Diego Alberto Milito (born 12 June 1979) is an Argentine former professional footballer who played as astriker. He was nicknamedEl Principe ("The Prince" in Spanish) because of his physical resemblance with former Uruguayan footballerEnzo Francescoli, who had the same nickname.[2]
Milito began his club career in Argentina withRacing Club in 1999, and later moved to Italian sideGenoa in 2003. In 2005, he was acquired by Spanish clubReal Zaragoza, where he remained for three seasons, before returning to Genoa in 2008. His prolific goalscoring exploits during his second spell with Genoa earned him a move to defendingSerie A championsInter Milan, where he was pivotal in the club's2010treble-winning season, scoring 30 goals in all competitions, including two goals in the2010 UEFA Champions League Final. He returned to Racing Club in 2014, where he retired in 2016. At international level, Milito earned 25 caps for Argentina, scoring 4 goals, and represented his country in twoCopa América tournaments and2010 FIFA World Cup.
At the beginning of 2004, Milito moved toItalian second division clubGenoa for £8 million.[citation needed] After two very successful seasons, where he scored 33 goals in 59 matches in Italy, Genoa were relegated down toSerie C1 as a punishment for an alleged match-fixing case in the final match of the2004–05 season againstVenezia.[3] Due to this, Milito was forced to leave Genoa and would ultimately join his brother Gabriel atReal Zaragoza in the SpanishLa Liga.[5]
Milito scored four goals in the first semi-final of the 2006Copa del Rey to beatReal Madrid 6–1.[6][7][8] He finished the season as Zaragoza's top scorer with 16 goals in the first division.
In November 2006, it was reported Zaragoza decided to buy him outright after his two-year loan was set to expire.[10][11]
Milito became the clubcaptain at Zaragoza, taking over this role from brother Gabriel, who departed forBarcelona in 2007.[12] His contract was extended in August 2007 with a buy-out clause of €100 million.[13] His goals helped Zaragoza to a sixth-place finish in the league. As of January 2008, Milito averaged higher than a goal every two games for Zaragoza, a statistic he also achieved with Genoa. In total, he managed 61 goals during his three seasons with Zaragoza.[3]
On 1 September 2008, just a few minutes before the transfer window closure time,Genoa completed the transfer of Milito from Zaragoza after the Spanish team were relegated to theSegunda División.[14][15] His agent, Fernando Hidalgo, confirmed Milito chose explicitly to return to Genoa despite having received more lucrative offers from other major European clubs.[3][16] He made hisSerie A debut on 14 September againstMilan. Genoa won the game 2–0 with Milito assisting the first goal and scoring the second.[17] On 9 November, Milito scored his first hat-trick for Genoa in the 4–0 victory againstReggina.[18][19] He finished the season with 24 goals in 31league appearances, placing him second behindZlatan Ibrahimović in theCapocannonieri scoring title.[3][20]
The striker adapted to his new surroundings quickly and had an excellent start to his Inter career, scoring two goals in a 2–0World Football Challenge win over city rivalsMilan.[26] Subsequently, on 29 August, in his first everDerby della Madonnina against Milan inSerie A, Milito assisted two goals and scored apenalty, his first league goal of the season, as Inter won 4–0.[27] Later, on 13 September, he scored his second league goal in a 2–0 home win againstParma.[28] In the next league match againstCagliari, he scored both goals for Inter in a 2–1 away win.[29] These two goals placed him at the top of the all-time Serie A scoring charts for best strike rate, with 28 goals in 35 games, giving him an average of 0.8 goals per game.[30] Milito continued his fine run of form with another goal in the next league match againstNapoli, scoring the second goal afterSamuel Eto'o scored in the first minute, a game that they won 3–1.[31]
The consistency which Milito had shown at his previous clubs was sustained throughout his debut season at Inter, and after the first few matches, he had established himself as a key contributor to the squad. On 30 October, in a 5–3 home victory againstPalermo, Milito, who had returned from an injury, came off the bench to make the result safe, scoring Inter's fifth goal.[32] In the next game, againstLivorno, he scored another goal,[33] taking his strike rate up to seven goals in nine league matches. Three days later, on 4 November, he scored his first goal in theUEFA Champions League in a 2–1Group Stage win overDynamo Kyiv; it was the equaliser which led toWesley Sneijder's game-winner in the 89th minute.[34] On 24 February, in anotherChampions League match, this time in a 2–1Round of 16 win againstChelsea, he scored another important goal, his second in the competition.[35] Four days later, Milito netted the matchwinner which gave Inter Milan a 3–2 victory atUdinese, in a thrilling win for theNerazzurri.[36] On 27 March, after missing a 3–0 win over Livorno[37] with a hamstring problem, Milito returned for a crucial battle at title contendersRoma, where he scored one goal in a 2–1 loss.[38][39] On 31 March, in a 1–0Champions League quarter-finals win againstCSKA Moscow, he scored the winning goal.[40] Milito scored a vital goal and assisted twice in a 3–1 home win againstBarcelona in the team's first leg semi-final win.[41][42]
