Diego Cervantes
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Diego Alberto Cervantes Chávez | ||
| Height | 1.91 m (6 ft 3 in) | ||
| Position(s) | Centre Back | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Necaxa | ||
| Number | 4 | ||
| ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of July 6, 2006 | |||
Diego Alberto Cervantes Chávez (born August 30, 1984 in Mexico City) is a Mexican soccer player who currently competes for Necaxa in Mexico.
Career
Before earning a spot on Club America's senior team, Cervantes worked his way up the inferior divisions, eventually earning a spot in San Luis F.C., America's minor league affiliate at the time. After helping San Luis earn a promotion to the first division after the Clausura 2005 season, Cervantes was transferred to Club America prior to the Apertura 2005 season.
His debut in the professional Mexican league came October 30, 2005 - in a game against one of America's most bitter rivals - UNAM Pumas. Cervantes started the game along with many other reserves, due to the fatigue endured by the starters after playing that very same week against Velez Sarsfield in the Copa Sudamericana. After playing the full 90 minutes and holding his own against UNAM's talented strikers, Cervantes was praised by the media and fans alike after helping the team to a 2-1 win.
He would play once more during the regular season, coming on to the pitch as a substitute against Atlante, where his brother Horacio Cervantes plays, also as a defender. Diego once again helped the club to victory, beating Atlante 4-3.
In the Apertura 2005 playoffs, to which America qualified in the first position with the best record in the league, Diego was called to play against UANL Tigres in the second leg of the quarterfinals. Reprising his role as a substitute, Diego was part of a team that lost 4-1 at home and was eliminated in an embarrassing fashion. After the game, the press criticized the rookie for his role in allowing a crucial goal, as well as Club America's coach Mario Carrillo, for inserting an inexperienced player in the biggest game of the season.
Following the elimination, Carrillo was fired and Cervantes was relegated to the bench by subsequent managers, Víctor Manuel Aguado and Manuel Lapuente.
External links
- Diego Cervantes (6) esmas.com Official Club America profile. (In Spanish)
- {{MedioTiempo}} template missing ID.