Diego Polenta

Diego Fabián Polenta Musetti (Spanish pronunciation: [ˈdjeɣo poˈlenta]; born 6 February 1992) is a Uruguayan footballer who plays as a centre-back for Uruguayan club Nacional.[1]

In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Polenta and the second or maternal family name is Musetti.
Diego Polenta
Polenta with LA Galaxy in 2019
Personal information
Full name Diego Fabián Polenta Musetti
Date of birth (1992-02-06) 6 February 1992
Place of birth Montevideo, Uruguay
Height 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in)
Position(s) Centre-back
Team information
Current team
 Club Nacional de Football
Number 23
Youth career
Danubio
2008–2011 Genoa
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2011–2015 Genoa 1 (0)
2011–2014 → Bari (loan) 86 (5)
2014–2015 → Nacional (loan) 28 (0)
2015–2018 Nacional 108 (7)
2019–2020 LA Galaxy 32 (1)
2020–2021 Olimpia 25 (1)
2021–2022 Nacional 14 (0)
2022–2023 Cerro Largo 0 (0)
2022 → Unión (loan) 38 (2)
2023– Nacional 28 (2)
International career
2007 Uruguay U15 12 (3)
2008–2009 Uruguay U17 20 (0)
2011 Uruguay U20 16 (3)
2012 Uruguay Olympic 1 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 16 October 2023

Polenta has been named in Uruguay's senior team several times, but remains uncapped.[2][3]

Club career

Early career

Born in Montevideo, Uruguay, Polenta started his career on hometown's club Danubio, in youth categories. His abilities impressed the Italian club Genoa, and he was moved to the club in July 2008.

Genoa C.F.C.

He spent the whole 2009-10 season with the Primavera team. In the 2010-11 season he was included on the first team squad, with the 35 jersey.

On 30 April 2011, he made his first team debut, against Napoli, after came off the bench to replace Giandomenico Mesto.[4]

A.S. Bari

On 29 August 2011, he signed a season-long loan deal with the Serie B club Bari in order to gain first team football experience.[5] After a successful stay that loan deal was extended by one year on 21 August 2012. He stayed with Bari until 2014. [6]

Nacional

In 2014 he joined Uruguayan side Nacional originally on loan, winning the Uruguayan Primera División during 2014–15. Where he won Defensive Player Of The Year award for the Uruguayan Primera División. He won his second title in 2016, with the Nacional winning the 2016 Uruguayan Primera División.[7]

He subsequently became the Captain of Nacional. In July 2017 he won the Torneo Intermedio Final.[8]

In July 2018, with Polenta's contract expiring at Nacional at the end of June 2018, Spanish Newspaper El País, reported that Polenta had received contract offers from Mexican side Club Atlas, Saudi Arabian side Al-Ittihad and English side Leeds United, with the player taking time to consider the proposals.[9]

LA Galaxy

On 7 February 2019, Polenta joined MLS club LA Galaxy. On April 19 he scored his first goal for the club, a late winner against Houston Dynamo.[10]

International career

He has been capped by the Uruguay national under-17 football team for the 2009 FIFA U-17 World Cup and by the Uruguay national under-20 football team for the 2011 South American Youth Championship and for the 2011 FIFA U-20 World Cup, he captained Uruguay at youth level, he was also named by Manager Óscar Tabárez in the Uruguay U23's for the Uruguay Olympic football team at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, where he played in one game.[11]

He was called up to the Uruguay squad for friendlies against Republic of Ireland and Estonia.[12] Polenta was named in Uruguay's senior squad for a 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifier against Peru in March 2016.[13]

Style Of Play

Mainly a centre back, he can also operate as a left back.

U20 International goals
No. Date Venue Opponent Score Result CompetitionRef.
1.16 January 2011Estadio Monumental Virgen de Chapi, Arequipa, Peru Argentina0–12–12011 South American Youth Championship
2.22 January 2011Estadio Monumental Virgen de Chapi, Arequipa, Peru Chile0–40–42011 South American Youth Championship
3.13 July 2011Estadio Juan Antonio Lavalleja, Flores, Uruguay Guatemala2–02–0Friendly

Honours
Nacional

Club

Individual

References
  1. "D. POLENTA". Retrieved 2 June 2019.
  2. "Uruguay 1-0 Peru". goal.com. 30 March 2016. Retrieved 11 July 2016.
  3. "3 - DIEGO POLENTA". auf.org.uy. 25 July 2012. Retrieved 16 July 2019.
  4. Napoli vs. Genoa 1-0
  5. "Diego Polenta arregló con el Bari" (in Spanish). ovaciondigital.com.uy. 29 August 2011. Archived from the original on 16 March 2013. Retrieved 29 August 2011.
  6. "Calciomercato Bari, oggi è il giorno dei ritorni" (in Italian). 21 August 2012. Retrieved 4 September 2012.
  7. "Polenta went inside and the defense settled" (in Spanish). 20 July 2016. Retrieved 19 July 2018.
  8. "Uruguay's Nacional captain Diego Polenta kisses the trophy". 16 July 2017. Retrieved 19 July 2018.
  9. "Leeds United approach for Diego Polenta detailed, club have 'tried to bet heavily' on the player". 19 July 2017. Retrieved 21 July 2018.
  10. "LA Galaxy sign defender Diego Polenta". 7 February 2019. Retrieved 7 February 2019.
  11. Diego Polenta – FIFA competition record (archived)
  12. "Uruguay squad for Ireland friendly named". Green Scene. 11 March 2011. Retrieved 19 July 2016.
  13. "Uruguay 1-0 Peru". goal.com. 30 March 2016. Retrieved 11 July 2016.
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