Di Maria to return to boyhood club despite previous threats
Benfica winger Angel di Maria will return to his boyhood club Rosario Central - 10 months after death threats forced him to backtrack on the same move.
The 37-year-old began his career at Rosario in 2005 and the Argentine top-flight club announced his return on Thursday.
"Our history together has more pages to write. Welcome home," the Rosario-based club said alongside a video posted on X.
The 2022 World Cup winner spent two seasons with Rosario before moving to Europe with Benfica.
He went on to play more than 700 games in Europe for Benfica, Real Madrid, Manchester United, Paris St-Germain and Juventus.
Di Maria was close to rejoining Rosario as a free agent last summer but increasing drug-related violence in the region and a number of threats against him and his family ended his plans.
Speaking last July, Di Maria said: "There was a threat at my sister's business, a box with a pig's head and a bullet in the forehead, and a note that said that if I returned to [Rosario] Central, the next head was that of my daughter Pia.
"Those months were horrible. We could only sit there and cry each night over not being able to carry out that dream return."
Di Maria has won 30 trophies in Europe - including league titles in three countries and the 2013-14 Champions League with Real - as well as the World Cup and two Copa America trophies with Argentina.
He rejoined Benfica for a second spell in 2023 and will leave the club after next month's Club World Cup campaign in the United States.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New York Times
17 minutes ago
- New York Times
England's Fran Kirby retires from international football before Euro 2025
England midfielder Fran Kirby has retired from international football with immediate effect. Kirby, now of Brighton & Hove Albion, has made her decision, she says, after being told by England manager Sarina Wiegman she would not be included in the squad for the European Championship, which begins next month. Advertisement Wiegman will confirm her group for the tournament in Switzerland on Thursday. Kirby was selected by Wiegman for the Nations League matches with Portugal and Spain and made what will now be her final national team appearance as a second-half substitute on Friday. She wasn't part of the squad for Tuesday evening's defeat to the world champions. Announcing her retirement on social media after the game, Kirby wrote: 'After being in the England team since I was 21, it's time to close that chapter of my life. I didn't ever want this day to come, but I cannot tell you how proud I am that it happened. 'It's been the biggest honour to represent my country, one that I had only dreamt about as a young girl. I've played with incredible players, worked with some incredible managers, played in some amazing tournaments, and have some irreplaceable memories.' Thank you @Lionesses ❤️ — Fran Kirby (@frankirby) June 3, 2025 Kirby leaves the international stage after winning 77 caps. She was a key player as England's women won a first international tournament at a home Euros in 2022, but missed out on the World Cup in 2023 — where England reached the final — with a knee injury. 'My journey has been full of ups and downs, setbacks and achievements,' Kirby continued. 'Enough has been said and written about those, but regardless of whatever was thrown at me, I want you all to know that every time I put on that England badge I gave 100 per cent. Every single call up, I accepted my role and did whatever was needed for the team. I wanted England to win. I've always been there to help England win. 'My mum had a dream of me representing my country, and I'm so proud I was able to do that and play in front of you all. I will never, ever forget the noise when my name is read out at a stadium. I was first selected when I was playing in WSL 2, I played a part in the game-changing World Cup, winning bronze in 2015, creating some memories of a lifetime. Advertisement 'Starting in every game and winning the Euros in 2022 was a dream come true, to be a part of change in women's football was one of the best experiences I could have ever imagined. Thank you to you all, for embracing me as a young girl from Reading who had a dream. I hope you all know, wearing that badge was the greatest honour. To every young girl that suffers setbacks, just remember you can. You can. Forever a Lioness, Fran'. Wiegman praised Kirby's 'incredible contribution' to the national team. 'Fran has given so much to England and has been an inspiration to so many for what she has achieved on and off the pitch. I have loved working with her, she is an amazing player and a great person,' she said. 'I fully understand her decision to say goodbye at this point in her wonderful career, and we will always be grateful for her incredible contribution to the team. 'I am just happy that she will continue to show her top ability in club football. Fran is a unique talent and plays football in a way that excites the fans and has earned the respect of all who have played with and against her. We will miss her of course and I look forward to the chance to honour her in the right way later this year.' Kirby follows Mary Earps in calling time on her international career, the goalkeeper hanging up her international gloves last week. 'It is something I have been thinking about for over a year. I knew this was going to be my last major tournament,' she told the BBC. 'The plan was to retire after the Euros but after speaking to Sarina, I'm not going to make the squad. It was like a dagger to my heart but also a weight off my shoulders all at the same time. It was emotional for both of us but we both respected what each person was saying.' England begin their tournament against France on July 5 before games against the Netherlands (July 9) and Wales (July 13). ()
