Diogo Dalot was born on 18 March 1999 in Braga, Portugal, and joined Porto's academy at the age of nine. He made his professional debut for Porto's B team in January 2017 and earned his first senior appearance in October of that year, before securing a move to Manchester United in June 2018 for a reported fee of £19 million.
His early years at United were hampered by injuries and competition for places, leading to a loan spell at AC Milan in the 2020–21 season. He made 33 appearances for the Italian club, contributing two goals and three assists while helping Milan finish second in Serie A and qualify for the Champions League. That experience proved formative, sharpening his defensive work without blunting his attacking instincts.
Back at United, Dalot gradually established himself as the first-choice right-back under Erik ten Hag, earning the club's Players' Player of the Year award for the 2023–24 season. He has collected two major honours at Old Trafford — the EFL Cup in 2022–23 and the FA Cup in 2023–24. A strong, technically capable full-back with good pace and a willingness to contribute in the final third, Dalot remains a key figure in United's defensive setup.
At international level, he made his senior debut for Portugal at UEFA Euro 2020 as a replacement for the injured João Cancelo. He has since become a regular in the squad, scoring two goals in a Nations League win over the Czech Republic in 2022, and appeared at the 2022 FIFA World Cup. He also won the UEFA Nations League with Portugal in 2024–25.