Leo Bertos facts for kids
Bertos playing for Wellington Phoenix in 2008
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 20 December 1981 | ||
| Place of birth | Wellington, New Zealand | ||
| Height | 1.77 m | ||
| Playing position | Winger | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| 1997–2000 | Wellington Olympic | 53 | |
| 2000–2003 | Barnsley | 12 | (1) |
| 2003–2005 | Rochdale | 82 | (13) |
| 2005 | Chester City | 5 | (0) |
| 2005 | Barrow | ||
| 2005–2006 | York City | 5 | (0) |
| 2006 | Scarborough | 1 | (0) |
| 2006 | Worksop Town | ||
| 2006–2008 | Perth Glory | 35 | (1) |
| 2008–2014 | Wellington Phoenix | 127 | (9) |
| 2014–2015 | East Bengal | 11 | (0) |
| 2014 | → NorthEast United (loan) | 4 | (0) |
| 2015–2018 | Hamilton Olympic | 40 | (9) |
| National team | |||
| 2003–2004 | New Zealand U23 | 5 | (1) |
| 2003–2013 | New Zealand | 56 | (0) |
| 2014– | New Zealand Futsal | 2 | (1) |
| Teams managed | |||
| 2020– | Weston Bears | ||
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Leo Bertos (born Leonida Christos Bertos on December 20, 1981) is a New Zealand football coach and former player. He is currently the head coach for the Weston Bears team. Leo was a talented winger during his playing days. He played for the New Zealand national team from 2003 to 2013. A big highlight of his career was representing his country at the 2010 FIFA World Cup.
Contents
Early Life and Football Beginnings
Leo Bertos was born in Wellington, New Zealand. His father is Greek, and his mother is Māori. He went to Holy Cross primary school and then Wellington College. He played football for his school's top team.
Before moving overseas, Leo played for Wellington Olympic in New Zealand. He was with them from 1997 to 2000.
Club Football Journey
Leo Bertos played for several football clubs throughout his career. He started in England before returning to play in Australia and New Zealand.
Playing in England
Leo began his professional journey in England with Barnsley. He joined their youth team and made his first-team debut in April 2001. He signed a professional contract soon after. He scored one goal for Barnsley.
Later, he moved to Rochdale, where he played for two years. He scored an important goal in 2004 that helped his team stay in their league. After Rochdale, he had short spells at Chester City, Barrow, York City, Scarborough, and Worksop Town.
Perth Glory Adventures
In 2006, Leo Bertos signed with Perth Glory in Australia's A-League. He was brought in to make their midfield stronger. In his first season, he played in all 21 matches. He was known for his speed and great crosses, which led to nine assists. This made him the player with the most assists in the league that season.
He tried out for a Greek club called Skoda Xanthi during the off-season, but he returned to Perth. In his second season with Perth Glory, he played 14 games, scoring one goal and making two assists.
Wellington Phoenix Star
On January 24, 2008, Leo joined his hometown club, Wellington Phoenix. He signed a two-year contract. He played his first game for them in the 2008–09 season. He scored his first goal for the Phoenix in November 2008. He played 16 games that season, scoring 2 goals and assisting 4. He was even named the Wellington Phoenix Player of the Year for 2008–09!
The 2009–10 season was very successful for Leo and the Phoenix. He played a key role in helping the club reach the finals for the first time. He played every game that season, scoring 2 goals and providing 8 assists. He holds the record for the most assists for the club. He left the club in 2014.
Playing in India and Australia
After leaving Wellington Phoenix, Leo Bertos signed with East Bengal FC in India in 2014. Because he had played in the FIFA World Cup, he was considered a special "marquee" player for the club. He also played on loan for NorthEast United in the Indian Super League, where he reunited with his former national team coach, Ricki Herbert.
Later, in 2016, Leo signed with Hamilton Olympic in Australia's National Premier Leagues.
Representing New Zealand
Leo Bertos proudly represented New Zealand many times. He made his international debut in 2003. He also played for New Zealand's under-23 team.
He was known for his excellent dribbling skills and control of the ball. He showed these skills in games against strong teams like Brazil and Malaysia. He helped New Zealand win a game against Malaysia, earning him the Man of the Match award.
He played for New Zealand in the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup in South Africa. Before that tournament, he helped set up two goals against the World Champions, Italy, in a friendly match.
The 2010 FIFA World Cup Journey
A major highlight for Leo was helping New Zealand qualify for the 2010 FIFA World Cup. In November 2009, he provided the assist for the winning goal against Bahrain. This win secured New Zealand's spot in the World Cup.
Leo was part of the final 23-man squad for the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa. He played in all three of New Zealand's games at the World Cup. New Zealand surprised many by drawing all three of their matches: 1–1 against Slovakia, 1–1 against the reigning world champions Italy, and 0–0 against Paraguay. These were amazing results for the team!
Futsal Career
In 2014, Leo Bertos was also named to the New Zealand Futsal squad. Futsal is a type of indoor football. He scored a goal in his very first game for the futsal team.
Becoming a Coach
After his playing career, Leo Bertos became a football coach. In January 2020, he was named the head coach of the Weston Bears team.
Honours
Individual
- Wellington Phoenix Player of the Year: 2008–09
See also
In Spanish: Leo Bertos para niños
