Yoandy Leal

Yoandy Leal Hidalgo (born August 31, 1988 in Havana) is a Cuban-born Brazilian volleyball player. He was a former member of Cuba men's national volleyball team (2007–2010) and currently is a member of Brazil men's national volleyball team (since 2019) after gained the Brazilian citizenship in June 2015. At club level he plays as a wing-spiker for Lube Civitanova.

Yoandy Leal
Personal information
Full name	Yoandy Leal Hidalgo
Nationality	Cuban Brazilian
Born	(1988-08-31) August 31, 1988 Havana, Cuba
Height	2.01 m (6 ft 7 in)
Weight	107 kg (236 lb)
Spike	361 cm (142 in)
Block	348 cm (137 in)
Volleyball information
Position	Outside spiker
Current club	Cucine Lube Civitanova
Number	9
Career
Years Teams 2012–2017 Sada Cruzeiro 2018– Cucine Lube Civitanova
National team
2007–2010 Cuba 2019– Brazil
Honours Men's volleyball Representing  Cuba World Championship 2010 Italy Team World Grand Champions Cup 2009 Japan Team NORCECA Championships 2009 Puerto Rico Pan American Games 2007 Rio de Janeiro Representing  Brazil World Cup 2019 Japan Team South American Championship 2019 Santiago
Last updated: 14 October 2019

Leal played four years with the Cuban national team, debuting at the 2007 FIVB Volleyball Men's U21 World Championship. In the 2008 World Olympic Qualification Tournament in Düsseldorf that would give a spot at the 2008 Summer Olympics. Cuba did not qualify finishing second to hosts Germany, but Leal was chosen Best Spiker and Server of the championship. His last tournament with Cuba was the 2010 FIVB Volleyball Men's World Championship, where Leal won the silver medal.

Still pursuing his dream of playing in the Olympics, Leal left Cuba in 2010, establishing himself in volleyball potency Brazil, at the city of Belo Horizonte. After two years not playing, Leal signed with local team Sada Cruzeiro. Soon he was a vital part of the team, winning two editions each of the Brazilian Superligas, South American Championships and FIVB Volleyball Men's Club World Championship. Leal started his naturalization process in 2013, and in 2015 he was given the Brazilian nationality. Afterwards he contacted the Fédération Internationale de Volleyball to see how soon he could play for Brazil's national team, as team coach Bernardo Rezende already expressed interest in having Leal in the squad for the 2016 Summer Olympics.[1]