André Leão

André Leão
	Leão being presented by Valladolid
Personal information
Full name	André Filipe Ribeiro Leão
Date of birth	20 May 1985 (age 39)
Place of birth	Freamunde, Portugal
Height	1.82 m (5 ft 11+1⁄2 in)
Position(s)	Midfielder
Youth career
1993–2003	Freamunde
Senior career*
Years	Team
2003–2005	Freamunde
2005–2006	Porto B
2006–2007	Beira-Mar
2007–2010	CFR Cluj
2010–2014	Paços Ferreira
2014–2017	Valladolid
2017–2019	Paços Ferreira
International career
2005–2006	Portugal U20
Medal record
CFR Cluj
	*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 18 August 2019

André Filipe Ribeiro Leão (born 20 May 1985) is a Portuguese professional footballer who plays as a defensive midfielder.

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

LigaPro: 2018–19

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.^{[permanent dead link]}
^ "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 (archived)
André Leão at RomanianSoccer.ro (in Romanian)
André Leão at BDFutbol
National team data (in Portuguese)
André Leão at Soccerway

[1] "Beira-Mar vence Estrela por 2–0" [Beira-Mar defeat Estrela 2–0]. Público (in Portuguese). 17 September 2006. Retrieved 27 July 2017.

[2] "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.

[3] "Swansea set to sign Leao". Planet Swans. 22 June 2010. Retrieved 22 June 2010.^{[permanent dead link]}

[4] "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.

[5] "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.

[6] "Álvaro Rubio, de indiscutible a suplente" [Álvaro Rubio, from undisputed to backup] (in Spanish). Vavel. 4 September 2014. Retrieved 27 July 2017.

[7] "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.

[8] "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.

[9] "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.

[10] "CFR Cluj câştigat Supercupa României" [CFR Cluj win Romanian Supercup]. Gândul (in Romanian). 27 July 2009. Retrieved 27 July 2009.

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