Rosario, Argentina – Former Argentina winger Angel di Maria, who recently retired from international football after clinching the Copa America with his national team, has revealed that chilling death threats against his family have forced him to abandon plans for a nostalgic return to his boyhood club, Rosario Central.
The 36-year-old, who became a free agent following his departure from Benfica at the end of last season, had expressed a heartfelt desire to return to the club where his professional journey began. Di Maria spent two formative years at Rosario Central between 2005 and 2007, during which his talent caught the eye of European scouts, leading to his transfer to Benfica.
However, that sentimental return to Rosario Central, which he hoped would be the fitting final chapter of his illustrious career, has been overshadowed by a series of grotesque threats targeting both him and his family. These threats, which Di Maria chose not to report to authorities out of fear, have left the veteran winger and his loved ones living in terror.
Di Maria recounted one particularly horrifying incident in a heart-wrenching interview with a local television station in Rosario. “There was a threat at my sister’s business, a box with a pig’s head and a bullet in the forehead, and a note that said that if I returned to [Rosario] Central, the next head was that of my daughter Pia,” Di Maria said, his voice breaking as he relived the trauma. “Those months were horrible. We could only sit there and cry each night over being unable to carry out that dream return.”
The grotesque package was delivered in broad daylight, a chilling message that shattered Di Maria’s remaining hope of returning to his roots. The message was clear: his desire to play once more for Rosario Central was a direct threat to his family’s safety.
Di Maria’s decision to retreat from his plans marks a tragic twist in a career that has seen the Argentine play for some of the world’s most prestigious clubs. After leaving Rosario Central in 2007, he enjoyed a meteoric rise in European football, spending three successful years at Benfica before securing a high-profile move to Real Madrid. There, he won numerous accolades, including the UEFA Champions League.
His career then took him to Manchester United in 2014, in what was then a British record transfer worth £59.7 million. However, his time in the Premier League was brief and tumultuous, lasting just one season before he moved to Paris Saint-Germain. At PSG, Di Maria regained his form, becoming a key figure in the club’s domestic dominance over seven seasons. A year-long stint at Juventus followed before he returned to Benfica in 2023.
Despite his storied career and success on the global stage, Di Maria’s hopes of a fairytale ending at Rosario Central have been dashed most brutally. The fear instilled by the threats has not only affected Di Maria but also his entire family, leading him to prioritize their safety over his dreams.
Di Maria’s heartbreaking story underscores the dark and dangerous undercurrents that can plague football, particularly in regions where the sport is entangled with broader societal issues. His decision to forgo his return to Rosario Central is a sobering reminder that even the most celebrated athletes are not immune to the sinister forces that sometimes accompany their fame.