During the last matches of the 2009–10 season, Milito proved instrumental in Inter's winning of the firsttreble in the history of Italian football. The Argentine first scored the only goal in Inter's victory over Roma inthe final of the Coppa Italia on 5 May 2010, enabling theNerazzurri to take home their first trophy of the season.[43] Eleven days later, it was also Milito's goal which secured Inter Milan's 18thScudetto when they beatSiena 1–0 on the final matchday of Serie A.[44] With only two points separating the top two teams in Serie A, the goal lifted Inter to the summit of the table after being in a position to lose the league title to Roma at the half-time break as Roma, playing simultaneously, were winning their own match againstChievo at that point. Milito himself declared this goal to be the "best of his career,"[45] having been decisive in delivering a league title to his team. On 22 May 2010, Milito yet again proved vital as he scored twice to seal a victory in theChampions League Final overBayern Munich. As a result, Inter became European club champions for the first time in 45 years with a 2–0 victory and completed their historic treble championship season.[46]
Milito finished the season with 30 goals in all competitions, 22 of which came in the league, 2 in Coppa Italia and 6 in the Champions League.[3]
On 9 August 2010, Milito signed a new four-year contract with theNerazzurri.[47] On 26 August, at the ceremony called for the delivery of theUEFA Club Football Awards, Milito was voted the best player and striker in the previous season's European club by winning the prestigiousUEFA Club Footballer of the Year andUEFA Club Forward of the Year.[48] Inter followed the previous season's success with a victory in theSupercoppa Italiana againstRoma. He failed to convert a penalty in the 90th minute, however, in the2010 UEFA Super Cup match againstUEFA Europa League championsAtlético Madrid; the game finished 2–0 for the Spaniards. He played his first match of the league on 30 August 2010 in week one againstBologna, where Inter started the season with a goalless draw.[49] On 14 September, Milito scored an accidental own-goal in first match of group stage inChampions League againstTwente.[50] Eight days later, on 22 September, Milito scored his first goals of the season in a 4–0 win against nearly promoted clubBari atSan Siro, helping the team to reach in top of the league.[51] After that, he went to wait until 10 November to score his next goal, where he scored againstLecce to put his team ahead in 76th minute, but, however, Lecce would equalizing three minutes later withUruguay internationalRubén Olivera.[52] He dedicated the goal to his teammateWalter Samuel, who three days ago ended his season after suffered a severe knee injury.[53][54]
In December, Milito scored a goal againstSeongnam Ilhwa Chunma in the semi-finals of the2010 FIFA Club World Cup; Inter went on to win the tournament.[3] On 24 January 2011, Milito received anOscar del Calcio award for "Best Football Foreign Player" and the "Best Footballer of the Year" for the 2009–10 season. Milito registered just eight goals in 34 appearances in an injury-plagued season as Inter finished the league in second place.
Milito (#22) before a Champions League match againstPFC CSKA Moscow in September 2011
In the first Serie A match of the2011–12 season, Milito scored two goals in a 4–3 defeat againstPalermo. After a seesaw performance, Milito crept back on the scoresheet with a goal on 24 September againstBologna and on 2 November, he registered his 200th goal with the club in aChampions League match won 2–1 againstLille.
On 27 November, Milito earned his 400th career appearance in the league match atSiena, which ended with a 1–0 away win forNerazzurri,[55] while on 18 December, in a 1–0 win overCesena, he played his 100th game in Serie A.[56] In December, due to his poor performances during the previous season, Milito was awarded theBidone d'oro, a satirical prize which is given to the worst Serie A player during a particular season.[57] On 21 December, he scored in a 4–1 win againstLecce in Inter's last match of 2011.[58] On 7 January 2012, he scored twice and assisted goal ofGiampaolo Pazzini in a 5–0 win againstParma atSan Siro.[59] On 15 January 2012, Inter won theDerby della Madonnina againstMilan with the result 1–0, with Milito who scored the only goal in 54th minute after an assist fromJavier Zanetti,[60] his 200th for an Italian club across all competitive competitions.[61] With his goal at Milan, he has scored seven goals in just nine derby matches played in Italy – four goals in four games in theDerby della Lanterna for Genoa againstSampdoria and three in five in the Derby della Madonnina.
