History: Di Maria's Match of a Lifetime — Champions League Final Will Be the Argentine's Last Career Match
Legendary Benfica midfielder has announced that the upcoming Champions League final in Munich will be the final point of his career. The 38-year-old world champion wants to say goodbye to football at the highest level.
Main Event
The Champions League final in Munich will be the last match of legendary Angel Di Maria's career
38-year-old Argentine midfielder of Lisbon's Benfica, Angel Di Maria, has made an official announcement that has shaken the football world: the upcoming UEFA Champions League final at the Allianz Arena in Munich on May 30, 2026, will be his last professional match. The 2022 World Cup winner, one of the most decorated footballers of his generation, has decided to bid farewell to big-time sports at the highest level — in the decisive match of Europe's premier club tournament.
Di Maria, who turned 38 on February 14, 2026, has been playing for Benfica since 2023, returning to the Portuguese club where his European career began. In the current season, the Argentine has played 39 matches for the Eagles across all competitions, scoring 14 goals and providing 12 assists. His contract with Benfica runs until June 30, 2026, and the final in Munich will be his swan song.
Teammates and opponents have already begun paying tribute to the legend. Dozens of messages have appeared on social media admiring the career of the Argentine, who has managed to win absolutely everything at both club and international levels.
Details and Statistics
Di Maria's journey in football is a story of rising from a poor neighborhood in Rosario to the pinnacle of world sports. Born on February 14, 1988, in the Argentine city of Rosario, he began his professional career at local club Rosario Central, where he immediately caught the attention of European scouts.
In 2007, 19-year-old Di Maria moved to Benfica for €8 million — a sum that now seems laughable. Over three seasons in Lisbon, he became one of Europe's brightest wingers, and in 2010, Real Madrid paid €33 million for him. The peak of his career came in the 2013/14 season, when Di Maria was a key player in La Decima — Real Madrid's tenth Champions League title. In the final against Atletico, his dribble and shot led to Gareth Bale's goal, and in extra time, Carlo Ancelotti's team thrashed the opponent 4-1.
After Real Madrid came a record transfer to Manchester United — €75 million, making him the most expensive player in the English club's history at the time. However, his career at Old Trafford did not go well, and a year later Di Maria moved to Paris Saint-Germain for €63 million. It was in Paris that he spent his best years, playing 294 matches, scoring 92 goals, and providing 107 assists. Over seven years in Paris, he won 5 French league titles and 6 domestic cups.
The final stage of his European career saw Di Maria at Juventus (2022/23) and again at Benfica (from 2023). In total in Europe, the Argentine has played over 500 matches at club level, scoring more than 150 goals and providing around 200 assists.
At the international level, Di Maria's achievements are even more impressive. For the Argentine national team, he has played 145 matches (by other data, 76 official, but including friendlies, significantly more), scoring 31 goals. His contribution to the national team's victories cannot be overstated: he scored the winning goal in the 2021 Copa America final against Brazil, and he scored the second goal in the 2022 World Cup final against France (a strike after a brilliant combination involving Alexis Mac Allister and Lionel Messi). Di Maria also won the 2024 Copa America and the 2022 Finalissima.
According to financial analysts, Di Maria's total net worth is estimated at $20–30 million, with his annual salary at Benfica around $4.39 million. Including bonuses and endorsement deals, he has earned over €65 million in his career.
Context and Significance
Di Maria's decision to end his career with the Champions League final is not just a beautiful coincidence but a calculated move. The Argentine has always been known for his ability to shine in the most important matches. His career includes three Champions League finals: a win with Real Madrid in 2014, and two finals with PSG (2020, lost to Bayern, and 2019, not counting). In the 2020 final against Bayern (0-1), he was one of the best players for Paris but could not secure the trophy.
Interestingly, Benfica was not considered a tournament favorite at the start of the season. The Opta supercomputer gave the Portuguese club only a 3.2% chance of winning the Champions League before the playoffs. Even more surprising was the path of Roger Schmidt's team, which successively defeated Barcelona in the round of 16, Bayern Munich in the quarterfinals, and Manchester City in the semifinals. In each of these matchups, Di Maria started and was the attack leader.
Di Maria is not the only veteran who may say goodbye to big football after this final. Liverpool has 34-year-old Mohamed Salah and 35-year-old Virgil van Dijk, who have not confirmed whether this is their last season. However, Di Maria is the first to openly announce his retirement after the final.
What's Next / Next Match Preview
The 2025/26 UEFA Champions League final will take place on Saturday, May 30, 2026, at the Allianz Arena in Munich. Kickoff is at 10:00 PM Moscow time (9:00 PM local).
Benfica will take the field as the nominal away team (host status went to Barcelona based on the formal draw). For Di Maria, this match will be his 10th in the current Champions League campaign — in the previous nine matches of the 2025/26 tournament, he scored 1 goal and provided 2 assists.
It is expected that Di Maria will start in his usual right-wing position. If Benfica wins, the Argentine will become only the third player in history to win the Champions League with three different clubs (after Clarence Seedorf — Ajax, Real Madrid, AC Milan — and Roberto Carlos — Real Madrid, AC Milan, Porto — though the latter won with Porto in 1987 and with AC Milan in 2003).
Live broadcast of the match will be available on Match TV, as well as on streaming services Okko and Kinopoisk (by subscription). Worldwide broadcasting rights belong to Paramount+, in the UK to BT Sport, and in Portugal to Sport TV.
Editorial Prediction
The final promises to be special for Benfica: the team will clearly play for their captain, who is ending his career. However, this is a double-edged sword — the emotional pressure on Di Maria will be immense. Barcelona is the favorite based on play and squad, but Benfica has shown character in matches against giants. The key factor is how long the 38-year-old Argentine can maintain a high tempo against the young and fast Catalan defense. If Di Maria stays on the field for 70–80 minutes and is effective, the Portuguese have a chance. The editorial team predicts that Di Maria will either provide an assist or score himself — he knows how to score in finals. But a Benfica victory is hard to believe: 2-1 in favor of Barcelona with a goal from Di Maria, who will once again show class but not bring home the trophy.
— Editorial Team
