# Darío Benedetto

Darío Ismael Benedetto (born 17 May 1990) is an Argentine professional footballer who plays as a striker for Olimpia.

## Club career
### Early career

Darío Benedetto began his career playing for Arsenal de Sarandí in 2008. He was loaned out to Defensa y Justicia in 2010, and then to Gimnasia in 2011, appearing in 19 matches and scoring 11 goals.

### Tijuana

In the summer of 2013, Benedetto joined Mexican club Tijuana. On 19 July, he scored a hat-trick on his league debut for the club in a 3–3 draw against Atlas at the Estadio Caliente. Benedetto would not score again until 1 November, scoring a brace against Atlante. For the 2014 Clausura, Benedetto managed to score 7 goals for the club, and scored one in the quarter-finals of the play-offs. The following tournament, the 2014 Apertura, Benedetto scored 9 goals for Tijuana, making him the fourth-best goal scorer of the tournament, behind leaders Mauro Boselli and Camilo Sanvezzo, who scored 12 goals, and Dorlan Pabón, who scored 11 goals. He also had 4 assists. In total, Benedetto scored 21 goals in 43 appearances for Xolos.

### América

On 15 December 2014, Club América reached an agreement with Tijuana to sign Benedetto. Though details of the transfer went undisclosed, it was believed that América paid US$8 million for the player. He made his debut on 10 January 2015 in América's opening game of the Clausura tournament, a 3–2 victory over León at the Estadio Azteca, providing the assist for Oribe Peralta's second goal. He scored his first goal in a league game against Tigres UANL.
Benedetto was named the best player of the 2014–15 CONCACAF Champions League, and also won the Golden Boot with teammate Oribe Peralta, scoring seven goals in three matches; four in the 6–0 win over Herediano in the second leg of the semi-finals, and a hat-trick in the 5–3 aggregate victory over Montreal Impact in the Finals.

### Boca Juniors

On 6 June 2016, Benedetto joined Boca Juniors. On 25 September, he scored a hat-trick in a 4–1 win against Quilmes at La Bombonera. Although resisted at first, he was the MVP that lead Boca Juniors to is 32nd national title.
On 19 November 2017, Benedetto ruptured his ACL in a match against Racing Club. He was subsequently ruled out for six months. Benedetto scored 30 goals in 34 appearances across his first two Superliga campaigns with Boca but was on target just twice in 15 outings in 2018–19 after returning from the knee and Achilles injuries.

### Marseille

On 5 August 2019, Benedetto signed a four-year deal with Ligue 1 side Olympique de Marseille for a reported fee of €14 million. He was given the number 9 shirt. Benedetto scored his first goal as a Marseille player in the first half of a match against OGC Nice on 28 August 2019.

#### Loan to Elche

On 19 August 2021, Benedetto joined La Liga side Elche on a loan deal.

### Return to Boca Juniors

On 21 January 2022, Benedetto returned to Boca Juniors. On 19 July 2024, Benedetto and Boca Juniors parted ways by mutual agreement.

### Querétaro

On 13 September 2024, Benedetto joined Mexican club Querétaro.

## International career

On 27 August 2017, Benedetto received his first senior call-up by coach Jorge Sampaoli for Argentina's 2018 World Cup qualifying matches against Uruguay and Venezuela. He made his international debut on 5 September 2017 vs. Venezuela, he came on to replace Paulo Dybala as a substitute, the match ended 1–1.

## Style of play

Benedetto is a complete striker praised for his eye for goal, his altruism, his sense of collective and his athletic qualities that make him a player appreciated by coaches. He is an excellent finisher and enhances his team's attacking game. He can play as a "goal poacher" but also knows to play as a winger or lower on the field to use his technical skills and participate in the construction of the game.

