José Leandro Ferreira

Leandro
Personal information
Full name José Leandro de Souza Ferreira
Date of birth (1959-03-17) 17 March 1959
Place of birth Cabo Frio, Brazil
Height 1.82 m (5 ft 11 1⁄2 in)
Playing position Right wing-back
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1978–1990 Flamengo 119 (5)
National team
1981–1986 Brazil 27 (2)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

Leandro, full name José Leandro de Souza Ferreira, (born 17 March 1959 in Cabo Frio, Brazil) is a Brazilian former footballer who played as a defender. He played for Flamengo during his whole professional career, first as a right-sided full-back and, from 1983 on, as a central defender. With Flamengo, he won four Brazilian national leagues, five Rio State championships, one Libertadores da América, and one Intercontinental Cup against Liverpool.[1] He also played for the Brazilian national team in the 1980s, including the 1982 FIFA World Cup, along with Zico, Júnior, Falcão, Sócrates, and others. Leandro was capped 27 times for Brazil between September 1981 and May 1986. He is considered one of the greatest Brazilian defenders of all-time.

Career

At the World Cup Leandro was part of a star-studded Brazilian team's. He was capable of delivering decisive crosses to the forwards, or indeed taking a pop himself. He also had an ability to dribble past players and get forward. Leandro was also able to cover the flank both offensively and defensively: he could often be found in the outside right position, yet would get back to defence when needed.

After several knee injuries and some surgeries in 1985, Leandro started to play as a centre back, also achieving much success and being called to the Brazilian national squad to play in this new position.

A principled man, he refused to go to 1986 FIFA World Cup at Mexico after a disagreement with the coach Telê Santana over the exclusion of his teammate Renato from the squad.[2]

Leandro prematurely retired in 1990 at 31 years of age. He played 417 matches and scored 14 goals for Flamengo.

Nowadays he owns and manages a restaurant and hotel in his hometown Cabo Frio.

Honours

Club

Flamengo[3]

Individual

References

  1. ↑ "Craques de uma era" (in Portuguese). Placar. April 2010. p. 65.
  2. ↑ "Calcio Compleanno: Roberto Donadoni". m.Goal.com. September 9, 2008. Archived from the original on November 30, 2013. Retrieved September 19, 2008.
  3. 1 2 Leandro – Trophies Archived March 5, 2016, at the Wayback Machine.


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