Diriangén FC
Template:Short description Template:Short descriptionScript error: No such module "Infobox".Template:Template otherScript error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". Cacique Diriangén Fútbol club is a Nicaraguan professional football club based in Diriamba which competes in Nicaraguan Premier Division (Primera Division). It is one of the oldest clubs in not only Nicaragua but also in Central America.
History
Founded in 1917, Diriangén has won a total of 30 domestic titles, including at least one in every decade since the 1940s. They are also the only club in Nicaragua to have competed in every season of the league's top flight. As a result of this success, the club has become associated with the motto "Diriangén no tuvo infancia, porque nació grande" ("Diriangen never had a childhood because it was born big")'.
Diriangén's strongest era was in the 1940s, when they won six consecutive championships (1940–45). They won a seventh championship in 1949, and hoisted the crown three times in the 1950s (1953, 1956, and 1959). A long drought followed in the 1960s, but the club rebounded with consecutive titles in 1969–70 and again in 1974.
The 1980s saw a return to the form of glory days past. It opened with a threepeat (1981, 1982, and 1983) and included other championships in 1987 and 1989. The 1990s were similar—a threepeat from 1994–97, followed by a title win in 1999–2000. However, the 2000s didn't go quite as well. Although Diriangén managed to win the championship in 2004–2005 and 2005–2006, the real power in Nicaragua had shifted to Real Esteli, winners of thirteen championships in 16 years.
Meanwhile, Diriangén struggled through a thirteen year title drought. That year was finally broken in Clausura 2018, when they knocked off Real Esteli 3–1 on aggregate.
The club celebrated its 100-year celebration in 2017 [1] Template:Webarchive
Current squad
As of: November 13, 2023 <templatestyles src="Template:Football squad player/styles.css" /> Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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Players with dual citizenship
- Template:Flagicon Template:Flagicon Luis Copete
- Template:Flagicon Template:Flagicon Richard Rodriguez
Out on loan
<templatestyles src="Template:Football squad player/styles.css" /> Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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In
<templatestyles src="Template:Football squad player/styles.css" /> Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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Out
<templatestyles src="Template:Football squad player/styles.css" /> Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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Personnel
Current technical staff
As of May 2025
| Position | Name |
|---|---|
| Manager | Template:Flagicon José Giancone |
| Assistant manager | Template:Flagicon Diego Giancone |
| Reserve team coach | Template:Flagicon Ricardo Arevalo |
| Assistant Reserve team coach | Template:Flagicon Alejandro Munoz |
| Goalkeeper coach | Template:Flagicon Carlos Mendieta |
| General sporting director | Template:Flagicon Alberto Castro |
| Fitness coach | Template:Flagicon Francisco Olivares |
| Club doctor | Template:Flagicon Reynaldo Cruz |
| Utility | Template:Flagicon César Tinoco |
Management
| Position | Staff |
|---|---|
| President | Template:Flagicon Diego Jacir |
| Vice President | Template:Flagicon Reynal Mairena |
| Legal Representative | Template:Flagicon |
| Secretary of the Board | Template:Flagicon |
| Treasurer | Template:Flagicon |
| General administrator | Template:Flagicon Diego Jacir |
Honours
Diriangén is historically the most successful team in Nicaraguan football, as they have won the most Primera División de Nicaragua with thirty-three (33) and won 3 Copa de Nicaragua.
Domestic honours
League
- Primera División de Nicaragua and predecessors
- Champions (33) : 1940, 1941, 1942, 1943, 1944, 1945, 1949, 1953, 1956, 1959, 1969, 1970, 1974, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1987, 1989, 1992, 1995, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2005, 2006, Clausura 2018, 2021 Clausura, 2021 Apertura, Clausura 2022, 2023 Apertura, Clausura 2024, Apertura 2024
Domestic Cups
- Copa de Nicaragua and predecessors
- Champions (4) : 1996, 1997, 2020, 2024
Notable players
Below are the notable former and current players who have represented Diriangen in Primera Division and international competition since the club's foundation in 1917. To appear in the section below, a player must have played in at least 100 official matches for the club, and or who has been called up by their national team.
