Luis Díaz, the threat of Real Madrid: gaining 10 kilos with protein, the indigenous Wayuú ethnic group and sparring in the 2018 World Cup

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His is probably the newest face compared to the final that these same teams played in 2018.

(Barrancas, Colombia, 25 years old) is that long and thin forward who arrived at Liverpool in January and who, just five months later, he has become the great sensation of the team.

, as he is nicknamed in Colombia, landed at Anfield after a brilliant campaign with Porto.

The Liverpool board opted for the reinforcement of the midfielder and paid 40 million (plus 20 in variables) for him.

Díaz is the first Colombian to wear the Liverpool shirt.

«He is a top player, world-class.

For me it is a joy to work with Luis every day, and I am more than happy that we have decided to sign him.

We knew he would work, but not that fast.

The speed he has is incredible, technically he is outstanding », indicated

in a recent press conference.

Luis Díaz has come a long way to reach a Champions League final.

His beginnings in professional football date back to 2015, when Carlos 'El Pibe'

, a former Montpellier and Valladolid player, famous in Spain for that curious image with

in a match at the Bernabéu, he directed the Colombian indigenous team in the indigenous Copa América, a competition that was only played that year.

Díaz belongs to the Wayúu ethnic group, an indigenous community that resides in the north of Colombia, in La Guajira, a department marked by extreme poverty figures, high temperatures and because it is a desert.

Encouraged by his father, coordinator of a modest soccer school in his town, he went to Bogotá and tried out to enter that team.

Despite his malnutrition, the chronicles of that time clearly tell, he called a lot of attention to the technicians for his speed and ability.

In that indigenous Copa América, played in Chile, Díaz left behind the adverse situations in La Guajira and drove the rivals who tried to take the ball crazy.

He played all the games, scored two goals and wore the captain's armband for the coffee team.

After the tournament, Valderrama suggested to Junior de Barranquilla the hiring of the player, who was transferred to the quarry, to Barranquilla FC (Second Division).

And the first thing the club did was force him to

based on a protein-based diet, in addition to improving his muscle mass.

was the first coach who directed the midfielder there and in the lower divisions of the Colombia team.

Friendship with James Rodríguez and Falcao

“The first thing I told him is to understand the dribbling zones.

He is a player who has so much potential that he has been improving over time », he explains.

In addition to being part of the Barranquilla FC squad, Díaz, who is now married and has a daughter named

, was a sparring partner for the national team on his way to Russia 2018, which is why he made friends with players like

or

.

The winger climbed to Junior's first team after two years in the Second Division.

He wore the coastal team jersey for three seasons.

In the Junior, Díaz won two Colombian Leagues, a Cup, a Super League and was runner-up in the Copa Sudamericana in 2018. At the age of 22, he signed for Porto, which was ahead of other greats such as River Plate and other European teams.

Marcelo Gallardo

, coach of the Argentine team, was interested in him, but did not finalize the signing.

"He didn't literally ask me to talk to him.

Yes he told me what he wanted.

He was talking to me and Quintero because he really liked 'Luchito', how he played and what he did.

He always had the intention of wearing it », would later tell

, recent champion of the Europa League with Eintracht, then in River.

Díaz completed outstanding performances with Porto and that opened the doors of Liverpool, where he has revolutionized the team.

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