imported>JJMC89 bot III: Moving :Category:C.D. Luis Ángel Firpo footballers to :Category:CD Luis Ángel Firpo players per Wikipedia:Categories for discussion/Speedy

2025-10-25T22:18:07Z

Moving Category:C.D. Luis Ángel Firpo footballers to Category:CD Luis Ángel Firpo players per Wikipedia:Categories for discussion/Speedy

New page

{{Short description|Salvadoran footballer (born 1970)}}
{{family name hatnote|Díaz|Arce|lang=Spanish}}
{{Sources exist|date=April 2023}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = Raúl Díaz Arce
| image =
| caption =
| fullname = Raúl Ignacio Díaz Arce
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1970|2|1}}
| birth_place = [[San Rafael Obrajuelo]], [[El Salvador]]
| height = 1.75 m
| position = [[Forward (association football)|Forward]]
| currentclub =
| youthyears1 =
| youthclubs1 =
| years1 = 1988–1990
| clubs1 = [[C.D. Dragón|Dragón]]
| caps1 =
| goals1 =
| years2 = 1991–1996
| clubs2 = [[C.D. Luis Angel Firpo]]
| caps2 =
| goals2 =
| years3 = 1996–1997
| clubs3 = [[D.C. United]]
| caps3 = 50
| goals3 = 38
| years4 = 1998
| clubs4 = [[New England Revolution]]<ref name="New England Revolution Club History">{{cite web |url=https://newengland-mp7static.mlsdigital.net/elfinderimages/media/ClubHistory_CoachandPlayerRegistry.pdf |title=Club History Coach and Player Registry |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180612135826/https://newengland-mp7static.mlsdigital.net/elfinderimages/media/ClubHistory_CoachandPlayerRegistry.pdf |archive-date=June 12, 2018 |access-date=September 19, 2024 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
| caps4 = 32
| goals4 = 18
| years5 = 1999
| clubs5 = [[San Jose Earthquakes|San Jose Clash]]
| caps5 = 18
| goals5 = 4
| years6 = 1999–2000
| clubs6 = [[Tampa Bay Mutiny]]
| caps6 = 22
| goals6 = 13
| years7 = 2000–2001
| clubs7 = [[D.C. United]]
| caps7 = 18
| goals7 = 6
| years8 = 2001
| clubs8 = [[Colorado Rapids]]
| caps8 = 12
| goals8 = 3
| years9 = 2002
| clubs9 = [[Charleston Battery]]
| caps9 = 24
| goals9 = 5
| years10 = 2002
| clubs10 = [[C.D. Águila|Águila]]
| caps10 = 24
| goals10 = 5
| years11 = 2003
| clubs11 = [[Charleston Battery]]
| caps11 = 26
| goals11 = 6
| years12 = 2004
| clubs12 = [[Puerto Rico Islanders]]
| caps12 = 15
| goals12 = 7
| totalcaps = 241
| totalgoals = 105
| nationalyears1 = 1987–2003
| nationalteam1 = [[El Salvador national football team|El Salvador]]
| nationalcaps1 = 68
| nationalgoals1 = 39
}}

'''Raúl Díaz Arce''' (born February 1, 1970) is a Salvadoran former professional [[Association football|footballer]] who played as a [[Forward (association football)|forward]]. He is El Salvador's most prolific goal scorer, with 39 goals in just 68 appearances.<ref>[https://www.rsssf.org/miscellaneous/diazarce-intlg.html Raúl Ignacio Díaz Arce - International Goals] - RSSSF</ref>

==Playing career==

From 1985 to 1986, Arce played for Deportivo Jalapa in Guatemala. From 1988 to 1991, Arce played for Dragon in the Salvadoran second division, where he was the league's leading scorer in the 1991–92 season with 21 goals. Playing for Dragon, in two seasons in first division, "Ignacio Raul" scored 34 goals (13 in 1989–90 and 21 in 1990–91), in the second season he was the scoring champion of the regular season when he played four laps.

