Rubén Oswaldo Díaz

Rubén Oswaldo Díaz Figueras (8 January 1946 – 16 January 2018) was an Argentine footballer. He played as a defender for Racing Club in Argentina and Atlético Madrid in Spain. He was nicknamed "Panadero" (baker) because his father owned a bakery.

In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Díaz and the second or maternal family name is Figueras.
Rubén Díaz
Díaz with Racing Club in 1970
Personal information
Full name Rubén Oswaldo Díaz Figueras
Date of birth (1946-01-08)8 January 1946
Place of birth Buenos Aires, Argentina
Date of death 16 January 2018(2018-01-16) (aged 72)
Place of death Buenos Aires, Argentina
Position(s) Defender
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1965–1973 Racing Club 239 (total) (19)
1974–1977 Atlético Madrid 57 (1)
1977–1978 Racing Club (see above)
International career
1972 Argentina
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 2 November 2007

Biography

"Panadero" Díaz was born in Buenos Aires and started his professional career in 1965 with Racing Club de Avellaneda. In 1966 he was part of the team that won the Argentine league. The following season they won in the Copa Libertadores 1967, the first and only time that Racing Club have been Libertadores champions. Later that year they beat Celtic F.C. of Scotland in the Copa Intercontinental to become the first Argentine team to be crowned club champions of the world.

In 1974 Díaz joined Atlético Madrid where he won a second Copa Intercontinental in 1974, beating Racing Clubs fiercest rivals; Club Atlético Independiente. He also won a Copa del Rey and a league title with Atlético before returning to Argentina in 1977.

"Panadero" returned to Racing Club but only played on until 1978 when he retired from top-class football. He was named in the Clarín all-time Racing Club team.[1]

Diaz died after complications on a planned aortic aneurysm operation at the Favaloro Foundation Hospital[2]

Honours

Club
Racing Club
Atlético Madrid

References
  1. All time Racing Club team (in Spanish)
  2. "Murió el Panadero Díaz". Clarín (in Spanish). 16 January 2018.
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