# Diogo Dalot
**Diogo Dalot** (full name José Diogo Dalot Teixeira; born 1999 in Braga, Portugal) is a Portuguese professional footballer who plays as a full-back or wing-back for Manchester United and the Portugal national team. He joined Manchester United from [FC Porto](https://www.edgepedia.org/fc-porto) in June 2018 at the age of 19 and has since become one of the club's most reliable performers, winning the Carabao Cup in 2023 and the [FA Cup](https://www.edgepedia.org/fa-cup) in 2024 and being named the squad's Players' Player of the Year in 2023/24.[1](https://www.manutd.com/en/teams/mens-team/diogo-dalot) • [2](https://theanalyst.com/players/4153/diogo-dalot/national) • [3](https://www.acmilan.com/en/news/articles/focus/2020-10-06/diogo-dalot-in-focus)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1999, Braga, Portugal; height 1.84 m[3](https://www.acmilan.com/en/news/articles/focus/2020-10-06/diogo-dalot-in-focus) |
| Position | Naturally a right-back, comfortable on either flank; has also played wing-back and occasionally central defense[3](https://www.acmilan.com/en/news/articles/focus/2020-10-06/diogo-dalot-in-focus) • [4](https://as.com/futbol/internacional/dalot-el-punal-de-old-trafford-f202605-n/) |
| United signing | Signed 6 June 2018 from FC Porto at 19; senior debut 19 September 2018[1](https://www.manutd.com/en/teams/mens-team/diogo-dalot) |
| United honors | Carabao Cup 2023, FA Cup 2024; Players' Player of the Year 2023/24[1](https://www.manutd.com/en/teams/mens-team/diogo-dalot) • [4](https://as.com/futbol/internacional/dalot-el-punal-de-old-trafford-f202605-n/) |
| United appearances | 250th appearance reached in the Manchester derby of 13 September 2026, in his eighth season at the club[5](https://as.com/futbol/internacional/mourinho-torpedeo-el-fichaje-de-dalot-por-el-atleti-f202610-n/) |
| Side split | 142 United appearances on the right and 40 on the left[4](https://as.com/futbol/internacional/dalot-el-punal-de-old-trafford-f202605-n/) |
| Portugal | Senior debut era from 2020; 40 games, 3 goals, 4 assists per Opta's player bio; represented Portugal at four international tournaments[2](https://theanalyst.com/players/4153/diogo-dalot/national) • [1](https://www.manutd.com/en/teams/mens-team/diogo-dalot) |
| Youth honors | UEFA European Under-17 Championship winner with Portugal in 2016, scoring the opening goal in the final against Spain[3](https://www.acmilan.com/en/news/articles/focus/2020-10-06/diogo-dalot-in-focus) |
## Early career at Porto
Dalot came through Porto's youth ranks and made his [UEFA Champions League](https://www.edgepedia.org/uefa-champions-league) debut for the club at 18 years and 353 days, in the round-of-16 meeting with Liverpool in March 2018.[3](https://www.acmilan.com/en/news/articles/focus/2020-10-06/diogo-dalot-in-focus) In the 2017/18 season he needed only a handful of first-team games to attract attention from major European clubs, and [Atlético Madrid](https://www.edgepedia.org/atletico-madrid) was in advanced positions to sign him before [José Mourinho](https://www.edgepedia.org/jose-mourinho), then leading the Manchester United project, persuaded his compatriot to choose Manchester instead.[5](https://as.com/futbol/internacional/mourinho-torpedeo-el-fichaje-de-dalot-por-el-atleti-f202610-n/) At youth international level he had been part of the Portugal side that won the 2016 UEFA European Under-17 Championship in Azerbaijan, scoring the goal that put Portugal ahead against Spain in the final and also converting in the penalty shootout.[3](https://www.acmilan.com/en/news/articles/focus/2020-10-06/diogo-dalot-in-focus)
## Manchester United
**Arrival and early seasons.** Dalot signed for United on 6 June 2018 and made his debut on 19 September 2018.[1](https://www.manutd.com/en/teams/mens-team/diogo-dalot) In his first Premier League season (2018/19) he was the youngest Manchester United player to make more than three league appearances, and the third-youngest player to provide at least two assists in the competition that season, behind only [Ryan Sessegnon](https://www.edgepedia.org/ryan-sessegnon) and [Dwight McNeil](https://www.edgepedia.org/dwight-mcneil).[3](https://www.acmilan.com/en/news/articles/focus/2020-10-06/diogo-dalot-in-focus) Mourinho defended the signing from the start, comparing him in a pre-season press conference to [Gary Neville](https://www.edgepedia.org/gary-neville), a legend of the club's three-time European Cup-winning sides, and saying he could be United's right-back for 10 years.[4](https://as.com/futbol/internacional/dalot-el-punal-de-old-trafford-f202605-n/) • [5](https://as.com/futbol/internacional/mourinho-torpedeo-el-fichaje-de-dalot-por-el-atleti-f202610-n/)
**Milan loan and breakthrough.** It took a couple of seasons, including a loan spell at [AC Milan](https://www.edgepedia.org/ac-milan) in 2020/21, for Dalot to break through as a starter at United.[1](https://www.manutd.com/en/teams/mens-team/diogo-dalot) • [6](https://www.worldfootball.net/person/pe421695/diogo-dalot/) He then became a regular in the Carabao Cup and FA Cup successes under [Erik ten Hag](https://www.edgepedia.org/erik-ten-hag).