André Leão
André Filipe Ribeiro Leão (born 20 May 1985) is a Portuguese professional footballer who plays as a defensive midfielder.
Leão being presented by Valladolid | ||||||||||
Personal information | ||||||||||
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Full name | André Filipe Ribeiro Leão | |||||||||
Date of birth | 20 May 1985 | |||||||||
Place of birth | Freamunde, Portugal | |||||||||
Height | 1.82 m (5 ft 11 1⁄2 in) | |||||||||
Playing position(s) | Midfielder | |||||||||
Youth career | ||||||||||
1993–2003 | Freamunde | |||||||||
Senior career* | ||||||||||
Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | |||||||
2003–2005 | Freamunde | 30 | (1) | |||||||
2005–2006 | Porto B | 23 | (0) | |||||||
2006–2007 | Beira-Mar | 20 | (2) | |||||||
2007–2010 | CFR Cluj | 25 | (0) | |||||||
2010–2014 | Paços Ferreira | 108 | (3) | |||||||
2014–2017 | Valladolid | 103 | (0) | |||||||
2017–2019 | Paços Ferreira | 30 | (0) | |||||||
National team | ||||||||||
2005–2006 | Portugal U20 | 9 | (1) | |||||||
Honours
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* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 18 August 2019 |
Club career
Early years
Leão was born in Freamunde. After a brief spell with FC Porto's reserves, he made his professional debuts at Aveiro's S.C. Beira-Mar, his Primeira Liga debut coming on 17 September 2006 in a 2–0 home win against C.F. Estrela da Amadora where he came on as a 76th-minute substitute.[1]
Leão was used regularly during that season, but only won one of the matches in which he appeared and his club was relegated.
CFR Cluj / Paços Ferreira
Leão then moved to Romania with CFR Cluj, joining a host of compatriots and winning the Liga I championship in his debut campaign, appearing in 15 games. However, he would be rarely used during his two-and-a-half-year spell, and returned to his country in the late hours of the January 2010 transfer window, joining F.C. Paços de Ferreira.[2]
In the 2010 off-season, Swansea City of the Football League Championship made an offer to sign Leão,[3] but nothing came of it. He started in all his 29 league appearances in 2012–13 (two goals), as Paços finished a best-ever third and qualified to the UEFA Champions League for the first time ever.
Valladolid
On 12 June 2014, aged 29, Leão signed a three-year contract with Spanish club Real Valladolid.[4] He made his competitive debut on 23 August, playing the 90 minutes in a 2–1 Segunda División home defeat of RCD Mallorca.[5]
Leão was an undisputed starter during his three-year spell at the Estadio José Zorrilla,[6][7] playing 107 overall games.
Paços return
On 13 July 2017, after alleging personal problems, Leão was transferred back to his previous club Paços Ferreira.[8]
Honours
CFR Cluj
Paços Ferreira
References
- "Beira-Mar vence Estrela por 2–0" [Beira-Mar defeat Estrela 2–0]. Público (in Portuguese). 17 September 2006. Retrieved 27 July 2017.
- "André Leão reforça meio-campo" [André Leão bolsters midfield]. Record (in Portuguese). 21 January 2010. Archived from the original on 7 November 2017. Retrieved 27 July 2017.
- "Swansea set to sign Leao". Planet Swans. 22 June 2010. Retrieved 22 June 2010.
- "André Leao, primer fichaje del Pucela 14/15" [André Leao, first Pucela 14/15 signing] (in Spanish). Real Valladolid. 12 June 2014. Retrieved 12 June 2014.
- "El Valladolid se impone al Mallorca y se lleva los primeros tres puntos de la temporada" [Valladolid impose Mallorca and get first three points of the season]. El Norte de Castilla (in Spanish). 23 August 2014. Retrieved 27 July 2017.
- "Álvaro Rubio, de indiscutible a suplente" [Álvaro Rubio, from undisputed to backup] (in Spanish). Vavel. 4 September 2014. Retrieved 27 July 2017.
- "André Leao vuelve a la lista ante el Almería de la que sale Anuar" [André Leao returns to squad against Almería and Anuar is left out]. Diario AS (in Spanish). 5 May 2017. Retrieved 27 July 2017.
- "André Leao, traspasado al Paços de Ferreira" [André Leao, transferred to Paços de Ferreira] (in Spanish). Real Valladolid. 13 July 2017. Retrieved 15 July 2017.
- "Cupa României ramâne la Cluj-Napoca!" [Cluj-Napoca renew Cup title!] (in Romanian). CFR Cluj. 13 June 2009. Archived from the original on 16 June 2009. Retrieved 14 June 2009.
- "CFR Cluj câştigat Supercupa României" [CFR Cluj win Romanian Supercup]. Gândul (in Romanian). 27 July 2009. Retrieved 27 July 2009.
External links
- André Leão at ForaDeJogo
- André Leão at RomanianSoccer.ro (in Romanian) and StatisticsFootball.com
- André Leão at BDFutbol
- National team data (in Portuguese)
- André Leão at Soccerway