Leonardo Santiago

Leonardo
Personal information
Full nameLeonardo Vitor Santiago
Date of birth9 March 1983
Place of birthRio de Janeiro, Brazil
Height1.73 m (5 ft 8 in)
Playing positionWinger
Youth career
Nova Safra
1995–2000Feyenoord
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps†(Gls)†
2000–2005Feyenoord55(4)
2006NAC Breda31(10)
2007–2009Ajax40(5)
2009–2012NAC Breda42(6)
2011–2012→ Red Bull Salzburg (loan)17(2)
2013–2014Ferencváros23(7)
20141860 Munich8(2)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 14 September 2014.
† Appearances (Goals).

Leonardo Vitor Santiago (born 9 March 1983), commonly known as Leonardo, is a Brazilian footballer. Leonardo usually plays as a winger.

Biography

Leonardo started at the Nova Safra football school in Rio de Janeiro and was raised in the Jacarezinho neighbourhood, which is also the area where Romário spent his early years. At the age of 11 his football talent was discovered by Jos de Putter who dedicated the documentary "Solo, de wet van de favela" to him and another young player. Following the attention it brought him he moved to Rotterdam to play in Feyenoord's youth squads at Varkenoord.[1] He made his debut for Feyenoord on 19 August 2000 in a 2–0 victory over AZ at the age of 17, which brought him and Feyenoord into trouble as non European Union players were not able to play for a professional team under the age of 18. Leonardo had to wait until he turned 18 to play in Feyenoord's first team again. He scored his first goal in the match versus SC Heerenveen, which ended in 2–0. His second goal he scored in the away win against arch rivals Ajax.

In his first two seasons at Feyenoord he played 44 matches and scored four goals. He was part of the Feyenoord squad that won the 2001–02 UEFA Cup.

He joined NAC Breda in January 2006 on a 1.5-year deal. He helped NAC Breda to stay in the Eredivisie by scoring 8 goals in 14 matches in the regular season, which made him top goal scorer at the club.

In December 2006 Leonardo agreed with Ajax on a new 2.5-year contract. On 21 January 2007 he played his first Ajax Eredivisie game against FC Utrecht[2] Six weeks later in the game against SC Heerenveen he suffered a heavy injury tearing the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee, which sidelined him for at least six months.

2011 he went from NAC Breda to FC Red Bull Salzburg on loan.

In February 2013 Leonardo signed a contract with Hungarian top club Ferencváros.[3]

In July 2014 Leonardo was contracted by German 2. Bundesliga club 1860 Munich. While he regularly played at the start of the 2014–15 season under coach Ricardo Moniz and managed to score twice, he was dropped from the squad after Markus von Ahlen took over the coaching position in September. His contract was terminated on his own wish in the end of November 2014.[4]

Statistics

Season Club Competition Apps Goals
2000/01FeyenoordNetherlands Eredivisie232
2001/02FeyenoordNetherlands Eredivisie212
2002/03FeyenoordNetherlands Eredivisie30
2003/04FeyenoordNetherlands Eredivisie30
2004/05FeyenoordNetherlands Eredivisie40
2005/06FeyenoordNetherlands Eredivisie10
2005/06NAC BredaNetherlands Eredivisie148
2006/07NAC BredaNetherlands Eredivisie172
2006/07AjaxNetherlands Eredivisie71
2007/08AjaxNetherlands Eredivisie92
2008/09AjaxNetherlands Eredivisie242
2009/10NAC BredaNetherlands Eredivisie174
2010/11NAC BredaNetherlands Eredivisie252
2011/12FC Red Bull SalzburgAustria Bundesliga172
2012/13 Ferencvárosi TCHungary NB1 9 2
2013/14 Ferencvárosi TCHungary NB1 14 5
2014/15 1860 MunichGermany 2. Bundesliga 8 2
Total 198 33

Honours

Club

References

  1. ↑ Ajax confirm purchase of NAC Breda forward Leonardo
  2. ↑ "Tactical Formation". Football-Lineups.com. Retrieved 22 January 2007.
  3. ↑ "Ferencváros announcing Leonardo has signed". Retrieved 20 February 2013.
  4. ↑ "Leonardo & Lions are terminating contract" (in German). Retrieved 26 November 2015. Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  5. ↑ Red Bull Salzburg are the 2011–12 champions

External links