- Template:Flagicon Ranvir Singh
- Template:Flagicon Livio Bendaña
- Template:Flagicon Mauricio Cruz
- Template:Flagicon Manuel Cuadra
International
- CONCACAF Cup Winners Cup: 2 appearances
- 1994 – Quarter-Finals
- 1997 – Qualifying Stage (Central Zone)
Record versus other clubs
- As of 2013-09-13
The Concacaf opponents below = Official tournament results: (Plus a sampling of other results)
Sponsors
Jersey sponsors
- claro (2001–06)
- Movistar (2007–2015)
- claro (2015–present)
- totto (2014–present)
- U de M (2014–present)
- Alcaldía de Diriamba (2014–present)
- CrediFacil
- Proplasa
- betcris
- Victoria Frost
- Iresa
- Flor de Cana
Shirt sponsors
Club statistics and records
José María Bermúdez holds the distinction of scoring the most goals in one match, he notched 9 goals in 1997 match against Xiletepelt.[3]
Award winners
- Top Goalscorer (TBD)
The following players have won the league top Goalscorer while playing for Diriangén [4]:
- Template:Flagicon Manuel Cuadra (-) - 1968
- Template:Flagicon Manuel Cuadra (-) - 1969
- Template:Flagicon Mauricio Cruz (-) - 1983
- Template:Flagicon Mauricio Cruz (-) - 1984
- Template:Flagicon Mauricio Cruz (-) - 1985
- Template:Flagicon Mauricio Cruz (-) - 1987
- Template:Flagicon Livio Bendana (-) - 1990
- Template:Flagicon José Maria Bermúdez (-) - 1997-1998
- Template:Flagicon Sergio Gago (-) - 1998-1999
- Template:Flagicon Lester Gonzalez (-) - 1999-2000
- Template:Flagicon Carlos Novoa (-) - 2002-2003
- Template:Flagicon Emilio Palacios (8) - Apertura 2004
- Template:Flagicon Herberth Cabrera (15) - 2010-2011
- Template:Flagicon Maycon Santana (10) - 2021
- Template:Flagicon Luis Coronel (11) - 2024 Clausura
Stadium
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The stadium, Estadio Cacique Diriangén, holds 7,500 people. It is a multi-purpose stadium, and has been the home stadium of the Nicaragua national football team for many years. The stadium has much history: In this stadium the club Diriangén FC won against many teams from Central America.
List of managers
Diriangen has had permanent managers since it first appointed Napolen Parrales Bendaña as coach in 1917. The longest-serving manager was Mauricio Cruz Jiron, who managed Diriangen for fourteen years from 1992 to 2006. Hungarian Eduardo Kosovic was the foreign coach in the club. Mauricio Cruz Jiron is the most successful manager as he led the club to seven primera division titles.
- Template:Flagicon Napolen Parrales Bendaña (1917–TBD)
- Template:Flagicon Miguel Cuadra Gonzalez
- Template:Flagicon Alberto Davila El Tico
- Template:Flagicon Carlos Marin (1940s)
- Template:Flagicon Eduardo Kosovic (1940s)
- Template:Flagicon Lurio Martinez (1950s)
- Template:Flagicon Eduardo Cosovich (1956)
- Template:Flagicon Luis Angel Pipila Umana (1958)
- Template:Flagicon Santiago Bonilla (1950s)
- Template:Flagicon Santiago Berrini (1960s)
- Template:Flagicon Omar Muraco
- Template:Flagicon Martin "El Cantante" García
- Template:Flagicon Manuel "Catarro" Cuadra (1960s)
- Template:Flagicon Armando Ruiz (1960s)
- Template:Flagicon Omar Jiron Rugamas (1960s)
- Template:Flagicon Roberto Guardia (1960s)
- Template:Flagicon Livio Bendaña Espinoza (1966–72)
- Template:Flagicon Oscar Figueroa Cristales Cocoroco"' (1973)
- Template:Flagicon Pedro Jose Jiron (1970s)
- Template:Flagicon Julio Rocha Ideaquez El negro Julio (1970s)
- Template:Flagicon Armando Mendieta Parrales Miluy (1980s)
- Template:Flagicon Jose Manuel Figuero Chemanel (1980s)
- Template:Flagicon William Parrales Quintanilla (1980s)
