Lautaro Ariel Díaz (born 21 May 1998) is an Argentine footballer who plays for Campeonato Brasileiro Série A club Santos, on loan from Cruzeiro. Mainly a forward, he can also play as a winger.
Born in Buenos Aires, Díaz was a youth exponent of hometown side Estudiantes de Buenos Aires, making his first team debut on 8 May 2019 in a 2–1 Primera B Metropolitana home loss against All Boys. He featured in another two matches during the season as his side achieved promotion to Primera Nacional, and scored his first goal on 10 January 2021, netting the winner in a 2–1 away success over Ferro Carril Oeste.
On 21 July 2021, Díaz moved to fellow second division team Villa Dálmine on loan until December 2022.[1] After only one goal in the 2021 season, he scored six times during the first half of the 2022 campaign before leaving in June 2022.[2]
On 14 June 2022, Díaz moved abroad and agreed to a one-year loan deal with Ecuadorian Serie A side Independiente del Valle.[3] He impressed with the club in the 2022 Copa Sudamericana, scoring five goals (one of them in the Final against São Paulo, where he was named man-of-the-match) and helping the side to lift their second trophy in the competition.[4]
On 10 November 2022, del Valle announced that they activated Díaz's buyout clause, effective as of the following 1 January.[5]
On 1 July 2024, Campeonato Brasileiro Série A side Cruzeiro announced the signing of Díaz on a four-year contract.[6] He struggled with fitness issues upon arriving at the club, and saw his playing time diminish in the 2025 season.[7]
On 2 September 2025, Díaz moved to Santos in the Brazilian top tier, on loan until July of the following year.[8]
Díaz's father Roberto was also a footballer and a forward. He was a part of the Argentina squad in the 1979 Copa América. After his proeminence at Independiente del Valle, he was often compared to Jack Grealish due to his looks.[9]
| Club | Season | League | Cup | International | State league | Other | Total | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Estudiantes BA | 2018–19 | Primera B Metropolitana | 3 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 3 | 0 | ||||
| 2019–20 | Primera Nacional | 6 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | 8 | 0 | ||||
| 2020 | 6 | 1 | — | — | — | — | 6 | 1 | ||||||
| 2021 | 9 | 1 | — | — | — | — | 9 | 1 | ||||||
| Total | 24 | 2 | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | 26 | 2 | |||||
| Villa Dálmine (loan) | 2021 | Primera Nacional | 16 | 1 | — | — | — | — | 16 | 1 | ||||
| 2022 | 15 | 6 | — | — | — | — | 15 | 6 | ||||||
| Total | 31 | 7 | — | — | — | — | 31 | 7 | ||||||
| Independiente del Valle | 2022 | Ecuadorian Serie A | 11 | 0 | — | 6[a] | 5 | — | — | 17 | 5 | |||
| 2023 | 23 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 7[b] | 3 | — | 4[c] | 1 | 38 | 11 | |||
| 2024 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3[b] | 3 | — | — | 8 | 3 | ||||
| Total | 39 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 16 | 11 | — | 4 | 1 | 63 | 19 | |||
| Cruzeiro | 2024 | Série A | 18 | 1 | — | 6[a] | 1 | — | — | 24 | 2 | |||
| 2025 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6[a] | 1 | 6[d] | 1 | — | 18 | 2 | |||
| Total | 24 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 2 | 6 | 1 | — | 42 | 4 | |||
| Santos (loan) | 2025 | Série A | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 0 | 0 | ||||
| Career total | 118 | 14 | 6 | 3 | 28 | 13 | 6 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 162 | 32 | ||
Independiente del Valle
