Rafael Díaz (footballer)

Rafael Alejandro Díaz (born 8 October 1991) is a Dominican professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for American USL Championship club Sacramento Republic FC and the Dominican Republic national team.

Rafael Díaz
Personal information
Full name Rafael Alejandro Díaz, Jr.
Date of birth (1991-10-08) 8 October 1991
Place of birth Dominican Republic
Height 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in)
Position(s) Goalkeeper
Club information
Current team
 Sacramento Republic
Number 18
College career
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2010–2013 St. John's Red Storm
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2012 Jersey Express 11 (0)
2013 Brooklyn Italians 12 (0)
2014 Orlando City 0 (0)
2015–2017 New York Red Bulls II 10 (0)
2017 New York Red Bulls 0 (0)
2017 New York Red Bulls II 11 (0)
2018– Sacramento Republic 16 (0)
National team‡
2021– Dominican Republic 1 (0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 4 October 2020
‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 25 January 2021

Career

Youth and college

Díaz played club soccer for PDA in New Jersey. Díaz also played college soccer for St. John’s University from 2010 to 2013. While with the Red Storm he was a four-year starter and made 72 appearances and recorded a school record 32 shutouts.[1]

During his college career Díaz also played with USL PDL side Jersey Express S.C., making 11 appearances as a starter during the 2012 season .[2]

Professional

Coming out of St. John's Díaz was considered one of top Goalkeeper prospects in the country.[3] On 20 March 2014 Díaz signed his first professional contract with USL Pro side Orlando City SC.[4] Díaz made his first team debut with Orlando on 14 May 2014 coming on as a late game substitute for Carl Woszczynski in a 4-1 U.S. Open Cup victory over Ocala Stampede.[5]

Díaz went on trial with Major League Soccer club New York Red Bulls during the 2015 preseason.[6] He caught the attention of the club and signed with New York Red Bulls II for the 2015 season and made the game day roster for the side in its first ever match on 28 March 2015 which ended in a 0-0 draw with Rochester Rhinos.[7] On 12 April 2015 he made his debut with the club coming on as a late game substitute in a match against Wilmington Hammerheads FC.[8] On 18 April 2015 Díaz made his debut as a starter for New York Red Bulls II in a 1-1 draw against the Charleston Battery.[9]

On 17 April 2016 Díaz made his season debut for New York in a scoreless draw against the defending league champion Rochester Rhinos.[10] His performance that day earned him USL Team of the Week honors.[11]

On 24 January 2017 the New York Red Bulls announced that Díaz had been signed to an MLS contract after two years with the reserve team.[12]

On 6 February 2018 Díaz signed with Sacramento Republic FC for the 2018 season.[13]

Career statistics
As of 22 July 2017
Club Season League Playoffs US Open Cup CONCACAF Total
AppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
New York Red Bulls II 2015 6000100070
2016 4000000040
2017 110000000110
Career total 210001000220

Honors

Club

New York Red Bulls II

References
  1. "Rafael Diaz St. John's Red Storm". redstormsports.com.
  2. "Rafael Diaz Jersey Express stats". uslpdl.com.
  3. "Diaz signs with Orlando City SC". Rafael Diaz MLS.
  4. "Diaz signs with Orlando City SC". redstormsports.com. Retrieved 20 March 2014.
  5. "Lions take down Ocala Stampede 4-1". thecitybeautifulgame.com. Retrieved 14 May 2014.
  6. "Red Bulls release 2015 preseason roster". newyorkredbulls.com. Retrieved 27 January 2015.
  7. "Red Bulls II 0 Rochester Rhinos 0". newyorkredbulls.com. Retrieved 28 March 2015.
  8. "Red Bulls II fall to Hammerheads". newyorkredbulls.com. Retrieved 12 April 2015.
  9. "Abang's equalizer gives NYRB II gutsy road point at Blackbaud". newyorkredbulls.com. Retrieved 18 April 2015.
  10. "MATCH RECAP: New York Red Bulls II 0, Rochester Rhinos 0". newyorkredbulls.com. 17 April 2016.
  11. "Rafael Diaz named to USL Team of the Week". newyorkredbulls.com. 19 April 2016.
  12. "New York Red Bulls Sign Rafael Diaz to MLS Contract 0". newyorkredbulls.com. 24 January 2017.
  13. http://www.sacrepublicfc.com/news_article/show/884093


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