Ángel Di María opens up on Man United struggles under Louis van Gaal
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The Argentine winger arrived at Old Trafford in the summer of 2014 for a then club-record £59.7 million fee, fresh from helping Real Madrid win the Champions League and reaching the World Cup final with Argentina.
Expectations were enormous. What followed, however, was one of the Premier League's most surprising disappointments.
Key takeaways
- Di María joined United for £59.7m in 2014.
- Relationship with van Gaal damaged his confidence.
- Family struggled to adapt to Manchester life.
- House burglary added off-field distress.
- Rebuilt career successfully at PSG and with Argentina.
A bright start that quickly faded
Di María's early performances suggested United had landed a transformative signing.He scored and assisted on his home debut in a 4-0 win over Queens Park Rangers.
Days later, he again scored and assisted against Leicester City, though United lost 5-3.
He netted once more against Everton in his seventh appearance.
But momentum soon stalled. Form dipped, confidence wavered and criticism intensified.
By the end of the season, Di María had registered just four goals and 11 assists in 32 appearances - far below expectations - before sealing a move to Paris Saint-Germain.
The van Gaal factor
Speaking in the upcoming Netflix documentary Angel Di Maria: Breaking Down the Wall, the winger described a strained dynamic with van Gaal that eroded his confidence.We were winning, I was making assists and scoring, but he didn't mention that. He only ever wanted to talk about the mistakes.Former United midfielder Ander Herrera echoed those sentiments, claiming the manager was unusually critical of Di María.
As a forward, I'm bound to make mistakes because I'm always trying.
It reached a point where things just got out of hand. Compared to everyone else, it seemed like the coach was stricter with him.Di María admitted the intense scrutiny was heightened by the fanfare surrounding his transfer.
Eventually, all the criticism undermined Ángel's confidence.
I had sold more jerseys than anyone else upon my arrival to the Premier League, so I was finding myself under a lot of pressure. Really, that year was s***.
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Off-field trauma and family unhappiness
Footballing struggles were compounded by a traumatic burglary at the family home whilst they were inside.His wife, Jorgelina Cardoso, also struggled to adapt to life in Manchester.
Having previously visited when Sergio Agüero played for Manchester City, she had already formed a negative impression of the city.
She admitted she had urged him to move anywhere but England, and found the eventual relocation deeply unsettling.
The combination of footballing friction, personal trauma and family discomfort made an exit inevitable after just one season.
Redemption in Paris and glory with Argentina
If Manchester was a low point, Paris was redemption.At PSG, Di María flourished, scoring 92 goals and providing 120 assists across seven trophy-filled seasons.
He re-established himself as one of Europe's elite creators and big-game performers.
Internationally, his legacy grew even stronger. He helped Argentina win the Copa America in 2021 and 2024, and famously scored in the World Cup final victory over France, cementing his place in Argentine football history.
Now 38, Di María has returned home to finish his career with Rosario Central, the club where it all began.
Ángel Di María scores Olimpico goal for Rosario Central vs Boca Juniors
Ángel Di María nets Olimpico goal as Rosario Central draw 1-1 with Boca Juniors in fiery Primera División clash.
Read This Next →A move that simply didn't fit
In hindsight, Di María's United spell appears to be a perfect storm of tactical mismatch, managerial tension and personal challenges.Whilst his Premier League chapter lasted just one season, his overall career remains glittering - defined not by disappointment at Old Trafford, but by resilience, reinvention and redemption on football's biggest stages.
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