He then moved up to play for [[C.D. Luis Ángel Firpo]] of the Salvadoran first division from 1991 to 1996. Here he was the league's top scorer three season in a row (1993–1996) with 24, 21 and 25 goals, respectively. In Luis Ángel Firpo he scored in five seasons with a total of 119 goals. These early achievements earned him a spot in the national team and a move to the United States.<ref name="Early career">{{cite web|title=Los goles hablan por él|url=http://www.elsalvador.com/deportes/2002/9/28/depor7.shtml|publisher=elgrafico.com|access-date=21 July 2011|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121003053827/http://www.elsalvador.com/deportes/2002/9/28/depor7.shtml|archive-date=3 October 2012}}</ref>

===D.C. United===
In 1996, Diaz Arce signed with [[Major League Soccer]], and was drafted tenth overall in the [[MLS Inaugural Player Draft]] by [[D.C. United]] on February 6.<ref name="D.C. United Media Guide 2018">{{cite book |url=https://archive.org/details/dcunited2018mediaguide/page/n127/mode/2up?q=Arce |title=2018 D.C. United media guide |access-date=September 19, 2024}}</ref> On April 20, Diaz Arce recorded the first goal in D.C. United's history when he scored in the 7th minute against the [[LA Galaxy]].<ref name="D.C. United Media Guide 2018"/> He quickly established himself as a dangerous striker in the league, scoring 23 goals in his first season with United, second in the league behind [[Roy Lassiter]].<ref>{{cite book|url=https://mlssoccer.app.box.com/s/xvks2sfia70gsowb4qyh61c7ytqpbnht |title=2024 MLS Fact and Record Book.pdf |access-date=September 19, 2024 |page=59}}</ref> Diaz Arce was also the first player in MLS history to score a hat-trick in postseason play. He scored 3 against the Tampa Bay Mutiny on October 10, 1996. DC United won 4-1 and went on to become the first MLS champions. Diaz Arce continued to perform well in his second season, registering 15 goals, and helping D.C. United to win their second consecutive [[MLS Cup]]. [[File:D.C. United Hall of Tradition.jpg|thumb|D.C. United Hall of Tradition]]

===New England Revolution===
Salary cap pressures<ref>{{cite book | last=Dure | first=Beau | title=Long-Range Goals | publisher=Potomac Books, Inc. | publication-place=Washington, D.C | date=2010-05-31 | isbn=978-1-59797-509-4 |page=58}}</ref> and reported conflicts between Diaz Arce and [[Marco Etcheverry]],{{citation needed|date=February 2021 |reason=What conflicts?}} resulted in D.C. trading one of the league's most prolific scorers to the [[New England Revolution]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.southcoasttoday.com/story/sports/1998/02/05/revs-deal-lalas-for-top/50580428007/ |title=Revs deal Lalas for MLS Top Scorer |date=February 5, 1999 |author=Chapman, Doug |access-date=September 19, 2024}}</ref> The deal was not well received by D.C. United's fanbase.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/sports/1998/04/03/with-diaz-arce-gone-united-fans-are-divided/f265ae35-f655-4248-a3de-411d0c876b68/ |title=WITH DIAZ ARCE GONE, UNITED FANS ARE DIVIDED |date=April 2, 1998 |author1=Constable, Pamela |author2=Kuhns, Will |access-date=September 19, 2024}}</ref>

On February 5, 1998, in what would become the first three-team trade in MLS history, New England acquired Diaz Arce from D.C. United in exchange
for [[Alexi Lalas]] and a second-round pick in the [[1999 MLS College Draft]], which were traded to the [[MetroStars]]
with the MetroStars' second-round pick in the 1999 MLS College Draft and future considerations going to D.C. United along with New England's first-round pick in
the 1999 MLS College Draft.<ref name="2018 New York Red Bulls Media Guide">{{cite web|url=https://issuu.com/newyorkredbulls0/docs/2018_rbny_mg |title=2018 New York Red Bulls Media Guide |access-date=September 19, 2024}}</ref> Diaz Arce made his Revolution debut in the first match of a season, a loss to his former club, on March 29, 1998.<ref name="2024 Media Guide">{{cite book |title=2024 Media Guide |publisher=New England Revolution|url=https://revolution.1rmg.com/season/2024/media-guide/ |access-date=September 19, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240322013528/https://revolution.1rmg.com/season/2024/media-guide/ |archive-date=2024-03-22}}</ref> He scored his first Revolution goal the following match, in a 2–1 defeat to the [[Miami Fusion]] on April 4.<ref name="2024 Media Guide"/> Diaz Arce made his Revolution home debut on April 18, providing an assist in a 1–1 draw against D.C. United in front of a crowd of 24,133 at [[Foxboro Stadium]].<ref name="2024 Media Guide"/> The Revolution would lose the subsequent shoot out.<ref name="2024 Media Guide"/>

