1. Club Career
Diego Reyes's club career spans multiple leagues across Mexico, Portugal, Spain, and Turkey, marked by his development through a prominent Mexican academy and subsequent moves to European clubs before his return to Mexican football.
1.1. América
Reyes emerged from América's youth academy and was considered one of their promising young talents. He made his professional debut for the club on April 25, 2010, at the age of 17, in a league match against Santos Laguna at the Estadio Azteca. He came on as a substitute in the 86th minute, replacing Ángel Reyna, who had scored the game's only goal, securing a 1-0 victory. Reyes scored his first goal against Estudiantes Tecos during the Clausura 2011 tournament. He followed this with his second goal against Morelia in a 2-3 quarter-final loss in the same tournament. Over time, he gradually cemented his position in the team's starting lineup.
His final match with América took place on May 26, 2013, in the final of the Clausura tournament against Cruz Azul. Reyes played for 26 minutes in this match. Following the expulsion of teammate Jesús Molina, Reyes was shifted into the midfield. However, he was subsequently substituted off for Miguel Layún.
1.2. Porto
On December 17, 2012, it was officially announced that Reyes would transfer to Portuguese club FC Porto on July 1, 2013. The transfer fee was 7.00 M EUR. Half of the 3.50 M EUR transfer fee was backed by Gol Football Luxembourg, forming part of a broader agreement related to the repurchase of James Rodríguez from Gol Football.
Reyes made his debut for Porto on July 13, 2013, in the final of the Valais Cup against French club Olympique de Marseille. He entered the match as a substitute in the 80th minute. His fellow Mexican teammate Héctor Herrera also made his debut for Porto in the same match, which concluded with a 3-0 victory for Porto. Although Reyes did not make an appearance with the first team squad in the main league during the 2013-14 season, he regularly played for Porto's B team.
1.2.1. Loan to Real Sociedad
On July 14, 2015, Spanish La Liga club Real Sociedad announced that they had reached an agreement with Porto for a season-long loan deal for Reyes. The agreement did not include an option for Real Sociedad to purchase him outright. Reyes made his debut for Real Sociedad on August 22 in a 0-0 draw against Deportivo de La Coruña. On October 18, he received his first red card while playing for Real Sociedad in a 0-2 defeat to Atlético Madrid. He was shown two yellow cards within two minutes for dissent during the match. On February 8, 2016, Reyes scored his first goal for Real Sociedad in a comprehensive 5-0 away victory over RCD Espanyol.
1.2.2. Loan to Espanyol
On August 31, 2016, Reyes joined Spanish club Espanyol on a season-long loan agreement. This deal included an option for Espanyol to purchase the player at the end of the loan period. On October 30, Reyes scored his first goal for Espanyol in a 1-0 away win against Real Betis.
1.3. Fenerbahçe
On August 25, 2018, Reyes joined Turkish club Fenerbahçe on a three-year contract. He made his debut for the team on September 1, 2018, in a 2-3 loss against Kayserispor. His contract with Fenerbahçe was terminated on August 25, 2019.
1.3.1. Loan to Leganés
On January 31, 2019, Reyes returned to Spain, joining CD Leganés on loan for the remainder of the season.
1.4. Tigres UANL
On August 26, 2019, Reyes returned to Mexico and signed a four-year contract with Tigres UANL.
2. International Career
Diego Reyes has had an extensive international career representing Mexico at various youth levels before becoming a regular for the senior national team, participating in multiple major tournaments.
2.1. Youth National Teams
Reyes was selected by coach José Luis González China to participate in the 2009 CONCACAF U-17 Championship in 2009. Mexico ultimately qualified for the 2009 FIFA U-17 World Cup and advanced to the Round-of-16.
In 2010, Reyes played in the 2010 Milk Cup with Mexico's under-20 team. The following year, he was chosen by coach Juan Carlos Chávez to participate in the 2011 CONCACAF U-20 Championship. Mexico successfully qualified for the 2011 FIFA U-20 World Cup and secured a third-place finish, defeating France 3-1 in the third-place match. Prior to the U-20 World Cup, Reyes also took part in the 2011 Toulon Tournament.
Reyes was selected to represent the under-23 national team at the 2011 Pan American Games. Mexico won the gold medal after defeating Argentina 1-0 in the final. During the 2012 CONCACAF Men's Olympic Qualifying Tournament, Reyes scored an international goal for the U-23 team on March 23, 2012, in Carson, California, against Trinidad and Tobago, contributing to a 7-1 victory. In 2012, Reyes was also part of the under-23 team that won the gold medal at the 2012 Toulon Tournament, defeating Turkey 3-1 in the final.
He made the final squad for the 2012 Summer Olympics where he played in every match, including the gold medal match on August 11 at Wembley Stadium, where Mexico defeated Brazil 2-1. At 19 years old, Reyes was the youngest member of the Mexican squad at the Olympics.
2.2. Senior National Team
Reyes made his debut for the senior national team at the 2011 Copa América, although Mexico used their under-22 squad for that tournament. His full senior international debut occurred on March 25, 2013, in a 2014 World Cup qualification match against the United States at the Estadio Azteca. Reyes also participated in the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup, playing his only match in the tournament in a 2-1 victory against Japan. He was part of the squad for the 2017 FIFA Confederations Cup as well.