[1](https://www.manutd.com/en/teams/mens-team/diogo-dalot)
**Availability as a defining trait.** Dalot was named United's Players' Player of the Year for 2023/24, and he appeared in every game bar one for the club between December 2023 and January 2025; the club describes his availability as a key attribute.[1](https://www.manutd.com/en/teams/mens-team/diogo-dalot) In the [Manchester derby](https://www.edgepedia.org/manchester-derby) of 13 September 2026 he made his 250th United appearance, making him the third Portuguese player with the most appearances for the club, behind only [Cristiano Ronaldo](https://www.edgepedia.org/cristiano-ronaldo) and [Bruno Fernandes](https://www.edgepedia.org/bruno-fernandes).[5](https://as.com/futbol/internacional/mourinho-torpedeo-el-fichaje-de-dalot-por-el-atleti-f202610-n/)
## Playing style
Dalot is naturally a right-back but is capable of making an impact pushing forward, a profile that led to comparisons in Portugal with his compatriot [João Cancelo](https://www.edgepedia.org/joao-cancelo); he has cited [Dani Alves](https://www.edgepedia.org/dani-alves) as an inspiration.[3](https://www.acmilan.com/en/news/articles/focus/2020-10-06/diogo-dalot-in-focus) His versatility is quantified in his United record of 142 appearances on the right and 40 on the left, which makes him a tactical option on either flank for any coach.[4](https://as.com/futbol/internacional/dalot-el-punal-de-old-trafford-f202605-n/) Under Rúben Amorim's back-three system he has been used as a wing-back, a role in which analysts note he provides baseline reliability and helps transmit tactical adjustments in Portuguese during matches.[7](https://totalfootballanalysis.com/player-analysis/diogo-dalot-scout-report-manchester-united-2025-2026-analysis-tactics)
**Measured strengths and trade-offs.** In a 2023-24 per-90 comparison of United's right-back options across all competitions, Dalot recorded 3.2 tackles plus interceptions (against 4.6 for Aaron Wan-Bissaka and 3.8 for Noussair Mazraoui) with 66% tackle success, 3.3 progressive passes, 81% passing accuracy, and 2.2 crosses per 90, the highest crossing volume of the three.[8](https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/cj082grm22go) Later percentile profiles against Europe's full-backs place him strong in ball recoveries (4.73 per 90, 76th percentile) and aerial duels (68.41%, 95th percentile), with lower marks for chance creation and progression.[9](https://craftedfc.com/player-ratings/diogo-dalot)
## Portugal
Dalot has been involved in Portugal's youth setup since debuting for the U15s in 2014 and later played for the U21 side.[3](https://www.acmilan.com/en/news/articles/focus/2020-10-06/diogo-dalot-in-focus) His senior career record per Opta's bio is 40 games with 3 goals and 4 assists, and he has represented Portugal at four international tournaments, including UEFA Euro 2020, the 2022 FIFA World Cup, and UEFA Euro 2024.[2](https://theanalyst.com/players/4153/diogo-dalot/national) • [1](https://www.manutd.com/en/teams/mens-team/diogo-dalot) His most recent international goal came in a UEFA Nations League match against Croatia in September 2024, which Portugal won 2-1 with Dalot playing the full 90 minutes.[2](https://theanalyst.com/players/4153/diogo-dalot/national) Portugal head coach Roberto Martínez has emphasized the importance the player will have for the country at the next World Cup.[4](https://as.com/futbol/internacional/dalot-el-punal-de-old-trafford-f202605-n/)
## References
1. [Diogo Dalot – Men's Team, Manchester United FC](https://www.manutd.com/en/teams/mens-team/diogo-dalot)
2. [Diogo Dalot International Career, Opta Analyst](https://theanalyst.com/players/4153/diogo-dalot/national)
3. [Diogo Dalot in Focus, AC Milan (6 October 2020)](https://www.acmilan.com/en/news/articles/focus/2020-10-06/diogo-dalot-in-focus)
4. [Dalot, el puñal de Old Trafford, AS](https://as.com/futbol/internacional/dalot-el-punal-de-old-trafford-f202605-n/)
5. [Dalot no llegó al Atleti... ¡por Mourinho!, AS](https://as.com/futbol/internacional/mourinho-torpedeo-el-fichaje-de-dalot-por-el-atleti-f202610-n/)
6. [Diogo Dalot: Career, Stats & Clubs, worldfootball.net](https://www.worldfootball.net/person/pe421695/diogo-dalot/)
7. [Diogo Dalot Scout Report At Manchester United 2025/2026, Total Football Analysis](https://totalfootballanalysis.com/player-analysis/diogo-dalot-scout-report-manchester-united-2025-2026-analysis-tactics)
8. [Mazraoui, Wan-Bissaka or Dalot?, BBC Sport (15 August 2024)](https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/cj082grm22go)
9. [Diogo Dalot player ratings and percentile profile, CraftedFC](https://craftedfc.com/player-ratings/diogo-dalot)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Sports, games, and recreation › Association football › Football people and teams › People › Men's footballers of continental Europe › Portuguese footballers › Goalkeepers and defenders*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 21, 2026 · Edited: Oct 12, 2026; Oct 15, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Last review: Oct 21, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license