Rosario Central Confirm Signing of Angel di Maria
In a move that is sure to delight football fans in Argentina, Rosario Central have announced the signing of winger Angel di Maria. The 37-year-old will return to his boyhood club, 10 months after death threats forced him to backtrack on the same move.
According to reports from the BBC, di Maria began his career at Rosario in 2005 and will now return to the Argentine top-flight club. The club announced his return on Thursday, posting a video on X alongside the message: "Our history together has more pages to write. Welcome home." (BBC Sport)
Di Maria’s career has spanned over two decades, with the winger spending 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. The 2022 World Cup winner 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. (BBC Sport)
However, di Maria’s return to Rosario was put on hold last summer due to increasing drug-related violence in the region. The winger and his family received a number of threats, including a box with a pig’s head and a bullet in the forehead, and a note that said that if he returned to Rosario Central, the next head was that of his daughter Pia. Speaking last July, di Maria said: "There was a threat at my sister’s business… Those months were horrible. We could only sit there and cry each night over not being able to carry out that dream return." (BBC Sport)
Despite the setbacks, di Maria has now agreed to join Rosario Central, and will leave Benfica after next month’s Club World Cup campaign in the United States. The winger rejoined Benfica for a second spell in 2023, but will now return to his homeland to play for his boyhood club.
The signing of di Maria is a major coup for Rosario Central, and fans will be eager to see the winger in action for his new club. With his wealth of experience and success in Europe, di Maria is sure to bring a new level of excitement and expectation to the Argentine top-flight. As the BBC reports, di Maria’s return to Rosario Central marks a new chapter in his career, and one that the winger will surely cherish.
The BBC’s reporting on this story highlights the significance of di Maria’s return to Rosario Central, and the challenges he faced in making the move. With his illustrious career and numerous accolades, di Maria’s signing is sure to generate significant interest in the football world.
