Diego Lainez Leyva was born on 9 June 2000 in Villahermosa, Tabasco, Mexico. He is one of Mexican football's most heralded young talents, a technically gifted attacking midfielder who caught the world's attention with his performances at América and earned a major European move at a young age.
At Club América he established himself as one of Liga MX's most creative and direct attackers despite his teenage years, combining close control, quick thinking and an eye for goal that prompted Real Betis of Spain to sign him in January 2019 for a fee reported at around €15 million. His arrival in Seville at the age of eighteen made him one of the youngest and most expensive Mexican exports to Europe.
His time at Betis proved challenging, with consistent starting opportunities proving elusive in a competitive La Liga squad. He experienced loan spells designed to maintain his development, and his career in Spain, while not reaching the heights initially envisaged, provided him with invaluable experience of top-level European football.
For Mexico he debuted as a teenager and was long considered one of the brightest prospects in CONCACAF football. He featured in multiple Gold Cups and qualifying campaigns, demonstrating his ability to influence games with his quick feet and incisive passing even when not at his peak form.
Standing approximately 1.69 m, Lainez is a left-footed wide attacker whose technical quality, directness and ability to play in tight spaces make him one of the more skillful wide players Mexico has produced. His career is still developing, and the 2026 World Cup cycle represents an opportunity to recapture the form that made him such a coveted prospect.