Leonardo Santiago

Leonardo Santiago
Personal information
Full name Leonardo Vitor Santiago
Date of birth (1983-03-09) 9 March 1983
Place of birth Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Height 1.73 m (5 ft 8 in)
Position(s) Striker
Team information
Current team
Red Bull Salzburg
Number 30
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– NAC Breda 42 (6)
2011–Red Bull Salzburg (loan) 17 (2)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 2 June 2010 (UTC)

Leonardo Vitor Santiago (born 9 March 1983) is a Brazilian footballer. He plays as a striker for FC Red Bull Salzburg on loan from NAC Breda. He is known as Leonardo.

Career

He started at the Nova Safra football school in Rio de Janeiro. His talent was discovered when he was 11 years old and he went to Europe and played in Feyenoord Rotterdams youth squads at Varkenoord[1] He made his debut on August 19, 2000 in a 2–0 victory over AZ Almaar at the age of 17. This was a problem for Feyenoord and Leonardo because a non EU player is not allowed to play under 18 years. So he had to wait until he was 18. He scored his first goal for the first team versus SC Heerenveen. In his first two seasons at Feyenoord he played 44 matches and scored four goals, but mainly he gave assists for his team mates to score. He was part of the Feyenoord team that won the 2001–02 UEFA Cup.

After this he suffered sever injuries, so he had only 11 matches in three seasons. After problems with the coaches he decided to left Feyenoord. 2006 he joined NAC Breda. After arguments with the coach he left Breda, after nine goals in 14 matches, to go to Ajax Amsterdam. 2009 he went back to Breda. 2011 he was transferred to Red Bull Salzburg on loan.

Club 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 17 2
Total 185 27

Honours

Club


References

  1. "Ajax confirm purchase of NAC Breda forward Leonardo". Archived from the original on 2007-01-08. Retrieved 2011-07-13.