Ramón ÃÂngel DÃÂaz (; born 29 August 1959) is an Argentine football manager and former player. He is the most successful Argentine coach in history with 17 titles, the second most successful manager in River Plate's history after Marcelo Gallardo and the most successful in Argentine Primera Divison along with ÃÂngel Labruna.
DÃÂaz notably played for River Plate and the Argentina national team as a striker, and coached the club on three occasions, winning eight titles. He is also known by the nickname of El Pelado ("Baldy").
Born in La Rioja, DÃÂaz was a youth product of River Plate, being a spotlight under youth manager Norberto Yácono. He made his first team â Primera División â debut on 13 August 1978, starting in a 1âÂÂ0 win over Colón, as the club used an alternative lineup as the first team regulars were out on a trip to Europe.
DÃÂaz scored his first goal on 30 August 1978, in a 1âÂÂ1 draw against Quilmes. He went on to become a regular starter for the club, notably scoring 22 league goals in the 1980 season.
In 1982, DÃÂaz moved abroad for the first time in his career, signing for Italian Serie A side Napoli. Despite finishing his first and only season at the club as the top scorer with eight goals overall, Napoli's campaign was disappointing as they finished in the 10th position, only two points away from relegation.
In 1983, DÃÂaz joined Avellino initially on loan, being a regular starter during his three-season spell and scoring 11 goals in the 1985âÂÂ86 campaign. In July 1986, he moved to Fiorentina for a 10 billion lire fee.
On 21 July 1988, DÃÂaz agreed to a loan deal with Inter Milan as a replacement to Rabah Madjer, which had failed his medical. Despite scoring 15 goals overall in the season, being the club's second-best goalscorer (only behind Aldo Serena), he was not purchased by Inter and subsequently replaced by Jürgen Klinsmann.
In 1989, DÃÂaz moved to French club Monaco, and won the 1990âÂÂ91 Coupe de France with the club. In 1991, he returned to his first club River Plate, being the top scorer of the 1991 Apertura Tournament.
At the end of his career, DÃÂaz was the 1993 J.League Top Scorer with Yokohama Marinos in Japan, and he is the all-time top scorer of the Yokohama derby, scoring 8 goals against Yokohama Flügels.
DÃÂaz was on the Argentina under-20 team that won the 1979 FIFA World Youth Championship, alongside Diego Maradona. DÃÂaz and Maradona were the core of the attack-minded team, and together scored 14 of the team's 20 goals (70%). DÃÂaz scored 8 goals, winning the Golden Boot for being the top scorer of the competition. Maradona scored 6 goals, winning the Best Player award.
DÃÂaz then went on to play in the 1982 FIFA World Cup and scored against Brazil in Argentina's 3âÂÂ1 defeat. It had been rumoured that he and Maradona were involved in a feud which prevented DÃÂaz from playing for Argentina in the 1986 and 1990 World Cups. However, this was denied by Maradona in his autobiography Yo soy el Diego, claiming that he had told the then-Argentina manager, Carlos Bilardo, that he wanted Diaz in both the 1986 and 1990 World Cup squads.
In 1995, DÃÂaz was named manager of his first club River Plate, replacing sacked Carlos Babington; his intentions at the time were to play for the club before retiring, but president Alfredo Davicce invited him as manager instead. His first match in charge of the club occurred on 26 July, a 1âÂÂ1 Copa Libertadores draw against Vélez Sarsfield.
DÃÂaz notably won the 1996 Libertadores and the 1997 Supercopa Libertadores with River, aside from four league titles in his first spell. He resigned from the club in February 2000, after a 2âÂÂ1 friendly loss to rivals Boca Juniors and after having altercations with the club's board.
On 23 June 2001, DÃÂaz agreed to return to River, replacing his successor Américo Gallego. He won another league title (the 2002 Clausura Tournament), but was replaced by Manuel Pellegrini on 20 May 2002, as the club opted to not renew his contract.
On 9 December 2004, DÃÂaz replaced Graham Rix as manager of English League Two club Oxford United. At the time, DÃÂaz told the media: "I like English football and I wanted to get first-hand experience of it...I'd seen plenty of it on television... It's also very interesting to work at this level, because it's completely different from football at the top." It was also claimed that neither DÃÂaz nor any of his five backroom staff were being paid by Oxford United for their services.
On 4 May 2005, DÃÂaz resigned from Oxford after "negotiations over a new contract broke down".
On 24 December 2006, DÃÂaz was appointed head coach of San Lorenzo for the upcoming season. He helped the club lift the 2007 Clausura Tournament title, the club's first title in six years.
