Clubs: CA Rosario Central, SL Benfica, Real Madrid CF

• After breaking into the Rosario team and scoring six goals in 34 league appearances, Di María was on target three times in Argentina's triumphant 2007 FIFA U-20 World Cup campaign in Canada; prompted a €6m move to Benfica, where he would remain for three seasons.

• Gained UEFA Champions League and UEFA Cup experience in his first campaign with O Glorioso, scoring his maiden goal for the club in a round of 32 tie against 1. FC Nürnberg after Benfica had transferred from the former into the latter competition.

• Won the Portuguese League Cup in 2008/09 and retained it the following campaign, when his five goals – including a first senior hat-trick, against Leixões SC − helped Benfica to their first Liga title since 2005.

• Reputation was enhanced further when he scored the winner for Argentina in the 2008 Olympic final against Nigeria; made his senior international debut on 6 September that year in a 2010 FIFA World Cup qualifier at home to Paraguay (1-1).

• Scored his first international goal in a pre-World Cup friendly on 24 May 2010 against Canada (5-0); during the course of the tournament, where he made five appearances as the Albiceleste reached the quarter-finals, it was announced that he was to become José Mourinho's first signing for Madrid.

• Moved for an initial €25m on a six-year contract and quickly became a fixture in Mourinho's starting XI, opening his Spanish Liga and UEFA Champions League account in the space of ten days during September 2010.