Yahoo
19 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Sportsman's Warehouse: Fiscal Q1 Earnings Snapshot
WEST JORDAN, Utah (AP) — WEST JORDAN, Utah (AP) — Sportsman's Warehouse Holdings Inc. (SPWH) on Tuesday reported a loss of $21.3 million in its fiscal first quarter. The West Jordan, Utah-based company said it had a loss of 56 cents per share. Losses, adjusted for non-recurring costs, were 41 cents per share. The outdoor sporting goods specialty retailer posted revenue of $249.1 million in the period. _____ This story was generated by Automated Insights ( using data from Zacks Investment Research. Access a Zacks stock report on SPWH at Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Fox Sports
23 minutes ago
- Fox Sports
UEFA Nations League final four: Everything you need to know
No rest for the winners. Sandwiched between the Champions League final and Club World Cup, the Nations League final four provides another opportunity to win a trophy for players who might have more need of a break. Seven France players, four from Portugal, and one each from Spain and Germany were involved as Paris Saint-Germain defeated Inter Milan in the Champions League final on Saturday. Germany defender Yann Aurel Bisseck was injured playing for Inter and will miss the Nations League semifinal against Portugal in Munich on Wednesday. PSG players Gonçalo Ramos, João Neves, Nuno Mendes and Vitinha will need to shake off any lingering effects from celebrations before they play for Portugal. France plays Spain in the other semifinal in Stuttgart on Thursday, when Spain's Fabián Ruiz is likely to start in midfield despite starring in midfield for PSG on Saturday. France players Désiré Doué, Bradley Barcola, Ousmane Dembélé, Lucas Hernandez and Warren Zaïre-Emery all helped PSG end its long wait to lift the Champions League trophy. France players Marcus Thuram and Benjamin Pavard were on the losing side for Inter Milan. While France coach Didier Deschamps will need to assess the impact of PSG's partying on his players, three of his preferred four-man backline are also injured. William Saliba, Dayot Upamecano and Jules Koundé are all out. Real Madrid midfielder Eduardo Camavinga is also injured as a long season takes its toll. The winners of each semifinal will contest the final in Munich on Sunday. The losers won't get a break yet — they'll need to play in Stuttgart to decide third place. What is the Nations League? The new competition was formed in 2018 to replace what UEFA called "meaningless friendlies" with competitive games pitting equally ranked teams against each other. For this, it set up a league structure with four divisions containing groups of national teams, then – from this edition – a new knockout round after the group phase among the top division's group winners and runners-up to determine which play in the finals. In the quarterfinals, Spain defeated the Netherlands on penalties, France also needed penalties against Croatia, Germany defeated Italy 5-4 on aggregate, and Portugal beat Denmark 5-3 on aggregate. It ensured all three previous winners of the competition – Portugal (2019), France (2021) and Spain (2023) – qualified for the final four along with host Germany. How important is the Nations League? Spain used success in 2023 as a springboard for winning the European Championship in 2024, and France reached the World Cup final in 2022 after winning the Nations League the year before. While fans might struggle to remember previous winners amid an increasingly packed schedule, coaches and players welcome the competitive edge it provides. For Germany coach Julian Nagelsmann, it's a chance to win his first title. Though not comparable to winning a European Championship or World Cup, it would restore some pride in German soccer after the national team's decline following its 2014 World Cup win. Key facts France's game with Spain is a repeat of their Euro 2024 semifinal, when the team starring Lamine Yamal got the better of Kylian Mbappé's France on its way to lifting the title. Lyon attacking midfielder Rayan Cherki could make his debut for France. Isco is back for Spain after a six-year-absence. The 33-year-old former Real Madrid star enjoyed a stellar season at Real Betis. Germany captain Joshua Kimmich would make his 100th national team appearance if he plays against Portugal. With Jamal Musiala out injured, Bayer Leverkusen star Florian Wirtz will be under more pressure to create openings for Germany. Porto star Rodrigo Mora was called up by Portugal for the first time. The 18-year-old attacking midfielder has been linked with a host of clubs including Manchester United, Barcelona and PSG. The evergreen Cristiano Ronaldo, now 40, will lead Portugal again. He might not get a break after this tournament either. Reporting by The Associated Press. Want great stories delivered right to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports account, follow leagues, teams and players to receive a personalized newsletter daily ! Get more from UEFA Nations League Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more
