defence in four of the team's five matches as they reached the semi-finals.
Godín was selected by coach Óscar Tabárez for the 2014 World Cup and captained the team in three of their four games due to Lugano's absence through injury. On 24 June, he headed the only goal against Italy in the final group fixture, sending the country through to the knockout stage.
In May 2015, Godín was named as captain for Uruguay's defence of the Copa América during the 2015 continental tournament in Chile. He was also picked for the Copa América Centenario squad, heading home from a Carlos Sánchez long cross in the opener against Mexico where both teams ended with ten players (1–3 loss). He won his 100th cap in the following match, a 0–1 defeat to Venezuela at the Lincoln Financial Field.
Godín was also selected for the 2018 World Cup. The following 25 March, at the 2019 China Cup, he made his 126th appearance against Thailand, surpassing Maxi Pereira as the most capped player in the national team's history.
In June 2019, Godín skippered the team to the quarter-finals of the Copa América in Brazil.
Personal life
Godín married Sofia, daughter of José Oscar Herrera, a Uruguayan international who played in Serie A for Cagliari alongside compatriot Enzo Francescoli.
Career statistics
Club
- As of match played 20 February 2020
| Club | Season | League | Cup | Continental | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Cerro | 2003 | Primera División | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 2 | 0 | ||
| 2004 | Primera División | 14 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 15 | 0 | |||
| 2005 | Primera División | 17 | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 17 | 1 | |||
| 2005–06 | Primera División | 30 | 5 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 30 | 5 | |||
| Total | 63 | 6 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 64 | 6 | ||||
| Nacional | 2006–07 | Primera División | 26 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 16 | 2 | — | 46 | 2 | |
| Total | 26 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 16 | 2 | — | 46 | 2 | |||
| Villarreal | 2007–08 | La Liga | 24 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 7 | 0 | — | 34 | 1 | |
| 2008–09 | La Liga | 31 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | — | 38 | 0 | ||
| 2009–10 | La Liga | 36 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 0 | — | 44 | 3 | ||
| Total | 91 | 4 | 5 | 0 | 20 | 0 | — | 116 | 4 | |||
| Atlético Madrid | 2010–11 | La Liga | 25 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 30 | 2 |
| 2011–12 | La Liga | 27 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 13 | 1 | — | 41 | 3 | ||
| 2012–13 | La Liga | 35 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 42 | 1 | |
| 2013–14 | La Liga | 34 | 4 | 5 | 2 | 10 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 51 | 8 | |
| 2014–15 | La Liga | 34 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 9 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 48 | 4 | |
| 2015–16 | La Liga | 31 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 12 | 0 | — | 46 | 1 | ||
| 2016–17 | La Liga | 31 | 3 | 5 | 0 | 11 | 0 | — | 47 | 3 | ||
| 2017–18 | La Liga | 30 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 12 | 0 | — | 45 | 1 | ||
| 2018–19 | La Liga | 30 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 39 | 5 | |
| Total | 277 | 17 | 28 | 4 | 77 | 6 | 7 | 0 | 389 | 27 | ||
| Inter Milan | 2019–20 | Serie A | 16 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 0 | — | 24 | 0 | |
| Total career | 473 | 27 | 40 | 4 | 119 | 8 | 7 | 0 | 639 | 39 | ||
International
- As of 18 November 2019
| Uruguay | ||
|---|---|---|
| Year | Apps | Goals |
| 2005 | 1 | 0 |
| 2006 | 9 | 3 |
| 2007 | 8 | 0 |
| 2008 | 9 | 0 |
| 2009 | 9 | 0 |
| 2010 | 7 | 0 |
| 2011 | 9 | 0 |
| 2012 | 9 | 0 |
| 2013 | 14 | 0 |
| 2014 | 11 | 1 |
| 2015 | 11 | 3 |
| 2016 | 9 | 1 |
| 2017 | 7 | 0 |
| 2018 | 11 | 0 |
| 2019 | 11 | 0 |
| Total | 135 | 8 |
International goals
- As of 5 June 2016
Scores and results list Uruguay's goal tally first.
| # | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | 27 May 2006 | Stadion Crvena Zvezda, Belgrade, Serbia |  Serbia and Montenegro | 1–1 | 1–1 | Friendly |
| 2. | 16 August 2006 | Alexandria Stadium, Alexandria, Egypt |  Egypt | 1–0 | 2–0 | |
| 3. | 18 October 2006 | Centenario, Montevideo, Uruguay |  Venezuela | 1–0 | 4–0 | |
| 4. | 24 June 2014 | Arena das Dunas, Natal, Brazil |  Italy | 1–0 | 1–0 | 2014 FIFA World Cup |
| 5. | 8 October 2015 | Hernando Siles, La Paz, Bolivia |  Bolivia | 1–0 | 2–0 | 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 6. | 13 October 2015 | Centenario, Montevideo, Uruguay |  Colombia | 1–0 | 3–0 | |
| 7. | 17 November 2015 |  Chile | 1–0 | 3–0 | ||
| 8. | 5 June 2016 | University of Phoenix Stadium, Glendale, United States |  Mexico | 1–1 | 1–3 | Copa América Centenario |
Honours
Atlético Madrid
- La Liga: 2013–14
- Copa del Rey: 2012–13
- Supercopa de España: 2014; runner-up: 2013
- UEFA Europa League: 2011–12, 2017–18
- UEFA Super Cup: 2010, 2012, 2018
- UEFA Champions League runner-up: 2013–14, 2015–16
Uruguay
- Copa América: 2011
- China Cup: 2018, 2019
Individual
- La Liga Player of the Month: April 2014, May 2014
- La Liga Team of the Season: 2013–14, 2015–16
- UEFA Champions League Squad of the Season: 2013–14, 2015–16, 2016–17
- UEFA Team of the Year: 2014
- UEFA Champions League Team of the Group Stage: 2015
- La Liga Best Defender: 2015–16
- UEFA La Liga Team of the Season: 2015–16
- ESM Team of the Year: 2015–16
- FIFA FIFPro World11: Third Team 2016, 2018; Fourth Team 2014, 2017; Fifth Team 2015; Nominee 2019 (18th defender)
- UEFA Europa League Squad of the Season: 2017–18
- FIFA World Cup Dream Team: 2018
- IFFHS Men's World Team: 2018