Despite qualifying San Lorenzo to the 2008 Copa Libertadores, DÃÂaz's side were knocked out by champions LDU Quito in May, and he resigned from the club on 28 May.
On 15 May 2008, Diaz was confirmed as the new Club América coach. Although the club did not reveal specific details about Diaz' contract, he was reportedly offered 1.5 million dollars per year including performance-related bonuses which could have taken his total earnings to 6 million dollars. DÃÂaz failed to make Club América qualify to Copa Libertadores.
In the start of the Clausura 2009 season, DÃÂaz won against Santos Laguna 2âÂÂ1, drew against Toluca 2âÂÂ2, and lost against Morelia 1âÂÂ0 and Pachuca 3âÂÂ1. After two consecutive league losses, and the club being in 12th position in the league table, he was dismissed on 10 February 2009.
On 25 May 2010, it was made official by San Lorenzo president Savino that DÃÂaz was appointed manager for the second time, after agreeing to a one-year contract. After a mid-table campaign in the 2010 Apertura, he resigned on 24 April 2011, stating that he wanted to "fight for the first positions".
On 12 September 2011, Independiente hired DÃÂaz to replace Antonio Mohamed, who had resigned. On 5 March 2012, he resigned from his position at the club, who had been struggling and found themselves at the very bottom of the table.
On 30 November 2012, DÃÂaz returned to River Plate for his third spell as manager. He won the Torneo Final in 2014, and also won the Superfinal against former side San Lorenzo by 1âÂÂ0.
On 27 May 2014, DÃÂaz left River Plate.
On 5 December 2014, DÃÂaz became the manager of the Paraguay national team. He said: "It's one of the biggest challenges of my career... There's a lot of work to do". His first major competition was the 2015 Copa América, with his first match being against Argentina which they drew 2âÂÂ2. Paraguay subsequently defeated Jamaica 1âÂÂ0 and drew 1âÂÂ1 against Uruguay, finishing second in their group.
Paraguay won the quarterfinal against Brazil 1âÂÂ1 (4âÂÂ3 on penalties), but lost 6âÂÂ1 to Argentina in the semifinals which let them go to the third group playoff which they lost 2âÂÂ0 against Peru which made Paraguay fourth in the Copa América. He was also in charge of the nation in the Copa América Centenario, where Paraguay were eliminated in the group stage, by drawing against Costa Rica and losing to Colombia 2âÂÂ1 and the US 1âÂÂ0.
On 12 June 2016, following an unsuccessful run at Copa América Centenario, DÃÂaz resigned as manager of Paraguay.
On 13 October 2016 Ramón DÃÂaz was appointed manager of Al-Hilal after former manager Gustavo Matosas was sacked with a one-year contract.
Ramón's first match was against Al-Fateh where Al-Hilal won 1âÂÂ0. On 25 November, Rámon played his first important match against Al-Ahli where they won 2âÂÂ1. Ramón drew the Riyadh Derby against Al-Nassr 1âÂÂ1. Ramón won 4âÂÂ2 against Al-Taawon. He won against Ittihad 3âÂÂ1. Ramón Diaz drew 0âÂÂ0 against Al-Ahli, but he won against Al-Shabab 2âÂÂ1 to secure the title. Al-Hilal lifted the league against Al-Nassr in the Riyadh Derby after winning 5âÂÂ1 in the league. Ramón DÃÂaz renewed his contract for one more year for 1.5 million dollars. Ramón made Al-Hilal first in the Champions League group stages after winning against Al-Rayyan 4âÂÂ3. Ramón made Al-Hilal qualify to the King's Cup final after beating Al-Taawon 3âÂÂ4. Ramón DÃÂaz won the King's Cup against Al-Ahli in final 3âÂÂ2. Rámon DÃÂaz won the Champions League Round of 16 first leg against Esteghlal Khuzestan 2âÂÂ1. DÃÂaz won the second leg 2âÂÂ1 again [2âÂÂ4 on AGG] making Al-Hilal go to the quarterfinals of the AFC Champions League.
On 4 June, DÃÂaz signed Mukhtar Fallatah to make him the first signing of the season. On 19 June 2017, Ramòn DÃÂaz made Omar Kharbin a permanent signing after he was on loan, the fee 11 million dollars (44 million riyals) and signed a four-year contract with Al-Hilal. On 10 Jan, DÃÂaz signed Ali Al Bulaihi for free from Al-Fateh. On 3 July, Al-Hilal signed Mohamed Kanno and Hasan Kadish from Ettifaq. <br /> On 10 August, DÃÂaz won the first match of the season 2âÂÂ1 against league debutant Al-Fayha. On 15 August, Ramón DÃÂaz won his second match of the season which was against Al-Taawoun 4âÂÂ3. On 21 August, DÃÂaz made Al-Hilal draw against Al Ain 0âÂÂ0 in the 2017 AFC Champions League quarter finals.
