Diego Espejo

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Diego Espejo
Personal information
Full name Diego Espejo de la Concepción[1]
Date of birth (2002-08-18) 18 August 2002 (age 21)
Place of birth San Cristóbal de La Laguna, Spain
Height 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in)
Position(s) Defender
Team information
Current team
Orihuela CF
(on loan from Atlético Madrid B)
Number 4
Youth career
Tenerife
2016–2022 Atlético Madrid
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2022– Atlético Madrid B 0 (0)
2022–2023Atlético Ottawa (loan) 49 (2)
2024–Orihuela (loan) 12 (3)
International career
2018 Spain U17 2 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 7 October 2022
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 18 April 2022

Diego Espejo de la Concepción (born 18 August 2002) is a Spanish footballer currently playing as a defender for Orihuela in the Segunda Federación on loan from Atlético Madrid B.

Early life[edit]

Born in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Espejo began playing youth football with local teams in Tranvía and Chincanayro.[2] his youth career with Tenerife.[3][4] In 2016, he joined the Atlético Madrid youth system.[5] In 2019, he scored a notable bicycle kick goal in a youth match against Leganés.[6]

Club career[edit]

In July 2021, he joined Atlético Madrid B in the Tercera División RFEF,[7] where he made a few bench appearances, but did not appear in a match.[8]

In February 2022, he signed a contract extension with Atlético Madrid through, prior to being loaned out to their affiliate club, Atlético Ottawa in the Canadian Premier League for the 2022 season.[9] In 2022, he led the league in headed clearances with 80 and finished second in total clearances with 114.[10] After the season, his loan was extended for another year,[11][12] with it also being announced that he would trial with Major League Soccer club Inter Miami CF in January, before joining Ottawa for pre-season.[13] Espejo returned to Atlético Madrid B after his season-long loan expired in November 2023.[14]

In January 2024, Espejo was loaned to Segunda Federación club Orihuela for the remainder of the season.[15][16] On 4 February 2024, he scored a brace in a 2-1 victory over El Palo.[17]

International career[edit]

In 2016, he was named to the Canary Islands regional U16 team.[18] In 2018, he was called up to the Spain U17 team, where he earned two caps.[19]

Honours[edit]

Atlético Ottawa

Career statistics[edit]

As of 7 October 2023[1][8]
Club Season League Playoffs Domestic Cup Continental Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Atlético Madrid B 2021–22 Tercera División RFEF 0 0 0 0
Atlético Ottawa (loan) 2022 Canadian Premier League 25 0 2[a] 0 1 0 28 0
2023 19 1 2 1 21 2
Total 44 1 2 0 3 1 0 0 49 2
Orihuela (loan) 2023–24 Segunda Federación 12 3 0 0 12 3
Career total 56 4 2 0 3 1 0 0 61 5
Notes
  1. ^ Appearance(s) in the CPL playoffs

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b Diego Espejo at Soccerway
  2. ^ Rodríguez, Tomás (28 March 2023). "Diego Espejo, el tinerfeño del Atlético de Madrid que triunfa en Canadá" [Diego Espejo, the Atlético de Madrid native from Tenerife who triumphs in Canada]. Radio Marca Tenerife.
  3. ^ Fernandes, Vinicius (February 24, 2022). "Atlético de Madrid-ESP empresta jovem zagueiro ao Atlético Ottawa-CAN" [Atletico Madrid-ESP lends young defender to Atlético Ottawa-CAN]. DaBase (in Spanish).
  4. ^ Jacques, John (February 22, 2022). "Atletico Ottawa Reveals Two International Loans". Northern Tribune.
  5. ^ Baines, Tim (February 22, 2022). "Atletico Ottawa adds two players on season-long loan from other Atletico clubs". Ottawa Sun.
  6. ^ "El monumental gol de chilena de Diego Espejo, juvenil del Atlético" [The monumental bicycle kick goal of Diego Espejo, Atlético youth]. ABC (in Spanish). February 14, 2019.
  7. ^ "Ottawa brings on Diego Espejo, Vladimir Moragrega on loan from Atléti family". OneSoccer. 22 February 2022. Retrieved 18 April 2022.
  8. ^ a b "Diego Espejo Statistics". La Preferente.
  9. ^ "Diego Espejo renueva hasta 2024 y jugará cedido en el Atlético Ottawa durante la temporada 2022" [Diego Espejo renews until 2024 and will play on loan at Atlético Ottawa during the 2022 season]. Atlético Madrid (in Spanish). 22 February 2022. Retrieved 18 April 2022.
  10. ^ O'Connor-Clarke, Charlie (October 13, 2022). "'Hard, hard, hard work': Espejo & Atlético Ottawa channelling parent club in Madrid for defensive success". Canadian Premier League.
  11. ^ Jacques, John (December 22, 2022). "Atletico Ottawa Extends Espejo Loan". Northern Tribune.
  12. ^ "Spanish defender Diego Espejo joins Atlético Ottawa on a second season-long loan". Atlético Ottawa. December 22, 2022.
  13. ^ "Atlético Ottawa defender Diego Espejo trains with Inter Miami". Atlético Ottawa. January 10, 2023.
  14. ^ "Atletico Ottawa End-of-Season Roster Update". Atlético Ottawa. 21 November 2023.
  15. ^ "El defensa Diego Espejo llega al Orihuela cedido por el Atlético de Madrid" [Defender Diego Espejo arrives at Orihuela on loan from Atlético de Madrid]. Alicante Plaza (in Spanish). 23 January 2024.
  16. ^ "El Orihuela CF ha llegado a un acuerdo con el Atlético de Madrid para la cesión de Diego Espejo hasta final de temporada" [Orihuela CF has reached an agreement with Atlético de Madrid for the loan of Diego Espejo until the end of the season]. Onda Cero (in Spanish). 24 January 2024.
  17. ^ "Un doblete de Diego Espejo da la victoria al Orihuela CF en Los Arcos" [A double from Diego Espejo gives the victory to Orihuela CF in Los Arcos]. Activa Orihuela (in Spanish). 4 February 2024.
  18. ^ García de la Santa, Mario (December 15, 2016). "La Selección Canaria Sub-16 vence al CD Tenerife a diez días del Campeonato" [The Canarian U-16 National Team beats CD Tenerife ten days before the Championship]. Info Norte Digital (in Spanish).
  19. ^ "Atlético Ottawa welcomes Espejo, loan with Atleti roots". Atlético Ottawa. 22 February 2022. Retrieved 18 April 2022.

External links[edit]