Reyes captained Mexico for the first time during a friendly match against South Korea on January 29, 2014. He was given the captain's armband after Rafael Márquez was substituted off in the second half of the match, which Mexico won 4-0.
He played for Mexico against the Netherlands in the 2014 FIFA World Cup Round of 16 match. He entered the game as a substitute for Héctor Moreno, who sustained an injury during a slide-tackle with Arjen Robben. In May 2018, Reyes was named in Mexico's squad for the 2018 FIFA World Cup, despite being in recovery from a hamstring injury at the time. However, he was subsequently ruled out of the tournament after not showing satisfactory progress in his recovery.
2.2.1. International Goals
Scores and results list Mexico's goal tally first.
| No | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | March 28, 2017 | Hasely Crawford Stadium, Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago | Trinidad and Tobago | 1-0 | 1-0 | 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 2. | June 15, 2019 | Rose Bowl, Pasadena, United States | Cuba | 3-0 | 7-0 | 2019 CONCACAF Gold Cup |
3. Style of Play
Diego Reyes is characterized by his tactical intelligence and versatility on the field. He has been described as "intelligent in his positioning, comfortable in possession, and strong in the air." His playing style is also praised for "his ability to time challenges, play crisp passes, and keep possession when under pressure." Although primarily a defender, Reyes has frequently been deployed as a defensive midfielder throughout his career, showcasing his tactical flexibility.
4. Career Statistics
A comprehensive numerical overview of Diego Reyes's professional career, detailing his appearances and goals across various competitions.
4.1. Club
| Club | Season | League | Cup | Continental | Total | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| América | 2009-10 | 1 | 0 | - | - | 1 | 0 | ||
| 2010-11 | 19 | 2 | - | 5 | 0 | 24 | 2 | ||
| 2011-12 | 28 | 0 | - | - | 28 | 0 | |||
| 2012-13 | 35 | 1 | 6 | 0 | - | 41 | 1 | ||
| Total | 83 | 3 | 6 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 94 | 3 | |
| Porto B | 2013-14 | 18 | 3 | - | - | 18 | 3 | ||
| 2014-15 | 7 | 0 | - | - | 7 | 0 | |||
| Total | 25 | 3 | - | - | 25 | 3 | |||
| Porto | 2013-14 | 5 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 14 | 0 |
| 2014-15 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 9 | 0 | |
| 2017-18 | 12 | 2 | 6 | 1 | 6 | 0 | 24 | 3 | |
| Total | 20 | 2 | 15 | 1 | 12 | 0 | 47 | 3 | |
| Real Sociedad (loan) | 2015-16 | 27 | 2 | 1 | 0 | - | 28 | 2 | |
| Espanyol (loan) | 2016-17 | 34 | 1 | 1 | 0 | - | 35 | 1 | |
| Fenerbahçe | 2018-19 | 8 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 14 | 1 |
| Leganés (loan) | 2018-19 | 6 | 0 | - | - | 6 | 0 | ||
| Tigres UANL | 2019-20 | 8 | 0 | - | 2 | 0 | 11 | 0 | |
| 2020-21 | 23 | 3 | - | 4 | 0 | 27 | 3 | ||
| 2021-22 | 29 | 1 | - | - | 29 | 1 | |||
| 2022-23 | 32 | 1 | - | 2 | 0 | 34 | 1 | ||
| 2023-24 | 24 | 1 | - | 3 | 0 | 27 | 1 | ||
| 2024-25 | 0 | 0 | - | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| Total | 116 | 6 | - | 11 | 0 | 127 | 6 | ||
| Career total | 319 | 17 | 25 | 2 | 32 | 0 | 376 | 19 | |
4.2. International
| Mexico | ||
|---|---|---|
| Year | Apps | Goals |
| 2011 | 3 | 0 |
| 2013 | 7 | 0 |
| 2014 | 7 | 0 |
| 2015 | 14 | 0 |
| 2016 | 9 | 0 |
| 2017 | 13 | 1 |
| 2018 | 4 | 0 |
| 2019 | 8 | 1 |
| Total | 65 | 2 |
5. Honours
Diego Reyes has accumulated several significant titles and individual awards throughout his professional football career at both club and international levels.
5.1. Club
- América
- Liga MX: Clausura 2013
- Porto
- Primeira Liga: 2017-18
- Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira: 2013
- Tigres UANL
- Liga MX: Clausura 2023
- Campeón de Campeones: 2023
- CONCACAF Champions League: 2020
- Campeones Cup: 2023
5.2. International
- Mexico
- CONCACAF Cup: 2015
- CONCACAF Gold Cup: 2015, 2019
- Mexico U23
- Pan American Games: 2011
- CONCACAF Olympic Qualifying Championship: 2012
- Toulon Tournament: 2012
- Olympic Gold Medal: 2012
5.3. Individual
- Mexican Primera División Rookie of the Tournament: Clausura 2011