On 11 September, DÃÂaz made Al-Hilal qualify to the semi-final of the AFC Champions League after beating Al-Ain 3âÂÂ0. After that, he signed Gelmin Rivas to become his sixth registered foreigner player in the 2017âÂÂ18 season. On 16 September, Ramón DÃÂaz won the third match of season against Ohod 1âÂÂ0. On 21 September, Al-Hilal drew against Al-Ittihad 1âÂÂ1. On 26 October, Diaz made Al-Hilal won the Riyadh Derby against Al-Nassr.
On 18 November, DÃÂaz and his team drew in the first leg of the final of the AFC Champions League against Urawa Red Diamonds 1âÂÂ1 in Riyadh. On 25 November, they lost the second 1âÂÂ0 making them runners-up in the tournament. On 1 December, he led his team to win against title challengers Al-Ahli 2âÂÂ0. On 17 December, DÃÂaz and his team lost their first match in the league against Al-Fayha 2âÂÂ1. After that, Diaz won against Ohod 4âÂÂ1. On 20 January, Al-Hilal were knocked out of the Kings Cup by Al-Qadisyah in the round of 16. On 13 February, Al-Hilal drew their first match in their new stadium the King Saud University Stadium against Al-Ain 0âÂÂ0 in the Champions League. On 20 February, Al-Hilal lost 1âÂÂ0 against Esteghlal in Oman.
On 21 February 2018, Al-Hilal sacked DÃÂaz due to unsatisfactory performances.
On 26 January 2019, DÃÂaz was named manager of Egyptian side Pyramids FC. He left the club on 27 May, after just 12 matches.
On 17 December 2019, DÃÂaz was announced as manager of Libertad, returning to Paraguay after more than three years. He resigned on 24 September 2020, after the club's poor run of form.
On 8 November 2020, DÃÂaz was named head coach of Série A side Botafogo. He subsequently returned to his home country to make an emergency surgery to remove a tumor, and his absence was prolonged due to his clinical condition.
On 27 November 2020, Botafogo announced the departure of DÃÂaz and his staff from the club. He left the club without managing a single match for them, as the three matches played by them during the period (all losses) were managed by his assistant and son Emiliano DÃÂaz.
In February 2021, DÃÂaz agreed to a contract with Al Nassr to last until the summer of 2022. He left the club roughly one year later, after a poor league form.
On 14 February 2022, DÃÂaz was named as the new coach of Saudi Professional League club Al Hilal until the end of the season. However, he later led Al Hilal to defeat Flamengo 3âÂÂ2 in the 2022 FIFA Club World Cup semi-finals, before losing the final 3âÂÂ5 against Real Madrid.
In the 2022 AFC Champions League final, his team lost 2âÂÂ1 on aggregate against Urawa Red Diamonds for the second time after 2017. After winning the King Cup final against Al-Wehda in May 2023, DÃÂaz decided to step down from his post and return to his country, in order to be with his family following the death of his wife two months earlier in a car accident; meanwhile, his son Emiliano became the caretaker manager of the club for the rest of the season.
On 15 July 2023, DÃÂaz returned to Brazil after being announced as head coach of Vasco da Gama in the top tier. He managed to narrowly avoid relegation with the club in the last round of the 2023 Série A, and renewed his contract until 2025 on 15 December.
On 27 April 2024, DÃÂaz was sacked by Vasco after a 4âÂÂ0 loss to Criciúma; despite Brazilian media outlets stating that he resigned just after the match, both DÃÂaz and his son stated that they were "sacked through Twitter".
On 10 July 2024, DÃÂaz was announced as head coach of Corinthians on a contract until December 2025. He led the side to the 2025 Campeonato Paulista title over rivals Palmeiras, lifting the 17th trophy of his managerial career and surpassing Helenio Herrera as the most successful Argentine coach in history.
On 17 April 2025, however, DÃÂaz was dismissed by the club after a 2âÂÂ0 home loss to Fluminense.
On 24 September 2025, DÃÂaz was appointed head coach of Internacional also in the Brazilian top tier. He was sacked on 29 November, two rounds before the end of the season, as the club entered the relegation zone.
River Plate
Inter Milan
Monaco
Yokohama Marinos
Argentina U20
Individual
River Plate
San Lorenzo
Al-Hilal
Al-Ittihad
Al-Nasr
Corinthians
Individual