Lisbon [Portugal], July 8 : Portuguese football club Benfica welcomed back Angel Di Maria, as he signed a new contract with the club until 2024.
According to the official website of Benfica, "Thousands of Benfiquistas flocked to the Cathedral to greet the latest addition to the team led by Roger Schmidt. Cheered by the public when he appeared on the balcony of Gate 18 after signing his contract until 2024 alongside President Rui Costa, an emotional Di Maria thanked them for the cheers of support and expressed his happiness at returning home."
Di Maria was quoted by the club's official website as saying, "I am back home because I feel Benfica is my home. ItBenfica sign Angel Di Maria till 2024 is something unique."
Signed from Argentinian Rosario Central, Di Maria was presented to Benfica in July 2007 and made his debut on August 29, 2007, where he was a starter in the 1-0 win at FC Copenhagen, in the second leg of the third qualifying round for the Champions League.
The Argentinean, then aged 19, lined up alongside Rui Costa and the two would end up playing 36 games together in the 2007/08 season, marked by the farewell of the current Benfica President. In his first season with the eagle on his chest, Di Maria played 45 games, amassing one goal and six assists.
In 2008/09, the winger was used in 35 matches, registering four goals and three assists, and won his first trophy for the Club, participating in all five matches of the victorious campaign in the League Cup.
In the 2009/10 season, Angel Di Maria played 44 matches, the player scored ten goals and made 17 assists, contributing decisively to the victorious campaigns in the Championship and in the League Cup. His brilliant performances in Benfica caught the attention of Real Madrid, who signed him for the 2010/11 season for 33 million euros, making the Argentinean the Club's biggest sale up to that moment.
In the Spanish capital, Di Maria won a League, two Spanish Cups, a Spanish Super Cup and a Champions League, amassing 190 appearances in four seasons for the merengues, where he scored 35 goals and made 66 assists. Established as one of the great talents of world football, the Argentine international moved to Manchester United in the summer of 2014 for 75 million euros.
In between, the player was among those called up by Lionel Scaloni to represent Argentina in the World Cup'2022. Starting in the three group matches, the winger played only eight minutes in the knockout rounds before appearing as a starter in the final of the competition, held in Qatar. On the left side of the attack, the Argentina No. 11 put in a great performance during his 64 minutes on the pitch and proved to be instrumental in Argentina's third world title, which they won against France in the penalty shootout.
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