- Template:Flagicon Benjamin Parrales (1980s)
- Template:Flagicon Mario Chavez Morales (1980s)
- Template:Flagicon Milton Cuadra Serrano (1990–1991)
- Template:Flagicon Mauricio Cruz Jiron (1991– 2006)
- Template:Flagicon Róger "Pinocho" Rodríguez (Aug 2006–06)
- Template:Flagicon Martín Mena (2007)
- Template:Flagicon Mauricio Cruz Jiron (2008–10)
- Template:Flagicon Edgardo Soza (2010)
- Template:Flagicon Rolando Méndez (2010–11)
- Template:Flagicon Glen Blanco (July 2011 – October 11)
- Template:Flagicon Martín Mena (October 2011 – February 12)
- Template:Flagicon Ángel Eugenio Orellana (February 2012 – June 12)
- Template:Flagicon Francisco Nuñez (June 2012 – September 12)
- Template:Flagicon Luis Vega (September 2012 – October 12)
- Template:Flagicon Carlos Alberto de Toro (October 2012 – November 13)
- Template:Flagicon Flavio Da Silva (November 2013 – May 14)
- Template:Flagicon Florencio Leiva (June 2014 – August 14)
- Template:Flagicon Roberto Chanampe (August 2014 – July 2015)
- Template:Flagicon Andrés Novara (July 2015 – October 2015)
- Template:Flagicon Javier Londoño (October 2015 – January 2016)
- Template:Flagicon Mario Reig (January 2016 – February 2016)
- Template:Flagicon Jose Luis Rugamas (February 2016 – August 2016)
- Template:Flagicon Tyron Acevedo (August 2016 – May 2017)
- Template:Flagicon Mauricio Cruz Jiron (May 2017 – September 2019)
- Template:Flagicon Flavio Da Silva (September 2019 – April 2022)
- Template:Flagicon Tyrone Leiva (April 2022 – June 2022)
- Template:Flagicon Roberto Chanampe (June 2022 – May 2023)
- Template:Flagicon José Giancone (June 2023 – September 2024)
- Template:Flagicon Edward Urroz Interim (September 2024 - March 2025)
- Template:Flagicon José Giancone (April 2025 - present)
Notable managers
The following managers have won at least one trophy while in charge at Diriangen:
| Name | Nat | Tenure | Honors |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eduardo Cosovich | Template:Country data HUN | 1956 | Primera Division 1956 |
| Livio Bendaña Espinoza | Template:Country data NCA | 1966-1972 | Primera Division 1969 and 1970 |
| Mauricio Cruz Jiron | Template:Country data NCA | 1992–2006 | Primera Division 1992, 1995, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2005,2006, 2018 Clausura |
| Flavio Da Silva | Template:Country data BRA | 2019–2022 | Copa Primera 2020, 2021 Clausura, 2021 Apertura |
| Tyrone Leiva | Template:Country data NCA | April 2022 – June 2022 | Clausura 2022 |
| José Giacone | Template:Country data ARG | June 2023 – September 2024 | Apertura 2023, Clausura 2024, Copa Primera 2024 |
| Edward Urroz | Template:Country data NCA | September 2024 – Present | Apertura 2024 |
Women's team
The women's team has won the Nicaraguan women's football championship four times in 2000, 2001, 2003 and lately in 2010.
References
External links
- Soccerway profile
- Los inmortales caciques (history) – La Prensa Template:In lang
- Historias del Fútbol Diriambino: Nacimiento del Diriangen Papyfutbol – Futbol de Nicaragua Template:In lang
- De la gloria a la inmortalidad – La Prensa Template:In lang
- El Equipo Diriangen de Futbol – Multicampeon Nica – Diriamba Template:In lang
- Livio Bendaña Espinoza – El Nuevo Diario Template:In lang
- Luis Mario "El Mesie" Orellana Castro – Notifutbol Template:In lang
- Diriangen FC: 92 Años de Orgullo y Pasión – Notifutbol Template:In lang
- Defendamos 83 años de historia – El Nuevo Diario Template:In lang
- Trece técnicos han pasado durante la sequía – Barra Cacique Template:In lang