Real Madrid have seen players from all around the world wear the famous white jersey. The Dominican Republic has seen several players feature for Los Blancos, which is not surprising given its past ties with Spain.
One of those players was forward Mariano Diaz, who played for Real Madrid from 2016 to 2023. He made 84 appearances for the club, scoring 12 times, after spending time in the youth setup, following his signing for CF Badalona. After being sold to Olympique Lyon, Diaz impressed and returned to Madrid.
Previously, he wore the No.18 shirt at Madrid before selecting the No. 9 jersey at the French club, the number he wears for his national team. However, on his return to Real Madrid, he chose another iconic number at the club.
Mariano Diaz Wears the No. 7 Real Madrid Shirt
Mariano Diaz
IMAGO / Pressinphoto
Mariano Diaz returned to Real Madrid during the summer of 2018, with the club activating a buy-back clause in his contract. Head coach Julen Lopetegui and the club paid $35 million (€30 million) to bring him back.
The move came in the same summer that Cristiano Ronaldo surprisingly left for Serie A side Juventus. It meant the No. 7 was available at the club, a jersey made famous by the Portuguese star, previously worn by Real Madrid legend Raul. It was Diaz who took the shirt, and in a recent interview with The Athletic, he revealed why.
"The No. 7 may be the most important number ever worn by a Madrid player, because it has been worn by players such as Raul, Cristiano, and many legends of the team. So taking on that number was very nice, but at the same time, it put a lot of pressure on me. I wasn’t taking Cristiano’s place, but it was still an important role."
Mariano Diaz
Mariano Diaz
IMAGO / Action Plus
The move did not materialize as the club expected, and Diaz lost the No.7 jersey the following season, wearing the No. 24 for four more seasons before joining Sevilla. When Real Madrid called during his time at Lyon, there was no doubt in his mind what he wanted.
"As it was Madrid, I wasn’t going to say no. But they told me that this time it would be different (compared to his first spell, when he played a secondary role), and that was one of the reasons I wanted to return."
Mariano Diaz
Diaz is still playing in La Liga. He signed for Deportivo Alavés this summer after a successful trial. It ended a year as a free agent. He could face his former team on December 14 when the two teams meet for the first time this season.
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