## Career statistics
### Club

    As of match played 21 April 2024
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition :
| Club | Season | League | League | League | National cup | National cup | League cup | League cup | Continental | Continental | Other | Other | Total | Total |
| Club | Season | Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| Arsenal de Sarandí | 2008–09 | Argentine Primera División | 12 | 1 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 12 | 1 |
| Arsenal de Sarandí | 2009–10 | Argentine Primera División | 1 | 0 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 1 | 0 |
| Arsenal de Sarandí | 2011–12 | Argentine Primera División | 10 | 1 | 1 | 0 | – | – | – | – | – | – | 11 | 1 |
| Arsenal de Sarandí | 2012–13 | Argentine Primera División | 28 | 7 | 2 | 2 | – | – | 6 | 3 | – | – | 36 | 12 |
| Arsenal de Sarandí | Total | Total | 51 | 9 | 3 | 2 | – | – | 6 | 3 | – | – | 60 | 14 |
| Defensa y Justicia (loan) | 2009–10 | Primera B Nacional | 14 | 1 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 14 | 1 |
| Defensa y Justicia (loan) | 2010–11 | Primera B Nacional | 10 | 1 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 10 | 1 |
| Defensa y Justicia (loan) | Total | Total | 24 | 2 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 24 | 2 |
| Gimnasia (loan) | 2010–11 | Primera B Nacional | 19 | 11 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 19 | 11 |
| Tijuana | 2013–14 | Liga MX | 26 | 12 | – | – | – | – | 4 | 1 | – | – | 30 | 13 |
| Tijuana | 2014–15 | Liga MX | 17 | 9 | 3 | 1 | – | – | – | – | – | – | 20 | 10 |
| Tijuana | Total | Total | 43 | 21 | 3 | 1 | – | – | 4 | 1 | – | – | 50 | 23 |
| América | 2014–15 | Liga MX | 17 | 6 | – | – | – | – | 3 | 7 | – | – | 20 | 13 |
| América | 2015–16 | Liga MX | 32 | 11 | – | – | – | – | 7 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 41 | 13 |
| América | Total | Total | 49 | 17 | – | – | – | – | 10 | 8 | 2 | 1 | 61 | 26 |
| Boca Juniors | 2015–16 | Argentine Primera División | – | – | 3 | 2 | – | – | 2 | 0 | – | – | 5 | 2 |
| Boca Juniors | 2016–17 | Argentine Primera División | 25 | 21 | 3 | 3 | – | – | – | – | – | – | 28 | 24 |
| Boca Juniors | 2017–18 | Argentine Primera División | 9 | 9 | 2 | 0 | – | – | 6 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 17 | 14 |
| Boca Juniors | 2018–19 | Argentine Primera División | 15 | 2 | – | – | 4 | 0 | 6 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 26 | 5 |
| Boca Juniors | Total | Total | 49 | 32 | 8 | 5 | 4 | 0 | 14 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 76 | 45 |
| Marseille | 2019–20 | Ligue 1 | 26 | 11 | 2 | 0 | – | – | – | – | – | – | 28 | 11 |
| Marseille | 2020–21 | Ligue 1 | 32 | 5 | 2 | 1 | – | – | 6 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 41 | 6 |
| Marseille | 2021–22 | Ligue 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | – | 0 | 0 | – | – | 2 | 0 |
| Marseille | Total | Total | 60 | 16 | 4 | 1 | – | – | 6 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 71 | 17 |
| Elche (loan) | 2021–22 | La Liga | 14 | 2 | 2 | 0 | – | – | – | – | – | – | 16 | 2 |
| Boca Juniors | 2022 | Argentine Primera División | 17 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 14 | 7 | 7 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 41 | 16 |
| Boca Juniors | 2023 | Argentine Primera División | 15 | 3 | 5 | 1 | 12 | 2 | 8 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 42 | 9 |
| Boca Juniors | 2024 | Argentine Primera División | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 10 | 1 | 2 | 0 | – | – | 13 | 1 |
| Boca Juniors | Total | Total | 32 | 8 | 8 | 2 | 36 | 10 | 17 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 96 | 26 |
| Boca Juniors | Boca total | Boca total | 81 | 40 | 16 | 7 | 40 | 10 | 31 | 11 | 4 | 3 | 172 | 71 |
| Career total | Career total | Career total | 341 | 118 | 28 | 11 | 40 | 10 | 57 | 23 | 7 | 4 | 473 | 166 |
* ↑ Includes Copa Argentina, Copa MX, Coupe de France and Copa del Rey
* ↑ Includes Copa de la Superliga and Copa de la Liga Profesional
* ↑ Includes Copa Libertadores, CONCACAF Champions League, UEFA Champions League and Copa Sudamericana
* ↑ Includes FIFA Club World Cup, Supercopa Argentina, Trophée des Champions, Trofeo de Campeones and Supercopa Internacional

### International

    As of match played 22 March 2019
Appearances and goals by national team and year :
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
| Argentina | 2017 | 4 | 0 |
| Argentina | 2019 | 1 | 0 |
| Total | Total | 5 | 0 |

## Honours

América
* CONCACAF Champions League: 2014–15, 2015–16
Boca Juniors
* Argentine Primera División: 2016–17, 2017–18, 2022
* Copa de la Liga Profesional: 2022
* Supercopa Argentina: 2018, 2022
* Copa Libertadores runner-up: 2018, 2023
Individual
* CONCACAF Champions League Golden Ball: 2014–15
* CONCACAF Champions League Top Goalscorer: 2014–15
* Footballer of the Year of Argentina: 2017
* Argentine Primera División top scorer: 2016–17