Hugo de León facts for kids
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Hugo de León in 2019
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| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||
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| Full name | Hugo Eduardo de León Rodríguez | ||||||||||||||||||
| Date of birth | 27 February 1958 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Rivera, Uruguay | ||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.87 m (6 ft 1+1⁄2 in) | ||||||||||||||||||
| Playing position | Defender | ||||||||||||||||||
| Senior career* | |||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† | ||||||||||||||||
| 1977–1980 | Nacional | ||||||||||||||||||
| 1981–1984 | Grêmio | 83 | (2) | ||||||||||||||||
| 1984–1985 | Corinthians | 24 | (0) | ||||||||||||||||
| 1986–1987 | Santos | ||||||||||||||||||
| 1987–1988 | Logroñés | 16 | (0) | ||||||||||||||||
| 1988–1989 | Nacional | ||||||||||||||||||
| 1989–1990 | River Plate | 12 | (0) | ||||||||||||||||
| 1991 | Botafogo | 12 | (0) | ||||||||||||||||
| 1991–1992 | Toshiba SC | ||||||||||||||||||
| 1992–1993 | Nacional | ||||||||||||||||||
| National team | |||||||||||||||||||
| 1979–1990 | Uruguay | 48 | (0) | ||||||||||||||||
| Teams managed | |||||||||||||||||||
| 1996 | Ituano | ||||||||||||||||||
| 1997 | Fluminense | ||||||||||||||||||
| 1998–2001 | Nacional | ||||||||||||||||||
| 2003 | Monterrey | ||||||||||||||||||
| 2004 | Nacional | ||||||||||||||||||
| 2004 | Monterrey | ||||||||||||||||||
| 2005 | Grêmio | ||||||||||||||||||
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Honours
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Hugo Eduardo de León Rodríguez, born on February 27, 1958, is a famous Uruguayan football (soccer) coach and former player. He was known for being a strong defender on the field. He played for many important clubs in South America and Spain, winning several major titles. Later, he became a successful coach, leading teams to championships.
Contents
Hugo de León's Football Journey
Hugo de León had a very successful career both as a player and as a coach. He is especially remembered for his time with Nacional in Uruguay and Grêmio in Brazil. He won many important trophies, including the Copa Libertadores, which is like the Champions League for South American clubs.
Playing Career: A Champion Defender
Hugo de León started his professional football career with Nacional in 1977. He quickly became a key player for the team.
Success with Nacional and Grêmio
With Nacional, he helped them win the Uruguayan league title twice, in 1977 and 1980. He also won the prestigious Copa Libertadores with Nacional in 1980. This was a huge achievement for the club.
In 1981, Hugo moved to Brazil to play for Grêmio. There, he continued his winning ways. He won the Copa Libertadores again in 1983 with Grêmio. Right after that, they also won the Intercontinental Cup. This cup was played between the champions of Europe and South America.
Return to Nacional and More Trophies
After playing for other clubs in Brazil and Spain, Hugo de León returned to Nacional in 1988. His return brought more success. In 1988, he won the Copa Libertadores and the Intercontinental Cup again with Nacional. The next year, 1989, he added the Copa Interamericana and Recopa Sudamericana to his collection.
He then played for River Plate in Argentina, winning the league title in 1990. He came back to Nacional one last time in 1992. There, he won his third Uruguayan league title as a player. Hugo de León retired from playing football in 1993.
International Matches: Representing Uruguay
Hugo de León was also a proud member of the Uruguay national team. He played 48 games for his country between 1979 and 1990.
World Cup and Copa América
He played in four matches at the 1990 FIFA World Cup. He also helped Uruguay win the 1980 Mundialito. This was a special tournament held to celebrate 50 years since the first World Cup. In 1989, he led Uruguay to a second-place finish in the Copa América tournament.
Coaching Days: Leading Teams to Victory
After retiring as a player, Hugo de León became a football coach. He managed several clubs in Uruguay, Brazil, and Mexico.
Championships as a Coach
He coached his former club, Nacional, and led them to win the Uruguayan league titles in 1998, 2000, and 2001. He also coached other well-known teams like Grêmio and Monterrey. Due to a disagreement about his coaching qualifications, he has not coached in Uruguay since 2004.
Beyond Football: A Step into Politics
In 2009, Hugo de León decided to try something different. He became a candidate for Vice President of Uruguay. He ran alongside Pedro Bordaberry in the 2009 Uruguayan general election.
See also
In Spanish: Hugo de León para niños