Diaz Arce's success continued in New England. In the [[1998 New England Revolution season]], he started all 32 league matches, leading the team in minutes played and games played.<ref name="2024 Media Guide"/> He was named the Revolution's 1998 scoring champion, notching 18 goals and recording 8 assists.<ref name="2024 Media Guide"/> His 18-goal tally was the highest in a single season in club history for a Revs player - a record that would stand for four more seasons, until it was broken by [[Taylor Twellman]] in [[2002 New England Revolution season|2002]].<ref name="2024 Media Guide"/> He represented New England in the [[1998 MLS All-Star Game]] alongside his teammate [[Mike Burns (soccer)|Mike Burns]].<ref name="2024 Media Guide"/>

On January 20, 1999, the Revolution traded Diaz Arce to the MetroStars in return for [[Giovanni Savarese]] and a second-round pick in the [[2000 MLS SuperDraft]].<ref name="New England Revolution Club History">{{cite web |url=https://newengland-mp7static.mlsdigital.net/elfinderimages/media/ClubHistory_CoachandPlayerRegistry.pdf |title=Club History Coach and Player Registry |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180612135826/https://newengland-mp7static.mlsdigital.net/elfinderimages/media/ClubHistory_CoachandPlayerRegistry.pdf |archive-date=June 12, 2018 |access-date=September 19, 2024 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

===End of MLS career===
Nevertheless, Diaz Arce was traded again, and eventually played for the [[Tampa Bay Mutiny]] and [[San Jose Clash]], as well as briefly with the [[MetroStars]], registering 13 goals and 7 assists in the 1999 season. Diaz Arce continued to be shuttled around in 2000, playing for Tampa Bay and D.C. again in 2000, and scoring a career low 9 goals. Diaz Arce continued to decline in 2001, playing only briefly for D.C. United, before being traded again to the [[Colorado Rapids]], with whom he ended his career in MLS.

Diaz Arce left MLS second in career goals scored with 82, behind only Roy Lassiter;{{citation needed|date=February 2021}} although he has fallen as others have surpassed both of their totals.

===Charleston & Puerto Rico===
For the 2002 season, Diaz Arce played for the [[Charleston Battery]] of the [[USL First Division|A-League]], scoring 6 goals and 4 assists in 1319 minutes. He was not the success Charleston had hoped for, however, and left following the year. In 2004, Diaz Arce joined the struggling expansion [[Puerto Rico Islanders]], and gave the team a significant boost, scoring two goals in his first game and a total of 7 in 1233 minutes, and helping the team attain a level of respectability. He is now the U.S. Soccer Development Academy Director at the Chicago Magico Soccer Club.

==International career==
Diaz Arce made his debut for [[El Salvador national football team|El Salvador]] in an April 1991 [[UNCAF Nations Cup]] qualification match against [[Nicaragua national football team|Nicaragua]] in which he scored two goals. Over his career, he earned a total of 68 caps, scoring a record 39 goals. He represented his country in 28 [[FIFA World Cup qualification]] matches<ref>{{FIFA player|94813}}</ref> and played at several UNCAF Nations Cups as well as at the [[1996 CONCACAF Gold Cup|1996]]<ref>[https://www.rsssf.org/tables/96gc-full.html CONCACAF Championship, Gold Cup 1996 - Full Details] - RSSSF</ref> and [[1998 CONCACAF Gold Cup]]s.<ref>[https://www.rsssf.org/tables/98gc-full.html CONCACAF Championship, Gold Cup 1998 - Full Details] - RSSSF</ref>
His final international was a September 2000 [[FIFA World Cup qualification]] match against [[Honduras national football team|Honduras]].

