“My father was a coach when I lived there and he had a football school, so we played there with him but there were times when we were growing up when sometimes you didn’t have a single football and you had to make a ball out of rags, out of anything,” says Díaz.
“We played on dirt pitches, with rocks. It was crazy! Our toenails would get ripped off, but we had many beautiful experiences there, and we were always smiling. We made the most of the little we had. For us, having those experiences was positive.”
Though he is no longer losing toenails to rocks on the dirt pitches of Barrancas, watch him for play for just a few minutes and you can tell he has not lost that fighting spirit that shaped him. It’s no surprise then that he has long been referred to affectionately as “Lucho”, which derives from the Spanish word luchar, meaning “to fight”.
“I think there have been difficult moments when I had to fight to get through. I have pursued my dream of being a footballer ever since I was little,’ Díaz explains. “It’s obviously tough, because, in Colombia, there aren’t many opportunities and you have to seek them out yourself. I remember when I was at Barranquilla Fútbol Club, when I got to Barranquilla city, and, I had to fight to get what I wanted.
“I remember that stage of my life very clearly, so I’m very thankful to God and to life, for giving me those obstacles, because they were lessons that allowed me to grow and reach where I am today. Nowadays, I’m seeing the fruits of that hard work. So I always try to attach the word “fight” with my name, and I strive to be happy and enjoy the results of that.”
Having fought his way to the top of the game and becoming one of the key figures Colombia will look to at this summer’s FIFA World Cup, Díaz has become a name that strikes fear in the hearts of defenders across Europe.
Yet it’s not silverware, medals and honours that really motivates Díaz, whose heart will always lie in Barrancas, but the chance to give back to the place that taught him the lessons he needed to become one of the best players in the world.
“I am an example for many youngsters, and that is the important thing now – to try to show the youngsters that they can achieve anything through hard work, discipline, and dedication. I also try to show them that they can approach things differently, which is very important.
“I now try to help them through the Sembrando Esperanza Foundation in South America and, with the help of their parents, guide them down the right path. That is also very important because everyone knows there are precious few opportunities and resources for those living in small towns, so you have to do what you can.
“That’s only normal – it’s what I try to do myself: I try to help them so that they can overcome obstacles, I try to set an example, and provide better options for everyone in my hometown. I’m delighted to be a Barrancas native and to continue representing my hometown.”