On 1 February, Milito scored all four Inter goals in a 4–4 draw at theSan Siro against Palermo,[62][63] the first four-goal game in the Serie A sinceChristian Vieri accomplished the feat for Inter againstBrescia (4–0) on 1 December 2002. It was also his second four-goal game, the first accomplished withReal Zaragoza in aCopa del Rey match againstReal Madrid on 8 February 2006.[6][7][8] Milito scored a hat-trick on 1 April in a 5–4 win against his old clubGenoa and added another hat-trick on 6 May in theDerby della Madonnina againstMilan, where Inter won 4–2. With this feat, Milito overpassedRonaldo's 49 goals in the all-time list of goals scored in an Inter shirt, with 50. It was also the fourth hat-trick scored in a Milan derby, after Altafini on 27 March 1960; Amadei on 6 November 1949; and Nyers on 1 November 1953. On 13 May, after the club's 3–1 loss againstLazio,[64] Milito finished the season with 24 goals, four behind leaderZlatan Ibrahimović.[65]
Milito started the2012–13 season scoring the second goal of a 0–3 final victory over Serie A newcomersPescara in the first game of the season.[66] On 28 October, he celebrated his 100thSerie A match in an Inter shirt, scoring his fourth goal of the season away againstBologna.[67] Three days later, on 31 October, he scored his fifth goal againstSampdoria in a game that ended 3–2 for Inter; it was also his 200th career goal across all competitions.[68] On 4 November, he scored a double in the match againstJuventus inTurin, a 3–1 victory, which ended Juventus's 49-match unbeaten run at theJuventus Stadium.[69]
After Inter's 2–1 victory overNapoli on 9 December, where Milito registered a goal, Milito celebrated his 100th Serie win out of 197 games played between both Genoa and theNerazzurri.[70] With 28 goals scored, Milito also became the player with the most goals scored in the Serie A during the 2012 calendar year, ahead of Napoli'sEdinson Cavani (27) andUdinese'sAntonio Di Natale (23).
Returning from an injury suffered in January on 10 February 2013, Milito marked his return in the home win againstChievo by scoring a goal and providing an assist onEsteban Cambiasso's strike.[71] Milito's season injuries woes continued, however, as on 14 February, in aUEFA Europa League match againstCFR Cluj, he was injured in the seventh minute with a collateral ligament injury, anterior cruciate ligament, and capsule in his left knee.[72] Two days later, Milito announced that the surgery to repair the injury was a success, but that the player would not return to the pitch for at least six months, ruling him out of contention for the remainder of the season.
Milito returned to action for Inter, againstSassuolo on 22 September 2013, having been on the bench in the previous match againstJuventus. He scored a brace in a 7–0 away win over the Serie A newcomers.[73] However, he was beset by injury yet again, putting him out for a further ten matches.[74] He returned to the team on 6 January 2014 in a 1–0 away loss toLazio, coming on as a late substitute.[75] In total, Milito scored 75 goals in 171 appearances in all competitions during his five seasons with Inter, 62 of which were scored in Serie A.[3]
In 2014, it was confirmed Milito would come back to his first club,Racing Club, where he started his professional career.[76] Milito scored on his Racing return to help the team to a 3–1 win overDefensa y Justicia on the opening weekend of the Argentine championship.[77] On 26 August 2014, he scored a crucial goal with a penalty in the 1–0 victory againstArsenal de Sarandí in week four ofArgentine Primera División.[78] On 31 August 2014, Milito scored his third goal for Racing in a 2–1 loss againstIndependiente; he scored the goal in the 14th minute after an assist byRicardo Centurión. He provided an assist forGustavo Bou, who scored the first goal in a 2–1 win overBoca Juniors.[79] He scored his fourth goal of the season in a 4–0 win overEstudiantes on 11 October.[80]Milito continued his fine form, supplying his third assist of the season in a 1–1 draw againstClub Olimpo.[81] He assistedGabriel Hauche in the 41st minute of the match.[82] Milito scored the fifth and sixth of the season on 30 November in a match againstRosario Central, who ended with a 3–0 win away.[83] After this win, Racing got to the top of the league and one match remained for it to be over. He participated on the play whereRicardo Centurión scored the crucial goal againstGodoy Cruz. Racing was crowned2014 Transición champion, meaning that the team qualified in2015 Copa Libertadores second stage.[84] That was Racing's first title after 13 years;[85][86] Milito had also been on the side that won the title in 2001, and thus contributed to the club's only titles since 1966.[87] Milito said that winning the league with Racing was a dream come true.[88]
On 21 May, Milito scored the opening goal from a penalty in a 2–0 win overTemperley, on the final match of his career, at the age of 36.[89] In total, he ended his club career with 254 goals in 607 appearances in all competitions.[3]
Milito made hisArgentina debut on 31 January 2003 againstHonduras, where he also scored his first goal. He scored his second and third goals on 16 July 2003 againstUruguay, but appeared only intermittently during the following years[90] and was omitted from the2006 World Cup squad.[91] He played for Argentina in the2007 Copa América tournament, gaining playing time afterHernán Crespo's injury in a Group Stage match againstColombia, where he scored a goal;[92] Argentina progressed to thefinal, where they were defeated 3–0 byBrazil.