===International goals===

{{Complete list|July 2020|date=July 2020}}

:''Scores and results list El Salvador's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each El Salvador goal''.

{| class="wikitable sortable"
|+ List of international goals scored by Raúl Díaz Arce
|-
!scope=col | No.
!scope=col | Date
!scope=col | Venue
!scope=col | Opponent
!scope=col | Score
!scope=col | Result
!scope=col | Competition
!scope=col class="unsortable" | {{Abbr|Ref.|Reference}}
|-
| align="center" | 1
|rowspan=2|{{dts|4 April 1991}}
|rowspan=2|[[Dennis Martínez National Stadium]], [[Managua]], Nicaragua
|rowspan=3|{{fb|NCA}}
| align="center" |1–0
| align="center" rowspan=2|3–2
|rowspan=3|[[1991 UNCAF Nations Cup preliminary round|1991 UNCAF Nations Cup qualification]]
|
|-
| align="center" | 2
| align="center" |3–2
|
|-
| align="center" | 3
|{{dts|24 April 1991}}
|[[Estadio Cuscatlán]], [[San Salvador]], El Salvador
| align="center" |2–0
| align="center" |2–0
|
|-
| align="center" | 4
|{{dts|29 May 1991}}
|[[Estadio Nacional de Costa Rica (1924)|Estadio Nacional]], [[San José, Costa Rica]]
|{{fb|CRC}}
| align="center" |1–0
| align="center" |1–7
|[[1991 UNCAF Nations Cup]]
|
|-
| align="center" | 5
|{{dts|6 December 1992}}
|[[Estadio Cuscatlán]], [[San Salvador]], El Salvador
|{{fb|JAM}}
| align="center" |2–1
| align="center" |2–1
|[[1994 FIFA World Cup qualification]]
|
|-
| align="center" | 6
|{{dts|18 February 1993}}
|[[Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum]], [[Los Angeles]], United States
|{{fb|RUS|1991}}
| align="center" |1–2
| align="center" |1–2
|Friendly
|
|-
| align="center" | 7
|{{dts|7 March 1993}}
|[[Estadio Tiburcio Carías Andino]], [[Tegucigalpa]], Honduras
|{{fb|PAN}}
| align="center" |1–0
| align="center" |1–1
|[[1993 UNCAF Nations Cup]]
|
|-
| align="center" | 8
|rowspan=2|{{dts|12 March 1993}}
|rowspan=4|[[Estadio Cuscatlán]], [[San Salvador]], El Salvador
|rowspan=2|{{fb|BOL}}
| align="center" |1–1
| align="center" rowspan=2|2–2
|rowspan=3|Friendly
|
|-
| align="center" | 9
| align="center" |2–1
|
|-
| align="center" | 10
|{{dts|23 March 1993}}
|{{fb|USA}}
| align="center" |1–0
| align="center" |2–2
|
|-
| align="center" | 11
|{{dts|9 May 1993}}
|rowspan=4|{{fb|HON|1949}}
| align="center" |1–0
| align="center" |2–1
|[[1994 FIFA World Cup qualification]]
|
|-
| align="center" | 12
|rowspan=3|{{dts|3 May 1994}}
|rowspan=3|[[Miami Orange Bowl]], [[Miami]], United States
| align="center" |1–0
| align="center" rowspan=3|3–1
|rowspan=3|Miami Cup
|
|-
| align="center" | 13
| align="center" |2–0
|
|-
| align="center" | 14
| align="center" |3–0
|
|-
| align="center" | 15
|{{dts|29 November 1995}}
|rowspan=2|[[Estadio Cuscatlán]], [[San Salvador]], El Salvador
|{{fb|BLZ|1981}}
| align="center" |3–0
| align="center" |3–0
|rowspan=2|[[1995 UNCAF Nations Cup]]
|
|-
| align="center" | 16
|{{dts|10 December 1995}}
|{{fb|CRC}}
| align="center" |1–0
| align="center" |2–1
|
|-
| align="center" | 17
|rowspan=2|{{dts|10 January 1996}}
|rowspan=2|[[Anaheim Stadium]], [[Anaheim, California|Anaheim]], United States
|rowspan=2|{{fb|TRI}}
| align="center" |1–0
| align="center" rowspan=2|3–2
|rowspan=2|[[1996 CONCACAF Gold Cup]]
|
|-
