Leonardo Santiago

Leonardo

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Personal information
Full name	Leonardo Vitor Santiago
Date of birth	(1983-03-09) 9 March 1983
Place of birth	Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Height
Position(s)	Winger
Team information
Current team	Newcastle Jets
Number	10
Youth career
	Nova Safra
1995–2000	Feyenoord
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2000–2005	Feyenoord	55	(4)
2006	NAC Breda	31	(10)
2007–2009	Ajax	40	(5)
2009–2012	NAC Breda	42	(6)
2011–2012	→ Red Bull Salzburg (loan)	30	(4)
2013–2014	Ferencváros	23	(7)
2014	1860 Munich	8	(2)
2015–	Newcastle Jets	3	(0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 11 October 2015

Leonardo Vitor Santiago (born 9 March 1983), commonly known as Leonardo, is a Brazilian footballer. Leonardo usually plays as a winger. On the 21st of August, 2015 he signed for the Australian A-League team, Newcastle Jets FC.

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. 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 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.

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.

For the upcoming 2015-16 season Leonardo has signed with the A-League club Newcastle Jets in Australia.

Statistics

Season	Club	Competition	Apps	Goals
2000/01	Feyenoord	Eredivisie	23	2
2001/02	Feyenoord	Eredivisie	21	2
2002/03	Feyenoord	Eredivisie	3	0
2003/04	Feyenoord	Eredivisie	3	0
2004/05	Feyenoord	Eredivisie	4	0
2005/06	Feyenoord	Eredivisie	1	0
2005/06	NAC Breda	Eredivisie	14	8
2006/07	NAC Breda	Eredivisie	17	2
2006/07	Ajax	Eredivisie	7	1
2007/08	Ajax	Eredivisie	9	2
2008/09	Ajax	Eredivisie	24	2
2009/10	NAC Breda	Eredivisie	17	4
2010/11	NAC Breda	Eredivisie	25	2
2011/12	FC Red Bull Salzburg	Bundesliga	30	4
2012/13	Ferencvárosi TC	NB1	9	2
2013/14	Ferencvárosi TC	NB1	14	5
2014/15	1860 Munich	2. Bundesliga	8	2
Total			198	33

Honours

Club

• Feyenoord
  • UEFA Cup 2002

• Ajax
  • Dutch Cup 2007
  • Dutch Super Cup 2007

• Red Bull Salzburg
  • Austrian Bundesliga 2011–12
  • Austrian Cup: 2012

• Ferencvárosi TC
  • Hungarian League Cup: 2012–13

External links

• Voetbal International profile