Milito's impressive performances during his time atGenoa led him to be called more often, especially under the reign of managerDiego Maradona, where Milito would often be deployed as a substitute. After his first season with Inter, Maradona included Milito in the Argentina squad for the2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa,[93] where he would feature in two games as Argentina were eliminated 4–0 in the quarter-finals byGermany.[94] On 1 June 2011, Milito was included in newAlbiceleste managerSergio Batista's 23-man squad ahead of the2011 Copa América,[95] along with his brotherGabriel and Inter teammatesJavier Zanetti andEsteban Cambiasso. He did not feature in any matches during the competition with Argentina, who was eliminated in the quarter-finals byUruguay after penalties.[96]
After retiring from professional football, Milito's last club, Racing Club, organised a tribute match in his honour on 12 November 2016, featuring many of his former team-mates, as well as friends and family members. At the age of 37, Milito scored two goals during the match, and was given a standing ovation from the Racing fans, who regard Milito as one of the club's most iconic players.[87]
A quick, dynamic, and technically gifted forward, with good vision, composure, and an eye for goal,[97] Milito was known for his offensive movements and ability in the air, and was capable of finishing well with his head as well as both feet, despite being naturally right-footed.[98][99][100] He was also an accuratepenalty taker.[101]
Regarding his elegant yet efficient playing style, and his consistent, prolific goalscoring,[102]Goal.com said of Milito in 2010: "His profession is football and his speciality is goals. He is considered one of the most impressive strikers in world of football today. He doesn't possess the same physical attributes as some of his fellow strikers, but he doesn't need them - he scores goals with ease and has always featured in top teams. Milito is a pureNumber 9 and lethal in the penalty area."[103] After the treble success in the 2009–10 season, many pundits took note of the fact that Milito had always been an effective and efficient striker, yet remained one of the most underrated players in world football because of his low-key manner and the fact that he had plied his trade for smaller, less competitive teams prior to joining Inter.[4] Scoring goals on the biggest stages for a marquee team finally earned the striker the recognition merited by his skill and goalscoring record. Of the player and his two Champions League winning goals,The Guardian wrote:
"Vision, timing, flawless technique and sangfroid – these two goals had everything a great striker needs, plus a sense of lyricism in the fluency of his movement. The 30-year-old Milito is hardly a fancy striker, not aMessi taking your breath away with a trick or aTevez galvanising the stadium with elemental force, but his economy has been just as devastating..."[97]
Milito often struggled with injuries throughout his career.[104]
After retiring as a professional football player, Diego took over as the sports manager of the club Racing. Under his management, great players were brought in and a good sports project was consolidated in which he won two titles:Superliga 2018/19 andTrofeo de Campeones 2019.
Milito left his post after the end of 2020 due to differences of ideas with the club's leadership.
Milito has considerable Italian roots; his paternal family emigrated to Argentina fromTerranova da Sibari,Calabria.[105] On his mother's side, he also has Spanish roots. Milito is married to Sofía and they have three children.[106][107][108] He is the older brother of former football playerGabriel, who he played against in Champions League games during Gabriel's years playing forBarcelona, most notably in semi-finals of 2010, when both Diego and Gabriel were among their respective team's starting line-up.[109] On 21 May 2016, the day of his retirement from professional football, Milito celebrated the birth of his third daughter, Morena.[89] His son Leandro is currently a member of theRacing Club youth system.[87]
^abc"Thiago Motta signs on". inter.it (FC Internazionale Milano official site). 1 July 2009. Archived fromthe original on 24 December 2009. Retrieved23 May 2010.
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