Leandro Somoza facts for kids
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Leandro Daniel Somoza | ||
| Date of birth | 26 January 1981 | ||
| Place of birth | Buenos Aires, Argentina | ||
| Height | 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in) | ||
| Position(s) | Defensive midfielder | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Vélez Sársfield | |||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2001–2006 | Vélez Sarsfield | 124 | (6) |
| 2006–2008 | Villarreal | 25 | (0) |
| 2007–2008 | → Betis (loan) | 15 | (0) |
| 2008–2010 | Vélez Sarsfield | 53 | (4) |
| 2011–2013 | Boca Juniors | 66 | (0) |
| 2013–2014 | Lanús | 45 | (1) |
| 2015–2017 | Vélez Sarsfield | 39 | (0) |
| 2017–2018 | Aldosivi | 21 | (0) |
| International career | |||
| 2006–2013 | Argentina | 4 | (0) |
| Managerial career | |||
| 2019 | Cerro Porteño (assistant) | ||
| 2020–2021 | Boca Juniors (assistant) | ||
| 2021 | Al Nassr (assistant) | ||
| 2022 | Rosario Central | ||
| 2022 | Aldosivi | ||
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Leandro Daniel Somoza (born January 26, 1981) is a football coach from Argentina. He used to be a professional football player. He played as a defensive midfielder, which is a player who helps protect the team's goal.
Contents
Leandro Somoza's Playing Career
Leandro Somoza started his professional football journey in 2001. He played for a team called Vélez Sársfield in Argentina.
Early Success at Vélez Sársfield
Somoza played for Vélez Sársfield for five years. He was a very important player for the team. In 2005, his team won the Clausura tournament. This was a big achievement for him and the club.
Playing in Spain
In 2006, Somoza moved to Spain to play for La Liga club Villarreal CF. He signed a five-year contract. He joined other players from Argentina there. After one season, he was loaned to Real Betis in August 2007. He played his first game for Betis in a friendly match. His first official game was on August 26.
Return to Argentina
After two seasons in Spain, Somoza went back to Argentina in 2008. He rejoined his old team, Vélez Sársfield. In 2009, his team won the Clausura championship again. Even though he was injured, he was still part of the winning squad. He scored his first goal after his injury in a game against Lanús in 2009.
Time with Boca Juniors
On January 14, 2011, Somoza signed with Boca Juniors, another famous Argentine club. With Boca Juniors, he won the Apertura championship in 2011. He also won the Copa Argentina in 2012. His team also finished second in the 2012 Copa Libertadores, which is a very important South American club competition.
Playing for Lanús and Aldosivi
For the 2013–14 season, Somoza joined Lanús. With Lanús, he won the 2013 Copa Sudamericana in 2013. He played in all 10 games of that tournament. In 2015, Somoza returned to Vélez Sarsfield for his third time. He played there until 2017. From 2017 to 2018, he played for Aldosivi.
International Football for Argentina
Leandro Somoza also played for the Argentina national team. He made his first appearance in 2006 in a friendly game against Brazil in London, England. He was called up again in 2008 for a match against Chile, but he did not play in that game.
After four years, he joined the national team again in 2012. He played in the Superclásico de las Américas. In 2013, he was also called to play in the FIFA World Cup qualifying games.
Leandro Somoza's Coaching Career
After he stopped playing, Somoza became a football coach. He worked as an assistant coach for Miguel Ángel Russo at a few clubs. These clubs included Cerro Porteño, Boca Juniors, and Al Nassr.
On March 27, 2022, Somoza became the main manager for Rosario Central. He left that role on June 14, 2022. Ten days later, he was appointed as the manager for Aldosivi.
Awards and Championships
Leandro Somoza won several championships during his playing career:
- Vélez Sársfield
- Argentine Primera División: 2005 Clausura, 2009 Clausura
- Boca Juniors
- Argentine Primera División: 2011 Apertura
- Copa Argentina: 2011–12
- Lanús
- Copa Sudamericana: 2013
See also
In Spanish: Leandro Somoza para niños