| align="center" | 18
| align="center" |3–2
|
|-
| align="center" | 19
|rowspan=2|{{dts|8 September 1996}}
|rowspan=2|[[Estadio Cuscatlán]], [[San Salvador]], El Salvador
|rowspan=2|{{fb|CUB}}
| align="center" |1–0
| align="center" rowspan=2|5–0
|rowspan=9|[[1998 FIFA World Cup qualification]]
|
|-
| align="center" | 20
| align="center" |4–0
|
|-
| align="center" | 21
|{{dts|8 September 1996}}
|[[Estadio Rommel Fernández]], [[Panama City]], Panama
|rowspan=2|{{fb|PAN}}
| align="center" |1–1
| align="center" |1–1
|
|-
| align="center" | 22
|{{dts|10 November 1996}}
|rowspan=5|[[Estadio Cuscatlán]], [[San Salvador]], El Salvador
| align="center" |1–1
| align="center" |3–2
|
|-
| align="center" | 23
|{{dts|1 December 1996}}
|{{fb|CUB}}
| align="center" |2–0
| align="center" |3–0
|
|-
| align="center" | 24
|{{dts|4 May 1997}}
|{{fb|CRC}}
| align="center" |1–0
| align="center" |2–1
|
|-
| align="center" | 25
|{{dts|29 June 1997}}
|{{fb|USA}}
| align="center" |1–1
| align="center" |1–1
|
|-
| align="center" | 26
|{{dts|14 September 1997}}
|{{fb|CAN}}
| align="center" |4–1
| align="center" |4–1
|
|-
| align="center" | 27
|{{dts|16 November 1997}}
|[[Foxboro Stadium]], [[Foxborough, Massachusetts|Foxboro]], United States
|{{fb|USA}}
| align="center" |2–3
| align="center" |2–4
|
|-
| align="center" | 28
|{{dts|8 October 1999}}
|rowspan=2|[[Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum]], [[Los Angeles]], United States
|{{fb|CAN}}
| align="center" |1–1
| align="center" |1–2
|rowspan=2|[[2000 CONCACAF Gold Cup#Qualification play-off|2000 CONCACAF Gold Cup qualification]]
|
|-
| align="center" | 29
|{{dts|10 October 1999}}
|{{fb|CUB}}
| align="center" |1–1
| align="center" |1–3
|
|-
| align="center" | 30
|rowspan=2|{{dts|29 February 2000}}
|rowspan=2|[[Estadio Jorge "Mágico" González]], [[San Salvador]], El Salvador
|rowspan=2|{{fb|PAN}}
| align="center" |2–0
| align="center" rowspan=2|3–1
|rowspan=2|Friendly
|
|-
| align="center" | 31
| align="center" |3–1
|
|-
| align="center" | 32
|{{dts|5 March 2000}}
|[[Estadio Cuscatlán]], [[San Salvador]], El Salvador
|{{fb|BLZ|1981}}
| align="center" |3–0
| align="center" |5–0
|[[2002 FIFA World Cup qualification]]
|
|-
| align="center" | 33
|{{dts|28 March 2000}}
|[[Estadio Jorge "Mágico" González]], [[San Salvador]], El Salvador
|{{fb|HAI}}
| align="center" |1–0
| align="center" |3–1
|Friendly
|
|-
| align="center" | 34
|{{dts|2 April 2000}}
|[[Estadio Doroteo Guamuch Flores]], [[Guatemala City]], Guatemala
|{{fb|GUA}}
| align="center" |3–0
| align="center" |5–0
|rowspan=6|[[2002 FIFA World Cup qualification]]
|
|-
| align="center" | 35
|{{dts|16 April 2000}}
|[[Orange Walk People's Stadium|People's Stadium]], [[Orange Walk Town]], Belize
|{{fb|BLZ|1981}}
| align="center" |1–0
| align="center" |3–1
|
|-
| align="center" | 36
|{{dts|7 May 2000}}
|rowspan=4|[[Estadio Cuscatlán]], [[San Salvador]], El Salvador
|{{fb|GUA}}
| align="center" |1–0
| align="center" |3–1
|
|-
| align="center" | 37
|rowspan=3|{{dts|23 July 2000}}
|rowspan=3|{{fb|VIN}}
| align="center" |5–1
| align="center" rowspan=3|7–1
|
|-
| align="center" | 38
| align="center" |6–1
|
|-
| align="center" | 39
| align="center" |7–1
|
|}

