Diogo Dalot has openly confessed that Manchester United's exclusion from European football for only the second time in 35 years has rendered this season more agonising than any other since he joined the club. Following their defeat in the Europa League final to Tottenham in Bilbao last May, United have been forced to endure lengthy midweeks of inactivity, watching their fiercest rivals compete in the Champions League.
United's Disappointing Campaign
Compounding the misery, United suffered early exits from both domestic cup competitions, losing to Grimsby and Brighton. This means the club will play a mere 40 games in total, marking their shortest campaign since the First World War. In stark contrast, neighbours Manchester City celebrated their fifth Carabao Cup triumph in a decade under Pep Guardiola last weekend and remain in the FA Cup quarter-finals alongside three other Big Six clubs: Liverpool, Arsenal, and Chelsea.
Dalot's Personal Struggles
Despite United's current third-place position in the Premier League under Michael Carrick, which positions them for a Champions League return next season, Dalot emphasises that the wait cannot end soon enough. The Portuguese defender, who has been at Old Trafford for eight years since his £19 million move from FC Porto, expressed his frustration at watching from the sidelines.
'It's hurt to see our Premier League rivals involved in the Champions League and cup finals,' Dalot stated. 'Personally, I think this has been the most difficult season in that aspect – being at home watching everyone else play while we are just training. It's nowhere near where this club should be. However, it gives you even more hunger and a sense of responsibility to ensure that when we are back in those competitions, we never take those moments for granted.'
Memorable Trophy Wins
Reflecting on his tenure, Dalot, now 27, highlighted the Carabao Cup victory over Newcastle in 2023 as the pinnacle of his Manchester United career. 'I've had quite a journey since signing for Manchester United in 2018, but my favourite memory will always be the first time I won a trophy for the club,' he added, noting that he also secured the FA Cup when United defeated City the following year.
'That feeling is exactly why you sign for United: to win trophies and compete in the best competitions. It was the first time I really felt, 'okay, this is how it feels to win for this club', and it acted like an unlock that made me want to win even more.'
Community Initiative in Thailand
Dalot made these remarks while representing the DHL Express 'Delivering Dreams' campaign, a partnership with Manchester United's official logistics partner to provide an all-weather training pitch to the isolated community of Mae Suek in Thailand. Home to 11 villages and 11,577 people, with 85 percent being United fans, this region is geographically one of the most remote in the world, situated 140km and over four hours from Chiang Mai, the nearest major city, and a two-and-a-half-hour round trip from the closest functional football pitch.
Extreme weather conditions often render local fields unusable, but the new 4G turf – similar to that used at United's Carrington training base – will enable more than 1,000 children from two schools and three neighbouring villages to access training facilities daily, regardless of weather. Former United defender Patrice Evra led the inaugural training session at Jericho Farm, which will host regional tournaments throughout the year.
Inspiring Future Generations
'The Delivering Dreams campaign provides such a beautiful pitch for a lot of kids and the wider community to enjoy,' Dalot commented. 'They previously had to travel a couple of hours to be able to play football on a professional standard pitch, so we're very happy to be a part of changing that. When you want to be a football player, you have to start somewhere. This gesture can help provide a dream to a lot of kids who would like to be in the position that I am today.'
He further explained, 'If they don't have a pitch to play on or a facility where they can be happy and enjoy this beautiful sport, it makes achieving those dreams even more difficult. It's a remarkable campaign, and it would be an amazing experience for us to one day hear that a future Manchester United player started their career because of this help.'
Recalling his own beginnings, Dalot shared, 'For me, everything started on small pitches. In my hometown, I grew up playing on small concrete courts with goals that had no nets. If we didn't have goals, we would just use two water bottles to mark the posts. You always find a way to make it work because the beautiful side of football is just wanting to play and enjoy the sport. When I think back to those days, I can only imagine how happy the community will be when they see a brand-new football pitch that looks as beautiful as this one will.'
