Diego Benaglio

Swiss footballer (born 1983) From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Diego Benaglio

Diego Orlando Benaglio (born 8 September 1983) is a Swiss former professional footballer who played as a goalkeeper.

Quick Facts Personal information, Full name ...
Diego Benaglio
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Benaglio in 2021
Personal information
Full name Diego Orlando Benaglio[1]
Date of birth (1983-09-08) 8 September 1983 (age 41)[1]
Place of birth Zürich, Switzerland
Height 1.94 m (6 ft 4 in)[2]
Position(s) Goalkeeper
Youth career
1993–1997 Spreitenbach
1997–1999 FC Baden
1999–2002 Grasshoppers
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2002–2005 VfB Stuttgart 0 (0)
2003–2005 VfB Stuttgart II 54 (0)
2005–2008 Nacional 69 (0)
2008–2017 VfL Wolfsburg 259 (0)
2015 VfL Wolfsburg II 1 (0)
2017–2020 Monaco 26 (0)
Total 409 (0)
International career
2001 Switzerland U19 3 (0)
2002 Switzerland U20 1 (0)
2003–2005 Switzerland U21 15 (0)
2006–2014 Switzerland 61 (0)
2012 Switzerland Olympic 4 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals
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He spent most of his professional career with Stuttgart and Wolfsburg in Germany's top flight, the Bundesliga, winning the 2009 league championship and appearing in almost 300 competitive matches with the latter club. He also played three years in Portugal earlier in his career, with Nacional.

Benaglio earned 61 caps for Switzerland, representing the nation in three World Cups and Euro 2008.

Club career

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Perspective

Early years and Nacional

Born in Zürich, Benaglio finished his development at hometown club Grasshopper Club Zürich. Still in his teens he moved to Germany and joined VfB Stuttgart, but appeared exclusively for the reserves during his three-year spell.

Benaglio joined Portugal's C.D. Nacional for the 2005–06 season, soon gaining favour over Henrique Hilário[3] and becoming the Madeirans's undisputed first choice after the veteran left for Chelsea. It was also during his first year that the team qualified for the UEFA Cup.

Wolfsburg

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Benaglio in 2008

On 22 January 2008, Benaglio returned to Germany, signing for VfL Wolfsburg.[4] He made his debut eight days later, helping his side advance to the quarter-finals of the German Cup after a penalty shootout win over FC Schalke 04.[5]

Benaglio only missed three matches in the 2008–09 campaign as the Wolves were crowned Bundesliga champions for the first time in their 64-year history.[6] The following year he appeared significantly less, due to injury.[7]

On 23 January 2013, Benaglio signed a contract extension to keep him at the Volkswagen Arena until 2016.[8] When the club won its first domestic cup on 30 May 2015, against Borussia Dortmund, he made late saves from Shinji Kagawa and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang to ensure the 3–1 victory.[9]

Benaglio played once for VfL Wolfsburg II in the amateur Regionalliga Nord while recovering from injury on 5 September 2015, in a 6–1 home defeat of TSV Havelse.[10]

Monaco

On 16 June 2017, 33-year-old Benaglio joined AS Monaco FC on a three-year deal.[11] He debuted on 13 September in a 1–1 draw away to RB Leipzig in the group phase of the UEFA Champions League,[12] and made his Ligue 1 bow three days later in a 3–0 home win against RC Strasbourg Alsace.[13]

Benaglio made 39 appearances across all competitions for the team from the principality. He and fellow goalkeepers Danijel Subašić and Seydou Sy were all released in June 2020.[14]

On 18 August 2020, Benaglio announced his retirement from professional football.[15][16]

International career

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Benaglio (left) with Switzerland in 2012

A Swiss international since 2006, Benaglio was called up for the 2006 FIFA World Cup as third choice behind Pascal Zuberbühler and Fabio Coltorti, making his debut in a pre-tournament friendly against China on 3 June.[17] With consistently good club performances the following years, he was promoted to the starting line-up for UEFA Euro 2008 played on home soil, and became the starter subsequently.

As the national team qualified to the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, Benaglio played all three group stage matches in an eventual group stage exit, conceding only one goal.[18] This included a 1–0 victory over Spain, who later won the tournament.[19]

Benaglio captained the Swiss team at the 2012 Olympics, and played nine times during the 2014 World Cup qualification campaign, keeping six clean sheets. On 2 June 2014, he was named in the full side's list for the World Cup finals by national coach Ottmar Hitzfeld,[20] saving a penalty kick from Karim Benzema in the second match but in a 2–5 defeat by France.[21]

On 20 August 2014, Benaglio announced his retirement from international football.[22]

Career statistics

Club

More information Club, Season ...
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition[23]
Club Season League League Cup1 Continental2 Other3 Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Stuttgart II 2002–03 Oberliga 170140170
2003–04 Regionalliga 120120
2004–05 Regionalliga 250250
Nacional 2005–06 Primeira Liga 23000000230
2006–07 Primeira Liga 300002000320
2007–08 Primeira Liga 160000000160
Wolfsburg 2007–08 Bundesliga 170301000210
2008–09 Bundesliga 310407000420
2009–10 Bundesliga 220208000320
2010–11 Bundesliga 280200000300
2011–12 Bundesliga 32010330
2012–13 Bundesliga 34040380
2013–14 Bundesliga 29040330
2014–15 Bundesliga 31050120480
2015–16 Bundesliga 210108010310
2016–17 Bundesliga 14010150
Monaco 2017–18 Ligue 1 30203020100
2018–19 Ligue 1 230005010290
2019–20 Ligue 1 000000
Career total 4080290470404880
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1 Includes DFB Pokal matches.
2 Includes Europa League and Champions League matches.
3 Includes DFL-Supercup and relegation play-off matches.
4 Although still a second-team regular, Benaglio made his first-team debut that season in the UEFA Cup.

International

More information Switzerland, Year ...
Switzerland[24]
YearAppsGoals
200640
200740
2008100
200970
201080
201180
201270
201360
201470
Total610
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Honours

Wolfsburg

References

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