==Honours==

'''C.D. Luis Ángel Firpo'''
* [[Primera División de Fútbol de El Salvador]]: [[1991–92 Primera División de Fútbol Profesional|1991–92]], [[1992–93 Primera División de Fútbol Profesional|1992–93]]

'''D.C. United'''
* [[MLS Cup]]: [[1996 Major League Soccer season|1996]], [[1997 Major League Soccer season|1997]]
* [[MLS Supporters' Shield]]: [[1997 Major League Soccer season|1997]]
* [[Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup|U.S. Open Cup]]: [[1996 U.S. Open Cup|1996]]

'''Charleston Battery'''
* [[USL First Division]]: [[2003 A-League|2003]]
* [[Southern Derby]]: 2003

'''Individual'''
* [[MLS All-Star Game|MLS All-Star]]: [[1997 MLS All-Star Game|1997]],<ref>[https://www.mlssoccer.com/news/all-star-game-flashback-1997-valderrama-named-mvp-again All-Star Game flashback, 1997] at MLSsoccer.com</ref> [[1998 MLS All-Star Game|1998]],<ref>{{Cite web |date=August 2, 1998 |title=1998 MLS All-Star Game |url=https://www.mlssoccer.com/news/1998-mls-all-star-game-373141 |access-date=July 27, 2023 |work=MLSsoccer.com}}</ref> [[1999 Major League Soccer All-Star Game|1999]]<ref>{{Cite web |date=July 17, 1999 |title=1999 MLS All-Star Game |url=https://www.mlssoccer.com/news/1999-mls-all-star-game-373142 |work=MLSsoccer.com |access-date=July 27, 2023}}</ref>
* DC United Hall of Tradition: August 26, 2009

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* {{NFT player|13929}}
* {{Webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080316204857/http://www.charlestonbattery.com/history_pregister.asp?pid=300 |title=Charleston Battery Player Profile }}

{{Navboxes
|title=El Salvador squads
| bg = #0000DD
| fg = white
|list1=
{{El Salvador Squad 1996 CONCACAF Gold Cup}}
{{El Salvador Squad 1998 CONCACAF Gold Cup}}
}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Diaz Arce, Raul}}
[[Category:1970 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Sportspeople from San Miguel, El Salvador]]
[[Category:Men's association football forwards]]
[[Category:Salvadoran men's footballers]]
[[Category:Salvadoran expatriate men's footballers]]
[[Category:El Salvador men's international footballers]]
[[Category:1996 CONCACAF Gold Cup players]]
[[Category:1998 CONCACAF Gold Cup players]]
[[Category:CD Luis Ángel Firpo players]]
[[Category:D.C. United players]]
[[Category:New England Revolution players]]
[[Category:San Jose Earthquakes players]]
[[Category:Tampa Bay Mutiny players]]
[[Category:Colorado Rapids players]]
[[Category:Charleston Battery players]]
[[Category:CD Águila players]]
[[Category:Puerto Rico Islanders players]]
[[Category:Expatriate men's soccer players in the United States]]
[[Category:Salvadoran expatriate sportspeople in the United States]]
[[Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Puerto Rico]]
[[Category:Salvadoran expatriate sportspeople in Puerto Rico]]
[[Category:A-League (1995–2004) players]]
[[Category:Salvadoran football managers]]
[[Category:Major League Soccer players]]
[[Category:Major League Soccer All-Stars]]

Raúl Díaz Arce - Revision history

imported>JJMC89 bot III: Moving :Category:C.D. Luis Ángel Firpo footballers to :Category:CD Luis Ángel Firpo players per Wikipedia:Categories for discussion/Speedy