Diego Llorente · Biography

The first trophy on the record of Diego Javier Llorente Ríos is the 2019-20 Copa del Rey, won by Real Sociedad in an edition whose final was postponed by the pandemic until April 2021, by which time the defender had already left the club. Born in the Madrid region on 16 August 1993, he is a centre-back who came through Real Madrid’s academy and went on to play for Rayo Vallecano, Málaga, Real Sociedad, Leeds United and Roma, and has played for Real Betis since 2024. He won ten caps for Spain between 2016 and 2022.

Real Madrid academy

He started out at Trabenco, a neighbourhood club in Zarzaquemada, Leganés, and joined Real Madrid’s youth system in July 2002, a month before his ninth birthday. His senior debut came in 2012-13 with Real Madrid C in the Segunda División B, where he made 29 appearances and scored once. On 24 March 2013 he played his first game for Real Madrid Castilla, replacing the injured Iván González in a 4-0 win over Córdoba. That same season he reached the first team: on 1 June 2013, on the final day of the league campaign, he came on for Álvaro Arbeloa in the closing minutes against Osasuna at the Santiago Bernabéu. He made three official appearances for the senior side and remained a Castilla regular until 2015.

Loans at Rayo Vallecano and Málaga

In July 2015 Real Madrid loaned him to Rayo Vallecano. He made his La Liga debut on 23 August against Valencia and on 3 January 2016 scored his first top-flight goal in a 2-2 home draw with Real Sociedad. He played 33 league matches and scored twice, but Rayo finished third from bottom and were relegated. In July 2016 he joined Málaga on loan, making 25 league appearances and scoring two goals in 2016-17.

Real Sociedad

On 26 June 2017 he signed a five-year deal with Real Sociedad, ending his time at Real Madrid. The impact was immediate: on 10 September 2017 he scored on his league debut in a 4-2 away win at Deportivo de La Coruña, and four days later he struck twice against Rosenborg in a 4-0 Europa League group-stage victory. In San Sebastián he made 78 league appearances with four goals before leaving in September 2020, and he was part of the 2019-20 squad that won the Copa del Rey, beating Athletic Club in the final played in 2021.

Leeds United and Roma

Leeds United announced his signing on 24 September 2020 on a four-year deal. He made his Premier League debut on 5 December 2020, coming on in the ninth minute for the injured Robin Koch in a 3-1 defeat at Chelsea, and on 19 April 2021 headed his first league goal in England in a 1-1 draw with Liverpool at Elland Road. He totalled 51 Premier League games and four goals. On 31 January 2023 he joined Roma on loan and made his debut four days later against Empoli. On 31 May 2023 he came on late in the Europa League final in Budapest, which Sevilla won 4-1 on penalties after a 1-1 draw. A second loan kept him in Rome for 2023-24; on 10 March 2024 he scored a 95th-minute equaliser in a 2-2 draw at Fiorentina. He left Serie A with 38 league appearances and one goal.

Real Betis

On 9 July 2024 Leeds and Real Betis agreed his transfer. In 2024-25 he played 30 league matches, scoring twice, and was part of the side that reached the Conference League final, the club’s first European final. A hamstring injury ruled him out of the match itself, which Chelsea won 4-1 in Wrocław on 28 May 2025.

Spain national team

He played for Spain at the 2013 Under-20 World Cup in Turkey, where the team reached the quarter-finals. His senior debut came on 29 May 2016 under Vicente del Bosque, when he replaced Cesc Fàbregas in a 3-1 win over Bosnia and Herzegovina played in Switzerland. Luis Enrique named him on 24 May 2021 in the 24-man squad for Euro 2020, where Spain went out in the semi-finals without him playing a minute. His last international appearance came in 2022, leaving him with ten caps and no goals.

Honours

With Real Sociedad he is credited with the 2019-20 Copa del Rey. He was a runner-up in the 2022-23 Europa League with Roma and in the 2024-25 Conference League with Real Betis. Individually, UEFA.com named him La Liga’s breakthrough player of the 2015-16 season.